With a sound hailed as “burnished” by The New York Times and performances described as “electrifying, poetic, and sensitive,” Grammy Award-winning violist Masumi Rostad is a force on the international stage. Equally at home as a soloist, chamber musician, and educator, Masumi captivates audiences with his artistry, charisma, and commitment to making classical music accessible and relevant. A dynamic presence in concert halls and classrooms alike, he brings passion and originality to everything he does.

Born in New York City’s East Village, Masumi began studying music at age three and later trained at the Juilliard School, where he became a teaching assistant to his mentor Karen Tuttle. He spent nearly two decades with the Pacifica Quartet, performing in the world’s top venues and earning major honors including an Avery Fisher Career Grant and Musical America’s “Ensemble of the Year.”

Recent highlights include solo appearances with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, The Knights, and the Grant Park Symphony, as well as festival performances at La Jolla SummerFest, Marlboro, Aspen, and Beare’s Premiere Performances in Hong Kong. A frequent guest with top ensembles, he has collaborated with the Emerson, Miró, and St. Lawrence String Quartets, among many others.

Masumi is also a writer, speaker, and founder of DoCha, a chamber festival known for bold, audience-first programming. He currently teaches at the Eastman School of Music and recently premiered L.E.S. Characters, a viola concerto written for him by Jessie Montgomery. He performs on a rare 1619 Brothers Amati viola.

Website: Masumi Rostad