Gwendolyn Masin, violinist

“Appearing to merge with her instrument and in so doing, enchanting her audience”

Masin holds degrees with highest honours from the Royal Schools of Music in London, England; the Hochschule der Künste in Berne, Switzerland; and the Musikhochschule in Lübeck, Germany. Her teachers include Herman Krebbers, Igor Ozim, Ana Chumachenco, Zakhar Bron and Shmuel Ashkenasi. Masin began to actively cultivate her own style of violin-playing and identity as an artistic tour de force while carrying out formal studies. Masin truly is a master of all things music. Not only is she an esteemed soloist and chamber musician, Masin also writes, transcribes music, and advises composers.

She has performed extensively on three continents to critical acclaim and has toured as a soloist with various orchestras.

As the Dutch representative at the Global Stipends Awards, Masin is an International Music Award recipient, was nominated for The Outstanding Young Persons of Switzerland award for her achievements, and has received support from the Swiss Foundation for Promotion of the Interpretative Arts. Other national and international prizes and awards were won in numerous countries in Europe and South Africa. Her most recent undertaking is a TV and web-series, titled Gwendolyn's Playground, that takes viewers to a myriad of cities around the globe to explore how classical music inspires and influences Masin, as well as other artists and their audiences.

Presently, Gwendolyn teaches violin and chamber-music masterclasses at institutes and festivals throughout Europe and North America and gives lecture-recitals and talks concerning her areas of expertise. She is Professor of Violin Studies at the Haute École de Musique de Genève, Switzerland, since September 2013.