Francesca Abusamra
Violinist • Performer • Collaborator • Teaching Artist
Based in New York City, Francesca Abusamra is a violinist dedicated to creating an engaging and accessible musical experience. She is passionate about chamber music, and is currently a member of the Crepuscolo Duo, a violin-guitar duo focused on connecting Italian and American cultures, and creating new repertoire for the ensemble. She was also formerly a founding member of the Opus87 Piano Quartet, which aimed to bring both new music and classical repertoire to a variety of audiences, touring the east coast from the rural Maine woods to Merkin Hall at Lincoln Center in NYC.
Francesca believes in the importance of working with living composers, regularly performing and premiering new works. Most recently, she performed in the oNSET Collective as part of a collaboration between MSM and the Hochshule für Musik Fransz Liszt. The international collaboration included students from both schools coming together to compose and perform new works representing their respective two cities of NYC and Weimar.
Ms. Abusamra is also passionate about performances that interact with other artistic disciplines. In collaboration with choreographer Allison Armstrong of Golden Hour Dance, she created a performance project where live solo violin interacted with dancers. Abusamra also participated in a performance of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Gloria at Symphony Space, together with Dakshina Indian Dance Company.
Ms. Abusamra regularly performs with various orchestras and chamber ensembles throughout the NYC area, and has performed in numerous concert venues across the city, such as Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium, Zankel Hall, and Weill Recital Hall, Lincoln Center’s Merkin Hall, and at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music. Originally a Michigan native, she has also performed in the Detroit Symphony’s Orchestra Hall, performing a double concerto alongside DSO Assistant Concertmaster Hai Xin Wu and chamber orchestra.
Her most recent recording project was with the Morningside Tone Collective, where they recorded jazz musician Jeff Lederer’s chamber music at Guilford Sound Studios. The album will be released by little (i) music this autumn. On television, she has appeared playing for Succession, The Real Housewives of New Jersey, and the Food Network’s Worst Chefs in America: Celebrity Edition. She also appears on the soundtrack for the independent film The Clovehitch Killer.
Francesca is on violin faculty at two schools in New York City. She completed both her Master of Music and Bachelor of Music degrees at the Manhattan School of Music, studying with Laurie Carney and Peter Winograd, both of the American String Quartet.