Biography
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.
Geller creates one-of-a-kind programs as soloist and the founder of her ensemble, SEGUE. She often juxtaposes both the masterworks and unknown gems of the great composers with Latin and jazz-influenced works. Audiences have ascribed to Geller the ability to highlight the connections among diverse works.
Since making her Carnegie Hall solo recital debut as a winner of the Artists’ International Special Presentation Award, Geller continues to perform extensively in her hometown of New York City and beyond with pianists Wenhan Anderson and Cheryl Tschanz. Recent performances have included Glema Mahr Center for the Arts (KY), the Macon Concert Association (GA), Oyster Bay (NY) Distinguished Artist Series, Lenox Hill Neighborhood House Second Sundays and On A Sunday Afternoon at Bruno Walter Auditorium. Geller has also been a featured guest artist with the Vermont Contemporary Music Ensemble.
Praising her performance with Tony Award winner John Lloyd Young, at Café Carlyle, The New York Times wrote: “Sarah Geller’s violin did the work of a full string section.”
Geller 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.
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 Sonidos y Danzas Luminosos, a program featuring 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.