Sarah Kiel
BIO
Sarah Kiel, a native of the Boston area, is a modern and Baroque violinist dedicated to applying the rich and diverse studies of music theory and music history to modern performance and educational practices. She is passionate about putting music into the social context of its time by also keeping alive the parallel literary, historical, and artistic traditions.
Sarah has had the wonderful privilege of holding leadership positions with various orchestras including The Concord Orchestra, the Harvard Baroque Chamber Orchestra, and Longy School of Music’s Orchestra FLEX. Some highlights include serving as Concertmaster of Longy’s Fall 2022 production of Bach’s Phoebus und Pan directed by Ryan Turner and performing as a Baroque violinist on Longy School of Music faculty members Pamela Dellal (mezzo-soprano) and Vivian Montgomery’s (harpsichord) Faculty Artist Recital at The Sanctuary in Maynard, MA. Sarah was also featured as an alum on Middlesex Community College’s Spring 2025 Online World of Music Concert Series and had the opportunity to record Heinrich Franz von Biber’s Passacaglia for Solo Violin on Baroque violin as well as two short works by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor on modern violin with MCC Department of Music chair, pianist Carmen Rodriguez Peralta.
Sarah will begin her Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Theory studies at New England Conservatory of Music in Fall 2025 as a Dean Scholarship recipient. She was awarded two Master of Music Degrees in Violin Performance and Historical Performance (Baroque violin) from Longy School of Music of Bard College in Spring 2025. She was very honored to be named Longy’s 2024-2025 Joshua & Amy Boger Scholar and the 2022-2024 Margot Kittredge Memorial Scholar. Sarah currently studies violin with Mark Lakirovich and Baroque violin with Sarah Darling.
Sarah also received her Undergraduate Diploma in Violin Performance from Longy in 2022 and her Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences from Middlesex Community College in 2018. She was honored to be the recipient of Longy’s 2021 Margaret Rohde Award for Excellence in Solfege and Theoretical Studies. Sarah’s pre-college studies included 5 years of violin performance studies and ensembles at the New England Conservatory Preparatory School in the teaching studios of Joshua Peckins, Andrew Kohji Taylor, Julie McKenzie, and Aldo Abreu. Sarah was also honored to be the recipient of the NEC Prep Early Music Department Award in 2018.
In addition to her violin studies, Sarah also received her Level I Dalcroze certification from the 2019 Longy School of Music Summer Dalcroze Institute and her Level II Dalcroze certifications in Solfege and Eurhythmics from the 2022 Longy Summer Dalcroze Institute. Sarah also has many interests outside of music, including literature, art, and history. She enjoys reading British literature and historical fiction novels, drawing and painting, jewelry-making, visiting museums and antique stores, and going on nature walks.
Headshot available for download
ARTIST STATEMENT
Music is my voice and my solace. Ever since I heard the magical performance of a young, female violin soloist through my public school’s community outreach program, I aspired to be like her. As a violinist and Baroque violinist, I am dedicated to bringing to life music of a variety of eras through a fresh lens, especially music by underrepresented composers and infrequently performed works by familiar composers. Through performance and education, I am committed to using my knowledge of music theory, musicology, and Historical Performance practices to help the audience to better understand and enjoy the music.
TEACHING STATEMENT
I am dedicated to helping students of all ages and backgrounds to develop a core of knowledge that will empower them to make their own performance decisions. I believe that the study of music theory, musicology, and performance practice is deeply intertwined and aim to integrate all three into my teaching. I also put repertoire into the historical context of its time by integrating study of parallel artistic traditions. I aim to expand the traditional canon by teaching both unfamiliar works by well-known composers and gems by underrepresented composers while continuing to study familiar favorites with a fresh perspective.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, BELONGING (DEIB) STATEMENT
Since I was fortunate enough to be exposed to the violin through my public school’s community outreach program, I am dedicated to improving accessibility and increasing exposure to classical music for everyone, regardless of their age, background, or culture. I especially aim to increase exposure to Historical Performance, since this is still an unfamiliar field for so many people. As a young female musician, I am also committed to supporting the work of women by performing and teaching more music by female composers and by mentoring other young women and giving concerts for women in-need.