Katherine McLin

Concertmaster

The Michael Jones & Jody Croley Jones Chair

Violinist Katherine McLin enjoys a diverse and prolific career as a concerto soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, and orchestral performer. Since making her debut with the Oregon Symphony at age 15, she has performed in 43 states as well as throughout Europe. Her performances have been broadcast on NPR’s Performance Today, NYC’s WQXR, and various national and local stations and she appears on 21 recordings.

In addition to serving as Concertmaster of ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, McLin is also Concertmaster of the Arizona Philharmonic (Music Director Peter Bay) and has held titled positions in the Oregon Bach Festival Modern Orchestra, Arizona MusicFest Orchestra, Michigan Opera Theater Orchestra, and the Aspen Chamber Orchestra.

She is a regular guest artist at summer festivals including the Rocky Ridge Festival (CO), Saarburg Chamber Music Festival (Germany), Interharmony International Festival (Italy), Chintimini Chamber Music Festival (OR), Festival of the Black Hills (SD), and Fresno Summer Orchestra Academy (CA). Featured conference performances include the American String Teachers Association in a triple concerto with jazz great Regina Carter, as well as the International Double Reed Society, International Clarinet Association, International Schoenberg Conference, and others.

A dedicated educator, McLin has been twice honored by the American String Teachers Association to present violin master classes at their national conference—most recently as the featured artist for the Collegiate Violin Master Class in 2024 in Kentucky. She has given master classes at over 50 institutions worldwide, including the University of Michigan, Trinity College London, Boston University, Carnegie Mellon, and Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music.

Recognized for her leadership and teaching excellence, McLin was awarded the Evelyn Smith Professorship in Music at Arizona State University in 2016 for her contributions to the profession. Additionally, she was selected as a finalist for ASU’s university-wide Professor of the Year from over 1900 faculty, in 2007.

Professor McLin earned her doctorate in violin performance from the University of Michigan, holds additional degrees from Indiana University and the Oberlin Conservatory and was an orchestral fellow for three years at the Aspen Music Festival.

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