Nathan Cole

Violinist Nathan Cole joins the BSO as Concertmaster beginning in the 2024–25 season. As First Associate Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since 2011, he was regularly featured as soloist at Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl in repertoire spanning the 17th to the 21st centuries. Prior to this position, he was a member of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony. He has appeared as guest concertmaster with the orchestras of Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Houston, Ottawa, Seattle, and Portland, Oregon.

Cole grew up in a musical family in Lexington, Kentucky. His parents, both flutists, taught lessons in the home while his grandfather told stories about his years in the Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy. Cole made his debut with the Louisville Orchestra at the age of ten while studying with Donna Wiehe; he studied a further eight years with Daniel Mason, a student of Jascha Heifetz. Cole attended the Curtis Institute of Music, where his primary teachers were Pamela Frank, Felix Galimir, Ida Kavafian, and Jaime Laredo.

Chamber music has long been an essential part of Cole’s life. The Grancino Quartet, which he formed at Curtis, made its New York debut in Weill Hall. He participated for three summers at the Marlboro Music Festival, including national tours, and looks forward to leading the Boston Symphony Chamber Players. As an educator, Cole leads the orchestral repertoire program for violin at the Colburn Conservatory, while his innovative online programs allow him to work with thousands of players around the globe. A collection of Cole’s articles, videos, and courses can be found on his website, natesviolin.com.