JULIE LEVEN

VIOLIN

Violinist Julie Leven is the Founder and Artistic/Executive Director Emeritus of Shelter Music Boston, the pioneering organization she launched in 2010 that has delivered over 900 world class chamber music concerts in Greater Boston homeless shelters and substance misuse recovery centers. A passionate advocate for music as a catalyst for social change, she commissioned the first opera about composer Florence Price, co created “Voices From the Land” with Navajo Nation composers, and has partnered with Arts Connect International, the Social Innovation Forum, and Arts & Homelessness International. She performs regularly with the Handel + Haydn Society Orchestra and the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra and has appeared at major venues and music festivals worldwide—including the BBC Proms-London, Casals Festival-Puerto Rico, Finlandia Hall-Helsinki, Theatre Champs Elysees-Paris, Suntory Hall-Tokyo, Spoleto Festival, Tanglewood, —and on Grammy nominated recordings. Julie received the 2014 Boston Neighborhood Fellow Award (Boston’s mini-MacArthur award), is a graduate of Oberlin College & Conservatory and Boston University Questrom School of Management. As an arts activist, citizen artist, and performer she has facilitated programming at Berklee School of Music, Boston Conservatory, Boston University, Northeastern University, Oberlin College, Northern Arizona University, University of Arizona, University of New Mexico, and additional institutions. Julie bridges artistry, advocacy, and leadership to transform communities through the power of music.