Performing “What about you?” by Lewis Nielson at the World Premiere Concert

Leah Asher, originally from Rockford, Illinois, began playing the violin at the age of four under the direction of her father. After graduating as valedictorian of Auburn High School, Leah went on to complete the double degree program at Oberlin College and Conservatory. She has earned a B.M. in Violin Performance, studying with Gregory Fulkerson, and a B.A. in Studio Art. Her violin studies have provided Leah with a number of great opportunities at Oberlin including: performing as a soloist with Oberlin’s Contemporary Music Ensemble, performing with the Grammy award-winning new music ensemble, eighth blackbird, performing with the Oberlin Orchestra at Walt Disney Concert Hall, teaching and performing at the Franz Liszt Conservatory in Quito, Ecuador, performing with the Oberlin Orchestra at Carnegie Hall under Robert Spano, and serving as concertmaster of the Oberlin Orchestra. Her interest in new music has led her to perform in premieres of chamber works by Frederic Rzewski and Rebecca Saunders, as well as in the live premiere of Steve Reich’s Pulitzer prize-winning Double Sextet. In the summer of 2010, Leah attended the Lucerne Festival Academy under the direction of Pierre Boulez. As a recipient of a Jacob K. Javits fellowship, Leah is currently studying with Curtis Macomber at the Manhattan School of Music, where she is pursuing a Master of Contemporary Performance degree.