| Biography |
|
Performing extensively in her hometown of New York City and beyond, Geller’s 2012-2013 season includes performances on several series: Oyster Bay (NY) Distinguished Artist Series, Lenox Hill Neighborhood House Second Sundays and On A Sunday Afternoon at Bruno Walter Auditorium. In conjunction with the Community College of Baltimore County (MD) World Music and Art Festival, SEGUE will perform Ritmo, Color y Pasión, their in-demand flamenco program for violin, guitar, and flamenco dancer. Geller also becomes the newest member of the Vermont Contemporary Music Ensemble. In previous seasons Geller has appeared in recital at Pepperdine University (CA), St. Andrew’s Music Society (NYC), Chipola College (FL), Gainesville Pro Musica (GA) and Pensacola (FL) Junior College. She has served as an artist-in-residence at Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute (NY) and led dynamic public school and family workshops preceding performances on the Kindred Spirits Arts Programs Inc. and Killingworth (CT) Arts Center Classical Night Out series. Geller received the Helen Airoff Dowling Award for “outstanding undergraduate violinist” upon graduation from the Manhattan School of Music and made her Carnegie Hall solo recital debut as a winner of the Artists’ International Special Presentation Award. SEGUE debuted Ritmo, Color y Pasión in 2009 to a standing-room-only audience at Lincoln Center’s Bruno Walter Auditorium. The ensemble has gone on to perform countless sold-out programs on the East Coast, including Sonidos y Danzas Luminosos, with tango dancers, at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center. Since founding SEGUE in 2005 with the successful premiere of Driven for solo violin and dancer, at New York’s Merkin Concert Hall, Geller has continued to bring together varied configurations of award-winning artists into a cohesive ensemble. Dedicated to educating the next generation, Geller first became known in her native Maine for her exceptional ability to inspire and nurture children. She now brings that ability to her Suzuki studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and to her students at The School for Strings (SFS). Geller received her Suzuki certification from SFS and served as director and head violin teacher for ten years at the SFS at PS116, an outreach Suzuki program. She furthers her own studies with Joey Corpus. Her former principal teachers include Michael Gilbert, Patinka Kopec, Gregory Fulkerson and Lawrence Golan. |
“[Geller] plays Mendelssohn’s difficult cadenzas fluently and with the brightness they require, while reserving a full, lush tone for the flowing melodies.” —Portland Press Herald “The Fauré was the highlight of the concert: Ms. Geller and her excellent pianist reveled in its sunny, carefree high spirits. She has the simple, poised, confident stage presence of a seasoned performer.” “From its enigmatic double-stopped opening, her [Geller’s] tone was rich and chocolaty, with a dark, somewhat reedy or woody quality that has a little Jascha coloring, something gypsyish, in it.” Sarah E Geller impressed the audience by delivering a wide spectrum of tone colors to the beautiful harmonies of the Brahms A Major Sonata for Violin and Piano... “Ms. Geller represents the best of this new generation of classical artists. Her mastery of her instrument, awareness of audience tastes, and ability to relate to the audience make her an extremely appealing choice for a presenter.” “Violinist Sarah E Geller has presented several extremely successful, well-attended concerts at the Donnell Library Center over the past few years. She is a gifted musician whose programs are very well thought out and executed. Ms. Geller’s professionalism and attention to detail have made it a pleasure to work with her.” “[Geller’s] outstanding abilities…are grounded in her dynamic work as a chamber musician. She has appeared twice to great acclaim on our chamber series. … Ms. Geller’s talents shine through to audiences who thrill at her abundant musicality and probing interpretations. … As a [concerto] soloist in the Bach Double…she possesse[d] an innate understanding of Baroque practice. Her interpretation of this difficult work was learned but virtuosic in the best sense.” |
Described as “a consummate artist perform[ing] with convincing vigor and passion,” violinist Sarah E Geller has performed to critical acclaim in many prestigious venues as soloist and collaborative artist. Beloved by listeners from coast to coast, Geller continually draws capacity audiences with her rich sound and palette of tone colors and her innate ability to communicate musically with a compelling yet gentle touch.
