Lecture Series: The Magnificent Violin

Four exceptional events bring the story behind CMS’s 2025–2026 season to life. The first lecture, during the Baroque Festival, traces the evolution of the violin from its earliest days. The remaining events accompany the Winter Festival: a second lecture follows the violin from the hands of Bach all the way through the Romantic era, followed by two round-table discussions—one on performing and composition today, the other exploring the life, music, and influence of Fritz Kreisler.

Lecturers and hosts include violinist Aaron Boyd, a frequent presence on CMS stages and an expert on violin history, as well as popular radio host Fred Child. Guests include CMS violinists; prominent contemporary violin maker Samuel Zygmuntowicz (whose instruments are played by many CMS artists); composer and Juilliard’s Dean and Director of the Music Division David Serkin Ludwig; and Amy Biancolli, author of Fritz Kreisler: Love’s Sorrow, Love’s Joy, the definitive contemporary biography of Kreisler.