Kate Cassella, violin Violinist Kate Cassella began her musical training with Laurie Cassella, her mother and first teacher, in the Suzuki Violin Program at the age of 3. She went on to study both violin performance and English at Peabody Conservatory and Johns Hopkins University, and completed her Bachelors of Music at Manhattan School of Music. She has been fortunate to study with violinists Martin Beaver of the Tokyo String Quartet, Burton Kaplan, Raphael Spiro, and her mom. She has also had the great privilege of playing under conductors Kurt Masur, Pierre Boulez, and Bobby McFerrin. Ms. Cassella is currently an active freelance and chamber musician in New York City. She has performed in such venues as Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Tenri Cultural Institute, Madison Square Garden, 55 Bar, The Living Room, The Cutting Room, Arlene's Grocery and The Bowery Poetry Club. She is a member of the quartet "Silhouette", a group comprised of like-minded women committed to playing classical, rock, folk, and original music. She also performs in a wide variety of orchestral, solo, chamber ensemble, and studio settings. She is a member of Distinguished Concerts International New York, Bianchi Musica, The Chelsea Symphony, Chelsea Opera Company, New Jersey Philharmonic, The Astoria Symphony, and Kokolo Ensemble. Ms. Cassella has worked with musicians from a variety of genres including performances and tours with pop stars Clay Aiken and Amy Grant. She can also be heard on recordings with jazz bassist, John Benitez, singer/songwriters Atarah Valentine, Shelly Bhushan, and the rock band "Kiss Kiss". Ms. Cassella is a Resident Teaching Artist at the Bloomingdale School of Music.