My name is Orin Laursen. I’m an American violin soloist, chamber musician, and concertmaster. Welcome to my website.
Have a look around, or for my press kit, click here.
Orin Laursen has been described in the press as possessing “deep understanding and artistry” and “dazzl[ing] virtuosity.” He has collaborated with artists including Trevor Pinnock, Robert McDonald, Paula Robison, Richard Lester, Misha Amory, Steven Dann, Hsin-Yun Huang, the Borromeo String Quartet, and conductor Gábor Takács-Nagy. He is currently 1st Concertmaster of the MDR-Sinfonieorchester (Leipzig Radio Symphony).
Originally from Durham, North Carolina, I currently reside in Leipzig, Germany.
On-Stage
Orin has appeared on stages worldwide including Wigmore Hall in London, the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, Jordan Hall and the Gardner Museum in Boston, Koerner Hall in Toronto, and the Kauffman Center in Kansas City, and has appeared as a soloist with the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Conservatory Orchestra, the Saint Petersburg Symphony Orchestra (RUS), and the Southwest Florida Symphony.
Musical Upbringing
Orin’s range as an interpreter is wide-spanning, having worked closely with mentors from a bygone era including Leon Fleisher, Robert Mann of the Juilliard Quartet and Martin Lovett of the Amadeus, as well as eminent figures of the present day including Steven Isserlis, Lukas Hagen, and members of the Artis, Tokyo, Belcea, and Brentano quartets. He has both performed in early music ensembles alongside Trevor Pinnock, members of Tafelmusik Baroque and the Fitzwilliam Quartet. As a student, he participated in mastercourses at Prussia Cove in Cornwall, Kronberg Academy, the Salzburg Summer Academy, Taos School of Music, and the Britten Pears Young Artists’ Programme.
Work with Composers
A strong advocate of contemporary music, Orin has worked with such eminent living composers as Harrison Birtwistle, Terry Riley, Unsuk Chin, Christian Wolff, Kati Agócs, Jan Radzynski, and John Zorn.