Biography

Performing to critical acclaim in many prestigious venues, violinist SARAH E GELLER has been hailed as possessing “the simple, poised, confident stage presence of a seasoned performer.” In June 2002, Sarah made her Carnegie Hall solo recital debut as a winner of the Artists’ International Special Presentation Award. Upon invitation from their Alumni Series, she also presented a solo recital in New York’s Merkin Concert Hall in May 2004, premiering Jeffery Story’s Driven for solo violin and dancer. Since her inaugural performance on the Donnell Library series in February 2004, Sarah has been awarded an annual appearance on their series.

As a recipient of the Helen Airoff Dowling Award from the Manhattan School of Music for “outstanding undergraduate violinist,” Sarah has gone on to captivate audiences in her hometown of New York City and beyond. This past season Ms. Geller was invited to perform a series of concerts in the Baltimore, Maryland area including a recital at the Community College of Baltimore County and a return engagement at An die Musik LIVE! She also appeared on the Bentley College Bowles Performance series in Waltham, MA and with her ensemble, SEGUE, on the Chappaqua Library Series.

SEGUE, founded by Geller in 2005, is an ensemble that features various combinations of award-winning artists, musicians and dancers. Committed to innovative programming, SEGUE often features lesser-known works by mainstream composers and premieres of new works. Since their dazzling debut performance on the Heritage Hills Concert Series in Somers, New York, SEGUE continues to appear on a variety of series, this season on the Ramapo College York Room Salon Series in New Jersey and the YM-YWHA of Washington Heights in Manhattan.

Frequently returning to her native Maine, Sarah is presented regularly on the Arts Institute of Western Maine series at the University of Maine at Farmington. She has also performed at Steinway Hall, the Washington D.C. Library, the University of Toronto and the University of Maryland. Geller has appeared as soloist with numerous orchestras across the Northeast, including the Ocean City Pops Orchestra (NJ), the Baroque Aria Ensemble (NYC), the Maine Chamber Ensemble and the Adelphi Chamber Orchestra.

In addition to her extensive performing schedule, Sarah enjoys educating the next generation of string players. She is currently on the faculty at School for Strings and for the past six years was the director and head violin teacher of the outreach string program, School for Strings at PS116. Sarah also continues to further her own studies with Joey Corpus. Her former principal teachers are Michael Gilbert, Patinka Kopec, Gregory Fulkerson and Lawrence Golan.

Next year’s highlights include a recital and masterclass on the Friday Music Series at Georgetown University and a return engagement on the Donnell Library series as well as concerto appearances with the Chappaqua Orchestra, Collegium Westchester and the University of Maine at Farmington.

“[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 Faure 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.”
—New York Concert Review

“From its enigmatic double-stopped opening, her [Geller’s] tone was rich and chocolaty, with a dark, somewhat reedy or woody quality that had a little Jascha coloring, something gypsyish, in it.”
—Ionarts