Martha Caplin, violinist, has been a member of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra since 1982. As a frequent concertmaster, Ms. Caplin has performed as soloist with the group and has led them in many Deutsche Grammophon recordings, including numerous Haydn symphonies, Mozart's "German Dances," Schoenberg's "Verklä²´e Nacht," and their Copland recording, which was nominated for a Grammy Award. Other more recent recordings in which Ms. Caplin played an integral role as concertmaster are Ravel's Tombeau de Couperin and Tchaikovsky's Souvenir de Florence. Of particular interest is a recording on the Verve label featuring the collaboration of Orpheus (Ms. Caplin as concertmaster) and Herbie Hancock. Last January Ms Caplin gave the world premiere of Susan Botti's Within Darkness, commissioned by Orpheus and dedicated to Ms. Caplin by the composer.
Also active as a soloist and chamber musician, Ms. Caplin has performed the Glazunov concerto with the Cleveland Orchestra as well as numerous concertos with Orpheus - most recently Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante and the Mendelssohn concerto. Having just been appointed as violinist of the Amabile Piano Quartet, Ms. Caplin has expanded her activities to include educational out reach programs in the schools and master classes in conjunction with the group's performance tours. Also new and exciting for Ms. Caplin is her participation in Santa Fe's new chamber music series, the 20th Century Unlimited. Other chamber music appearances have been as a guest with The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and on the 92nd Street Y's Chamber Music Series, directed by Jamie Laredo. As concertmaster of the Atlantic Sinfonietta, she recorded for Koch International Classics, including the premiere performance of Jongen's Concert a Cinq for string trio, flute and harp. Ms. Caplin was a founding member and the first violinist of the Primavera String Quartet, which won the Naumburg Award.
Ms. Caplin received her Bachelor of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music and her Master's degree from The Juilliard School where she studied with Joseph Fuchs.