Kate M. Ransom, President and CEO


Hailed in the New York Times for "impassioned" playing and "clear articulation and unity of purpose," violinist Kate Ransom, is a distinguished chamber musician, recitalist and teacher who has presented hundreds of concerts in major chamber music concert halls in North America and Europe. Ms. Ransom is artistic director of Serafin Ensemble, founding violinist of Serafin String Quartet - lauded by Gramophone and Fanfare Magazine for the Naxos release of early works by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Jennifer Higdon and by The Strad Magazine and American Record Guide for their debut Centaur release. As founding and six-year member of the Alexander String Quartet, she received first prize and audience prize at the London String Quartet Competition and toured internationally.

Kate Ransom is a frequent collaborator on series and festivals throughout the United States, and has performed with artists and ensembles such as David Coucheron, Charles Abramovic, Steven Tenenbom, Sadao Harada, Eliot Fisk, and members of the Cleveland and Philadelphia Orchestras, Eroica Trio, Empire Brass Quintet and Orion, Attacca, and Vega String Quartets. Ms. Ransom’s recital and solo performances include the Bach Concerto for Two Violins; complete Brahms violin sonatas in PA, TX and DE; complete violin Beethoven sonatas in DE, FL, PA and VT; and the Mozart Symphonie Concertante in DE. She has recorded for Gallo, CRI, Centaur, Klavier and Naxos.

Presently, Ms. Ransom is an adjunct violin instructor at the University of Delaware and she has previously held visiting artist positions at Brevard College and Lehigh University. She has also held Ensemble in Residence positions at University of Delaware, St. Lawrence University, SUNY-Potsdam, Lehigh University and Brevard College. Ms. Ransom pursued post-graduate chamber music study at The Juilliard School with Robert Mann and holds master's and bachelor's degrees in violin performance from Yale University and University of Michigan, respectively. Her major teachers were Paul Makanovitzky, Szymon Goldberg and Ivan Galamian, and she was a chamber music protégé of Tokyo Quartet. Devoted to organizational advancement in the arts, she has held executive positions at music schools since 1990 and is currently president of The Music School of Delaware. Ms. Ransom plays a violin made in 1728 by the Venetian master, Sanctus Serafin.

“Impassioned…the [Ransom/Sirianni] Duo played with considerable flair...a beautifully regulated account of the Brahms...a suitably misty and dark Debussy...Mozart’s sonata benefited from a clear articulation and unity of purpose.” - The New York Times

“Every note was played so well, every nuance so worked out, that the event was almost like listening to a flawless recording.” - The Nashville Tennessean


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This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

The Music School of Delaware is proud to be an active partner in the IN Wilmington Arts Campaign.