Violinist Hilary Castle maintains an active schedule as a soloist, ensemble musician and teacher. “The electric energy behind Hilary’s playing is indescribable … She breathes life into the music and personifies it in a way that would shame those who thought this music could ever be boring."
Hilary has performed with a wide range of ensembles and artists, including the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, String Orchestra of New York City, Distinguished Concerts International New York Orchestra, American violinist and composer Mark O'Connor, award-winning jazz vocalist Allan Harris, Thalia, Danish singer/songwriter Oh Land and Bonobo. In 2016, Hilary made her Broadway debut on stage with Steve Martin as the fiddle understudy in “Bright Star”, a musical by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell.
Most recently, Hilary co-founded a popular concert series for children and families, Mozart for Munchkins. Now in it’s second season, the series has presented over 100 concerts in 10 different neighborhoods, most of which sell out quickly. Mozart for Munchkins is launching a partnership with Lincoln Center Kids in May 2019. Inspired by the birth of her son and her co-founder’s daughter in 2017, Mozart for Munchkins fuses two of Hilary’s greatest passions: music performance and children.
In 2020, Hilary joined the faculty of Bow and Heart, a program dedicated to providing ensemble opportunities to students in NYC (and beyond) through thoughtfully curated monthly zoom and in-person seminars, workshops and master classes.
Hilary holds a Bachelor’s of Music from Boston University’s College of Fine Arts, with studies at The Royal College of Music in London, a Masters of Music and Professional Studies Diploma from Mannes College of Music.
Hilary served as concertmaster of the Mannes Opera Orchestra under the direction of Metropolitan Opera conductor Joseph Colaneri. Orchestral performances are regularly held at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center and have taken her to Symphony Hall in Boston, Sydney Opera House, the Rudofinum/Dvorak Hall in Prague, and Pesti Vigado in Budapest. As a soloist and chamber musician, Hilary has appeared in concert at the Morgan Library in New York City, New York Historical Society, New York Public Library, U.N. German Consulate General, Ukrainian Institute of America, Bargemusic, Nabi Gallery, and the Colony Club.
Alongside her work with Mozart for Munchkins, Hilary maintains an in-demand private teaching studio in NYC which operates from The National Opera Center in Chelsea, NYC. Through both, Hilary is dedicated to preserving the value of classical music performance and education through diverse performances and music education.
Hilary plays an 1815 Giovanni Baptista Ceruti violin, on loan from a generous benefactor. www.hilarycastle.com