Elissa Lee Koljonen

“Not just assured technique but unflinching purpose and confidence.” -The Detroit News

Recognized as one of the most celebrated violinists of her generation, Elissa Lee Koljonen has thrilled audiences and critics in more than one hundred cities throughout the world.

Biography

Recognized as one of the most celebrated violinists of her generation, Elissa Lee Koljonen has thrilled audiences and critics in more than one hundred cities throughout the world. Ms. Koljonen received international acclaim when she became the first recipient of the prestigious Henryk Szeryng Foundation Award and the silver medalist of the Carl Flesch International Violin Competition. Her playing has been hailed by the Helsingin Sanomat (Helsinki) as “sparkling, sensual and personal,” and the Chicago Tribune has said she displays “boundless technique and musicianship.”

Ms. Koljonen has performed with such orchestras as the Boston Pops, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Royal Philharmonic, as well as the symphony orchestras of Bilbao, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Dallas, Detroit, Oregon, Pittsburgh, Helsinki, and Seoul. She garnered critical acclaim for her appearance with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo in a special concert celebrating the 700th anniversary of the Grimaldi Dynasty. She has collaborated with such noted conductors as Matthias Bamert, Dirk Brossé, JoAnn Falletta, Lawrence Foster, Miguel Harth Bedoya, Neeme Järvi, James Judd, Andrew Litton, José-Luis Novo, the late James DePreist, and the late Bryden Thomson.

Read full biography in the artist’s promotional kit.

  • "…a violinist of immense presence…."

    — The Philadelphia Inquirer

  • "…a big, bright sound, focused pitch, and a sure sense of style…"

    — New York Concert Review

  • "It was Koljonen who shone, her note-perfect finesse and interpretive flair making this an exemplary performance."

    — The Strad

Listen

Press

“She is…a violinist of immense presence….This was a knowing audience, so it might have detected her exquisite timing and precision. Or perhaps all it sensed was a violinist of considerable soul.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer

“…a big, bright sound, focused pitch, and a sure sense of style…[she] plays with such conviction and assurance, that when you hear her, especially her Bach, it is difficult to challenge her interpretation.”

New York Concert Review

“It was Koljonen who shone, her note-perfect finesse and interpretive flair making this an exemplary performance.”

Strad Magazine

  • View More

    “… plenty of opportunity for the soloist to show off her brilliant finger-work and pungent tone.”

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    “…[she] gave Beethoven’s Violin Concerto a performance of high distinction, probing it impeccably in true classic style…”

    Miami Herald

    “…Her phrasing was thoughtful, and her interpretation lit up with sparks of her own personality…genuine, unexaggerated warmth of expression.”

    The Cincinnati Enquirer

    “Not just assured technique but unflinching purpose and confidence.”

    The Detroit News

Repertoire

  • Concertos

    View as PDF

    Current as of October 2026

    Bold selections are concertos of focus. However, all concertos are available for consideration.

    Bach: Concerto for Violin No. 1 in A minor, BWV 1041
    Bach: Concerto for Violin No. 2 in E major, BWV 1042
    Bach: Concerto for 2 Violins in D minor, BWV 1043
    Beethoven: Concerto for Violin in D major, Op. 61
    Beethoven: Romance for Violin and Orchestra No. 1 in G major, Op. 40
    Beethoven: Romance for Violin and Orchestra No. 2 in F major, Op. 50
    Beethoven: Triple Concerto, Op. 56
    Benjamin: Romantic Fantasy for Violin and Viola
    Brahms: Concerto for Violin in D major, Op. 77
    Bruch: Concerto for Violin No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26
    Bruch: Scottish Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 46
    Chausson: Poème for Violin and Orchestra in E-flat major, Op. 25
    Dvorak: Romance for Violin and Orchestra in F minor, Op. 11/B 39
    Elgar: Concerto for Violin in B minor, Op. 61
    Glazunov: Concerto for Violin in A minor, Op. 82
    Haydn: Concerto for Violin No. 1 in C major, Hob. VIIa/1
    Hubay: Scènes de la Csárda, Op. 32 “Hejre Kati”
    Korngold: Concerto for Violin in D major, Op. 35
    Lalo: Symphonie espagnole for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 21
    Lehár: Hungarian Fantasy, Op. 45 “Magyar ábránd”
    Mendelssohn: Concerto for Violin in E minor, Op. 64
    Mozart: Concerto for Violin No. 1 in B-flat major, K. 207
    Mozart: Concerto for Violin No. 3 in G major, K. 216
    Mozart: Concerto for Violin No. 4 in D major, K. 218
    Mozart: Concerto for Violin No. 5 in A major, K. 219 “Turkish”
    Mozart: Adagio for Violin and Orchestra in E major, K. 261
    Mozart: Rondo for Violin and Orchestra No. 2 in C major, K. 373
    Mozart: Sinfonia concertante for Violin and Viola in E-flat major, K. 364 (320d)
    Piazzolla: Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas (The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires)
    Prokofiev: Concerto for Violin No. 1 in D major, Op. 19
    Prokofiev: Concerto for Violin No. 2 in G minor, Op. 63
    Ranjbaran: Concerto for Violin
    Ravel: Tzigane for Violin and Orchestra
    Saint-Saëns: Concerto for Violin No. 3 in B minor, Op. 61
    Saint-Saëns: Introduction and Rondo capriccioso in A minor, Op. 28
    Saint-Saëns: Havanaise for Violin and Orchestra in E major, Op. 83
    Sarasate: Concert Fantasy on Bizet’s “Carmen”, Op. 25
    Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20 (Gypsy Airs)
    Shostakovich: Concerto for Violin No. 1 in A minor, Op. 99 (revision of Op. 77)
    Sibelius: Concerto for Violin in D minor, Op. 47
    Stravinsky: Concerto for Violin in D major
    Tchaikovsky: Concerto for Violin in D major, Op. 35
    Theofanidis: On the Edge of the Infinite
    Elissa Lee Koljonen gave the premiere performance in April 1997 with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo, conducted by James DePreist
    Vieuxtemps: Concerto for Violin No. 4 in D minor, Op. 31
    Vivaldi: Concerto for Violin in A minor, Op. 3 No. 6/RV 356
    Vivaldi: Concerto for Violin in G minor, Op. 4 No. 6/RV 316a
    Vivaldi: Concerto for 2 Violins in A minor, Op. 3 No. 8/RV 522
    Vivaldi: Concertos (4) for Violin, Op. 8 Nos. 1-4 “Le quattro stagioni” (The Four Seasons)
    Walton: Concerto for Violin in B minor

    Repertoire must be approved by Elissa Lee Koljonen. Contact Curtis Artist Management to confirm repertoire.

  • Recital Offerings

    View as PDF

    Current as of October 2026

    RECITAL PROGRAM 1: American Hybrid
    Solo Violin

    Bach: Chaconne from Partita No. 2 in D minor, BMV 1004 [13’]
    Lera Auerbach: Par.ti.ta [25’]
    -INTERMISSION-
    George Enescu: Prélude à l’unisson, Op. 9 [7’]
    Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson: III. Jettin’ Blue/s from Blue/s Forms [5’]
    Eugène Ysaÿe: Solo Sonata No. 2 “Obsession” [13’]
    Nick DiBerardino: “To a Butterfly” [3’]
    Paganini: Caprice No. 13 [3’]
    Howdy Forrester/Augustin Hadelich: “Wild Fiddler’s Rag” [2’]

    Encore prepared

    Total run time is 1hr 30min

     

    RECITAL PROGRAM 2: Celebration of American Composers
    Violin and Piano

    Joseph Bologne/Chevalier de Saint-Georges: Mvt I, Allegro, from Sonata No. 3 in G minor, Op. 1b [4’]
    John Corigliano: Sonata for Violin and Piano [24’]
    Florence Price: “Adoration” [4’]
    -INTERMISSION-
    Jessie Montgomery: “Peace” [4’]
    Paul Schoenfeld: “Four Souvenirs” [12’]
    Amy Beach: “Romance,” Op. 23 [6’]
    George Gershwin/Jascha Heifetz: “Porgy and Bess” [12’]
    I. Summertime – A woman is a sometime thing
    II. My man’s gone now
    III. Bess, you is my woman now
    IV. It ain’t necessarily so
    V. Tempo di blues
    Aaron Copland: “Hoe-Down” [4’]

    Encore prepared

    Total run time is 1hr 10min

    ADDITIONAL SAMPLE PROGRAMS

    Sample Program I: “Tribute to Violinist Composers”
    Vitali: Chaconne in G minor [10’]
    Respighi: Violin Sonata in B minor, P 110 [25’]
    -INTERMISSION-
    Ellen Taaffe Zwilich: Fantasy for Solo Violin [7’]
    Gershwin-Heifetz: Porgy and Bess Suite [15’]
    Sarasate: Selections [approx. 30’]

    Alternative Selection to Zwilich:
    Eugène Ysaÿe: Solo Sonata No. 2 “Obsession” [13’]

    Sample Program II:
    Mozart: Sonata in A major, K. 305 [15’]
    Grieg: Sonata No. 3 in C minor, Op. 45 [25’]
    -INTERMISSION-
    Eugène Ysaÿe: Solo Sonata No. 2 “Obsession” [13’]
    Chopin: Nocturne in D major, Op. 27, No. 2, arranged by August Wilhelmj [6’]
    Szymanowski: Nocturne and Tarantella, Op. 28 [11’]

    Repertoire is subject to change. Programs must be approved by Artist. Contact the Curtis Institute of Music representatives below to confirm programs.

Contact

General Management
Andrew Lane
Vice President, Touring and Artist Management
Executive Director, Curtis Artist Management
(215) 717-3124
andrew.lane@curtis.edu

Booking Inquiries (North America)
Brayton Arvin
Artist Manager and Booking Representative
(215) 875-4204
brayton.arvin@curtis.edu

Steven Halpner
Booking Representative
(215) 717-3146
steven.halpner@curtis.edu

Booking Inquiries (Europe)
Julika Castro
Booking Representative, Europe
+49 (0)178-514 43 26
julika.castro@curtis.edu

Engagement Advancing
Catelyn Cohen
Manager of Artist Services
(215) 717-3129
catelyn.cohen@curtis.edu

Curtis Artist Management offers personalized, comprehensive management and global representation for a curated group of distinguished alumni and faculty artists.