Violinist Annie Rabbat Named Concert Master For Boston Lyric Opera Orchestra
Music Director David Angus announced today that violinist Annie Rabbat has been named the Boston Lyric Opera Orchestra's new Concert Master. Rabbat has played with the orchestra since 2012 and served as its principal second violinist for several years. She has played featured solos for BLO--most notably in recent productions of The Merry Widow and Werther. Rabbat was offered the concert master position after a double-blind audition process this spring.
Among her duties as Concert Master, Rabbat will serve as a liaison between her fellow orchestra members and conductors - including Angus and guest conductors -- and will represent the players in artistic discussions. As first-chair violinist she leads the string section, whose collective playing can make or break the sound of an orchestra. Like other concert masters she will make many playing decisions for all the other string players, including bowing choices and fingering. She will also play prominent violin solos, as required in orchestral scores.
"It's incredibly important for an orchestra to have a very good leader in its Concert Master," said Angus, "and equally important for that person to have good personal relationships and artistic authority with their peers. Annie brings extraordinary playing talent and great leadership skills to this position. I look forward to working with her to keep the orchestra playing at its highest possible level."
Rabbat is a native of Mount Prospect Ill. and came to Boston in 2006 to study at New England Conservatory after receiving music degrees at Indiana University-Bloomington and the Juilliard School. Rabbat is perhaps best known in Boston as a founding member of the Grammy Award-nominated group A Far Cry, the self-conducted string orchestra where decisions are made collectively and leadership rotates among its 18 members. Rabbat will continue to play with A Far Cry and says her experience there will influence her role as BLO concert master.
"Having been both a section leader and section player lends a lot to this new role for me," Rabbat said. "It gives me insight on how to support the orchestra members. And I'm thrilled for the chance to work more directly with David. In my years at BLO I've found him to be an enthusiastic, effective and respectful leader, who brings a genuine love of music to the table."
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