A Distinguished Violinist, Educator, and Orchestral Leader
Erica Kiesewetter is a distinguished violinist, educator, and conductor with an extensive career in solo, chamber, and orchestral performance. She served as concertmaster for the American Symphony Orchestra, Stamford Symphony, Opera Orchestra of New York, Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, Long Island Philharmonic, and Amici New York, while also guesting in leadership roles with American Ballet Theatre and performing as the solo violinist in Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake on Broadway. She frequently toured and recorded with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
​
As a chamber musician, Kiesewetter was the first violinist of the Colorado and Dakota Quartets and a longtime member of the Leonardo Trio. She has performed across 49 U.S. states, Canada, Europe, China, and South America, and her chamber recordings include a Grammy-nominated album, Song of the Stars (music of Granados). Her Berg Violin Concerto recording with Leon Botstein and the American Symphony Orchestra is available on iTunes.
​
A dedicated educator, Kiesewetter has been on the Bard College faculty since 2007, serving as Director of Orchestral Studies at the Bard Conservatory and Professor of Orchestral Practice for The Orchestra Now (TÅŒN). She maintains a violin studio, coaches auditions, and teaches upper string technique. Her approach integrates score study, body awareness techniques (Alexander, Feldenkrais), and a deep focus on musical imagination, drawing from her studies with Ivan Galamian and Robert Mann.
​
In 2016, she became Associate Conductor of the Bard College Community Orchestra, expanding the ensemble and fostering collaborations with student soloists. She also founded the Midsummer’s Eve Concert series, championing unique repertoire.
Accomplished Violinist and Concertmaster
Erica Kiesewetter was one of the most sought-after violinists in the New York City region. At the peak of her concertmaster career, she held that position with the American Symphony Orchestra, Stamford Symphony, Northeastern Pa. Philharmonic, Amici New York, Opera Orchestra of New York and the Long Island Philharmonic. She also served as guest concertmaster of The America ballet Theatre (of which she was a member of the first violin section) and was the solo violinist in Matthew Bourne’s “Swan Lake” on Broadway for over 90 performances. She also was a frequent guest with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, with whom she toured and recorded frequently.
​
As a soloist, Ms. Kiesewetter performed concerti and soli with all of the above orchestras; her recording of the Berg Violin Concerto Leon Botstein and the ASO is available for download on ITUNES.
An avid chamber musician, Ms. Kiesewetter is the former first violinist of the Colorado and Dakota Quartets and a member of the Leonardo Trio for 14 years. She was a founding member of the Bardian Ensemble and Stamford Trio, and frequent guest artist with many of the chamber and new music groups in NYC city. She has performed concerts with these and other groups in 49 U.S. States, Canada, China, and many European and South American countries, and can be heard on more than a dozen chamber music cd’s, including a Grammy nomination for "Song of the Stars", music of Granados.
Violin Professor at Bard Conservatory and Music Festivals around the US
Associate Professor Kiesewetter has been on the faculty of Bard College since 2007, where she maintains a violin studio in the music department and Conservatory.
​
She is the Director of Orchestral Studies in Bard Conservatory and Professor of Orchestral Practice for the graduate orchestra The Orchestra Now. Professor Kiesewetter has a small studio of undergrads and also is available for audition coaching. Her students at Bard participate in a weekly studio class, and she offers weekly upper string technique or audition preparation classes each semester. She also coaches audition preparation for The Orchestra Now, and runs string sectionals for the orchestras.
​
Professor Kiesewetter was a student of Ivan Galamian but also sought out advice from many other fine players of the day. While a member of the Colorado Quartet was lucky enough to study intensely with Robert Mann of the Juilliard Quartet, and from him, she realized that the imagination of the music must come first, the technique will follow.
As her career developed, she found that sometimes the key to fluidity in playing needed to come from mental and physical freedom, and so she has always been open to meditation, Alexander and Feldenkreis techniques, and other approaches to body awareness. Score study is of paramount importance to her, as is working away from the instrument and singing to conceptualize the phrase.
Ms. Kiesewetter formally was an adjunct violin teacher and orchestral coach at Columbia University.
Leading Orchestra with Vision and Innovation
In 2016, Erica Kiesewetter was appointed Associate Conductor of the Bard College Orchestra, bringing her extensive experience as a performer and educator to the ensemble.
​
With a vision to expand both the size and community engagement of the orchestra, she and Music Director Zachary Schwartzman introduced auditions for local musicians, opening the ensemble to a broader range of participants. Under their leadership, the Bard College Community Orchestra has grown to over 50 members and now presents semesterly performances at the Fisher Center, enriching the cultural life of the Bard community.
​
Beyond traditional orchestral programming, Kiesewetter is deeply committed to student collaborations. She regularly partners with winners of Bard’s annual concerto competition, providing young musicians the opportunity to perform as soloists with a full orchestra. Additionally, she seeks out underperformed and unique repertoire, broadening the orchestra’s artistic scope.
​
In 2019, she founded the Midsummer’s Eve Concert series in Olin Hall, an annual event that showcases innovative programming and fosters a dynamic musical experience for performers and audiences alike.
