Violinist Rebecca Harris performs on period and modern instruments. Her career is a love letter to the rich history of the violin, from work with leading early music ensembles in both Europe and the United States to collaborations on new repertoire.
Rebecca moved to London in 2022, since which time she has performed with leading ensembles including the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, United Strings of Europe, Instruments of Time and Truth, Solomon’s Knot, Le Cercle de l’Harmonie, La Serenissima, the Istante and Hamsptead Collectives, Spiritato, the English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble, and Echor. Rebecca is the violinist of ZAREKtrio, with whom she performs across the UK and beyond. Recent engagements with ZAREKtrio have included appearances at the Thüringer Bachwochen, Brasenose College, Oxford, with If Opera, and in unconventional spaces not typically known for presenting classical music including London Beer Labs in Brixton and Rocketvan in Elephant and Castle, in a project supported by the Continuo Foundation.
Rebecca’s discography includes her solo project A String Mysterious (17th and 21st century music for violin and continuo) and chamber music releases on Chandos, Parma, Acis and Avie. Her recordings as violin soloist with The Crossing earned a 2018 GRAMMY award (Zealot Canticles, Best Choral Performance), two further GRAMMY nominations, and include world premieres by leading American composers Lansing McLoskey, Benjamin C.S. Boyle and Thomas Lloyd.
Rebecca studied at Wells Cathedral School and the Royal Northern College of Music with Richard Ireland. Following graduation, Rebecca established her career in the United States, where she toured extensively as a principal and chamber soloist of Tempesta di Mare. Her chamber music engagements included Los Angeles’ La Soraya, New York City’s Midtown Concert Series, Curtis Summerfest, Chamber Music of the Black Hills in South Dakota, PhilaLandmarks Early Music Series, SoHip Boston, and Philadelphia Chamber Music Society. Collaborative projects included recitals as part of major exhibitions at the Museum of the American Revolution and Philadelphia’s Institute of Contemporary Art, shows for the Philadelphia Fringe with the Martha Graham Cracker Cabaret and composer Heiner Goebbels (Songs of War I Have Seen), and projects with Al-Bustan and singer/songwriter Andrew Lipke.
Rebecca is grateful to the county music services of Essex and Norfolk for enabling her earliest musical studies, and to the DfE Music and Dance Scheme and the RNCM for generous financial assistance towards her professional studies. She continues to advocate for equitable access to music education for all.
photo: Matthew Johnson
Rebecca Harris - violinist 