Leah Gale Nelson

Leah Nelson

Violinist Leah Gale Nelson specializes in the historical performance practices of the 17th and 18th centuries. Based in New York City, she is known for her refined and artistic interpretations of baroque and classical music, producing projects celebrating music and dance from the time of Louis XIV and Louis XV (LouisLouis), chamber music of Telemann (Telemann in Paris), the arts and letters of Colonial America (Jefferson Carriage), and has co-produced passions of Telemann, C.P.E. and J.S. Bach, Handel’s Messiah, and countless masses and magnificats of the Baroque and Classical eras with inspiring and innovative choral directors.  

She has served as concertmaster to critical acclaim with Chicago’s Music of the Baroque, the Aspen Festival Opera Theater, Gotham Chamber Opera, and Chicago Opera Theater; as guest director for Lyra Baroque Orchestra in Minneapolis; and has been concertmaster and guest soloist for the Church of St. Luke in the Fields in New York City since 1999, where she is an Artist in Residence.  

She is on faculty of New York Continuo Collective, and is a frequent guest instructor for Yale’s Collegium Musicum, and at CUNY/Queens College. Ms. Nelson holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Chicago Musical College, and a Master of Music degree from Mannes College of Music in New York, where she studied violin with David Nadien, and baroque violin with Nancy Wilson.

Her recording, Biber: The Sacred Mysteries (Lyrichord LEMS8079), was released to critical acclaim in 2011.  

www.leahgalenelson.com