Tessa Lark, violin/Artistic Director

Violinist Tessa Lark is one of today’s most captivating artists, lauded for her technical agility, expressive range, and musical elegance. Lark was nominated for a Grammy for Best Classical Instrumental Solo in 2020. Lark is also an acclaimed fiddler, seamlessly integrating Appalachian and bluegrass traditions into her performances and inspiring composers to write for her.

In addition to her active concert schedule, Lark serves as Artistic Director of the Moab Music Festival and Musical Masterworks in Connecticut. Recent Festival appearances include Sarasota, Britt, Napa Valley, Seattle Chamber Music, La Jolla SummerFest, and Moab.

Next season Lark makes her debuts with the Pittsburgh Symphony (Bruch Scottish Fantasy) and the Florida Orchestra (Torke’s “Sky” concerto, written for her), and she returns to Rochester and Carnegie Hall. The 2025-26 season featured the premiere of a new concerto written for her by Lisa Biewala with the Louisville and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestras. She also returned to the Chamber Music Society of Palm Beach, Pasadena Symphony, Tucson Symphony, and Lexington Philharmonic, with recital debuts at Da Camera Society of Texas and returns to The Cliburn and Sunriver Music Festival.

As a chamber musician, Lark tours with her string trio alongside Edgar Meyer and Joshua Roman, performing at venues such as 92NY, Shriver Hall, and Chamber Music Northwest. Her discography includes The Stradgrass Sessions, featuring original works and collaborations with Jon Batiste, Sierra Hull, and Michael Cleveland, as well as recordings of repertoire by Ysaÿe, Bartók, and Corigliano.

A recipient of the Avery Fisher Career Grant and numerous competition prizes, Lark studied at New England Conservatory and The Juilliard School. She performs on a ca. 1600 G.P. Maggini violin, generously loaned through the Stradivari Society.