Principal violist of the Cape Symphony, Danielle Farina has performed extensively in North America and Europe, at prestigious venues and festivals including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Library of Congress, Smithsonian Institution, Schleswig Holstein Festival and the International Istanbul Music Festival.
She is a former member of the Manhattan String Quartet, the Elements Quartet and the Lark Quartet. While with the Lark, Ms. Farina recorded Aaron Kernis’ string quartets, music of Amy Beach, and music of Giovanni Sollima. While with Elements, she participated in the Tibor Varga Festival in Budapest, the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival, was in residence at Utah Valley State College, and premiered “Snaphots,” a project commissioning dozens of composers from Regina Carter to Angelo Badalamenti, John Corigliano and more.
In addition to her regular performances on Cape Cod with the Symphony, she also performs locally with Giocosa Chamber Music, Chatham Chorale, Meeting House Chamber Music Festival and Cosmos Sessions with Cape Symphony concertmaster Jae Cosmos Lee. Off Cape, she performs with a number of ensembles in the NY area and around the country, among them the Bedford Chamber Ensemble, Music from Copland House and the Palladium Chamber Players. She is also a member of the Festival Orchestra of Lincoln Center (formerly the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra) and the American Ballet Theater Orchestra.
An active teacher, Ms. Farina is on the faculty of the Cape Symphony’s school. She has served on the faculty of Vassar College, The Manhattan School of Music’s Contemporary Performance Program and The Juilliard School’s Pre College Division.
A proponent of new music, Ms. Farina premiered Peter Schickele’s Viola Concerto with the Pasadena Symphony and has recorded Viola concertos by Jon Bauman and Andy Teirstein. In addition, she recorded Anthony Newman’s Sonata on the Planets for Viola and Piano with the composer at the piano, as well as Joel Suben’s “Ciacconetta”for Viola and Orchestra with the composer conducting. Music of Robert Paterson, John Musto, and Eric Ewazen are also part of the discography, as is Morton Feldman’s “Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello” and Pierre Jalbert’s “Secret Alchemy” and “String Trio”. A recording of Kevin Puts’ “Arcana” is due for a future release. Recent digital audio and video releases include all of J.S. Bach’s Sonatas for Gamba and Harpsichord with Anthony Newman and Richard Wilson’s Music for Solo Viola. Hummel’s Sonata for Viola and Piano, also with Anthony Newman, will be released this year.
A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, Ms. Farina studied with Karen Tuttle, Joseph dePasquale, Stephen Wyrczynski, and Byrnina Socolofsky.
Danielle Farina appears three times during the 2025 Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival. She joins Jon Manasse, Jon Nakamatsu, and other “New York All-Stars” for Music for 6 and 7: Many Instruments, Extraordinary Sounds on Friday, August 15 at 5:30 PM at the First Congregational Church of Wellfleet, 200 Main Street, Wellfleet. Then she performs with Jon, Jon, and another group of extraordinary talents in Phenomenon: Two Manasses, One Nakamatsu & More on Thursday, August 21 at 5:30 PM at the Simon Center for the Arts, Falmouth Academy, 7 Highfield Drive, Falmouth, and Friday, August 22 at 5:30 PM at the First Congregational Church of Wellfleet, 200 Main Street, Wellfleet. Get your tickets for these exciting shows now!