Tessa Lark

Tessa Lark is a U.S.-based concert violinist whose career bridges classical performance and American folk traditions. Born and raised in Richmond, Kentucky, she began violin studies at age six through the Suzuki method and was also exposed early to bluegrass and gospel music through performances with her father’s band. This dual background later became a defining feature of her musical identity.

As a teenager, Lark made her concerto debut performing Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3 with the Cincinnati Symphony. She studied at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music in the Starling Preparatory Strings Project with Kurt Sassmannshaus and later entered the New England Conservatory, where she completed both bachelor’s and master’s degrees under Miriam Fried and Lucy Chapman. She continued advanced studies at The Juilliard School, working with Sylvia Rosenberg, Ida Kavafian, and Daniel Phillips, and completed her Artist Diploma in 2017.

Lark has appeared as a soloist with numerous orchestras across the United States and internationally and has performed in major venues, including Carnegie Hall, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. She has also been featured in recitals and chamber music series presented by leading cultural institutions and festivals.

Contemporary music plays a significant role in her work. She has commissioned and premiered pieces written specifically for her, including Michael Torke’s violin concerto Sky, whose recording earned her a Grammy nomination. Other commissioned works include Michael Thurber’s concerto Love Letter and Torke’s violin-piano sonata Spoon Bread.

Alongside classical performance, Lark remains active in American folk and bluegrass contexts. She has collaborated with artists such as Edgar Meyer and appeared on projects connected to American roots music. Her album The Stradgrass Sessions highlights this crossover interest, combining original compositions, classical works, and bluegrass-influenced repertoire.

Her honors include an Avery Fisher Career Grant, a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship, a Leonore Annenberg Fellowship, a silver medal at the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, and first prize at the Naumburg International Violin Competition. She has also received recognition from Lincoln Center through its Emerging Artist awards.

Beyond performing, Lark is active in arts leadership and education. She serves as artistic director of Musical Masterworks in Connecticut, works with young musicians through mentoring and broadcasting initiatives, and supports emerging artists through competition and educational platforms.

She performs on a ca. 1600 G.P. Maggini violin on loan through the Stradivari Society of Chicago.

Overall, Tessa Lark is regarded as a violinist who connects classical discipline with American musical heritage, presenting repertoire that reflects both traditions in a contemporary concert setting.