Krista Bennion Feeney,violin

Krista Bennion Feeney has received international acclaim for her performances as a chamber musician, concertmaster and soloist. She is a co-concertmaster of the Orchestra of St. Lukeπs since 1983, recording both Bach violin concerti with them, and she directed the St. Lukeπs Chamber Ensembleπs Signature Series from 1996-2004. She was a founding member and first violinist of the Ridge String Quartet from 1979-1991, playing in many of the worldπs foremost concert halls on four continents. The Ridge can be heard in recording with Rudolf Firkušný playing both Dvo¯·k piano quintets, for RCA Red Seal.

At 15 she was a soloist in the Mendelssohn concerto with the San Francisco Symphony returning to play several concerti with them as well as with the St. Louis Symphony, New York String Orchestra and the Brandenburg Ensemble, all under the leadership of Alexander Schneider.

Ms Feeneyπs teachers include early studies with Clarice Horelick, then several years with Anthony Doheny. At the San Francisco Conservatory of Music she studied with Isadore Tinkleman and Stuart Canin. Her teachers at the Curtis Institute included Jaime Laredo, Felix Galimer and Mischa Schneider. At the Marlboro Music Festival in Vermont, she had the great opportunity of having almost daily chamber music lessons with Mischa Schneider for the duration of the festival.

In 1999 Ms Feeney was appointed music director and concertmaster of the New Century Chamber Orchestra, based in San Francisco. In 2003-04, NCCO expanded their music activities to include a new chamber series at the California Palace of the Legion of Honor where they play for full houses. In 2003 Ms Feeney was appointed Concertmaster of the Lincoln Centerπs Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra by their new Music Director Louis LangrÈe.

Highlights of the 2004-05 season include the Beethoven Concerto with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, the Bach Violin Concerto in A minor with St. Lukeπs at both the Kennedy Center and Zankel Hall, and the Vivaldi Concerto for Scordatura Violin and Double Orchestra with the New Century Chamber Orchestra.