Ava Pakiam, violin

Ava is a 15-year-old sought after soloist and recitalist currently residing in the Bay Area. Ava studies with renowned violin professor, Simon James. In 2025, Ava was awarded the Salon De Virtuosi Career Grant in New York City. Her performance at their Gala this past October was live streamed by the Violin Channel and recorded for WQXR’s Young Artists Showcase. 

Ava made her solo debut at eight years old performing the Mozart Concerto No. 2 with the Fremont Symphony (CA). Later that summer, she performed Vivaldi’s Winter Concerto with the Sempre Musik Orchestra (Boston) and New York Sinfonietta (Carnegie Hall). At age eleven, Ava was named Seattle Symphony’s Young Artist for the 2021-22 season, performing Saint Saens Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso. At the Sounding Point Academy at Colburn School, Ava was chosen at age twelve to perform Vecsey’s “Le Vent” in recital live streamed by The Violin Channel. 

Her last few seasons have included solo performances with orchestras of the major violin concerti including Bruch, Mendelssohn, Barber, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, and Prokofiev Concerto No. 2. Solo appearances have also included performances alongside Grammy Award-winning composer Mason Bates and numerous recital appearances on both coasts with collaborator and pianist Cole Anderson. 

Ava has had the privilege of performing in masterclasses for many leading pedagogues and performing artists including Nathan Cole, Noah Geller, Ariel Horowitz, James Ehnes, Vadim Gluzman, Melissa White, Simone Porter, Sirena Huang and Hilary Hahn. 

A Strumenti artist since 2022, Ava is incredibly fortunate to be playing an 1874 J.B. Vuillaume funded though Strumenti. Ava is grateful to be under the guidance of Artistic Advisor and former head of IMG Artists, Edna Landau. In addition to music, Ava loves art, baking, jewelry making, and creative writing.