Violinist/Violist Katie Cousins is a versatile performer and educator, with a wide-ranging career that spans orchestral, chamber, theater, and cross-genre work. Known for her adaptability and strong ensemble playing, she has been featured on stages across the U.S. and Europe, and is dedicated to making both classic and new music accessible to a broad and diverse audience.
Currently based in Chicago, Katie has shared the stage with a wide variety of renowned artists spanning many genres, including Yo-Yo Ma, Béla Fleck, Audra McDonald, Victor Wooten, Doc Severinsen, Ramsey Lewis, and the Beach Boys. She regularly performs with several orchestral ensembles throughout the Midwest - particularly the South Bend, Kalamazoo, and Peoria Symphonies. As a lifelong lover of the stage, she also frequently appears with countless musical theater and opera companies from Chicago to New York.
With a strong enthusiasm for chamber music, Katie has enjoyed sharing both masterpieces and hidden gems of the chamber repertoire with international audiences. She was a co-founder of SomArté, a piano trio that toured throughout the Midwest, and was a member of the Living Room Players, a chamber music collective based in Oak Park, IL. She has worked closely with members of the Emerson, Pacifica, and St. Lawrence String Quartets, and in the fall of 2011, co-founded Isosceles, a unique violin-saxophone-piano trio with which she toured the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern U.S.
Katie holds a Master of Music and a Graduate Professional Diploma in Violin Performance from the Hartt School in Hartford, Connecticut. During her time there, she discovered a deep interest in contemporary music, which led to opportunities with some of today's most acclaimed composers, including John Corigliano, Jennifer Higdon, and William Bolcom. A versatile and adventurous musician, she has since brought her collaborative spirit to a wide range of recording projects, appearing on albums that span genres from Spanish guitar to jazz harp.
Before completing her graduate studies at Hartt, Katie received a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dedicated to nurturing the next generation of music lovers, she is a strong advocate for the development and strengthening of music programs in schools nationwide. She has been teaching in private, small group, and classroom settings for over 20 years, and currently maintains private lesson studios in Chicago and the western suburbs.
When not performing or teaching, Katie can most likely be found traveling and adventuring outdoors with loved ones in tow, a good book in hand, and a camera at the ready.
