What city are you living in now? Arnold, MD
Where did you study? BM Ithaca College; MM University of Maryland – College Park
What is your favorite piece of music? Brahms’ 4th Symphony
What do you enjoy in your spare time? Doing puzzles and going on walks/bike rides
What is your fondest Annapolis Symphony memory? Playing with Midori (she played Beethoven Violin Concerto)
Baltimore native Kristin Bakkegard is an active violinist and teacher in the greater Annapolis area. She is the Associate Principal 2nd Violin of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, a first violin section member of the Maryland Symphony Orchestra, and Principal 2nd Violin of the touring Peacherine Ragtime Society Orchestra. She frequently performs with several other orchestras across the mid-Atlantic region such as the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, Delaware Symphony, Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, and the Apollo Orchestra. She has appeared as soloist with the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra and the Londontowne Symphony Orchestra.
Kristin has performed internationally in Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy, Canada, and most recently Spain during the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra’s 2022 Tour. Outside of the classical music world, Kristin has appeared on four NPR Tiny Desk concerts, collaborating with such artists as alt-J, Meg Myers, lead singer Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins, and most recently 2022 Tiny Desk Contest winner Alisa Amador.
An avid chamber musician, Kristin is a member of the Annapolis Chamber Players, Riverhawk String Quartet, and Affinity String Quartet. She is a frequent guest musician in chamber ensembles across Maryland and DC, performing with the Allegheny Ensemble in Salisbury, MD, the Shepherd Trio in DC, and the Karen Lau Quartet as part of the Penn Alps Chamber Music Series in Western Maryland.
In addition to performing, Kristin is an enthusiastic teacher, maintaining a full private studio, teaching for the Apex Arts music program at Broadneck High School, and serving on faculty at the Annapolis Symphony Academy. She is a sought-after coach, having worked with string students at the Columbia Youth Orchestra, College Park Youth Orchestra, Strathmore’s East County Strings program, Apex music students at Bates Middle School, and the Annapolis Chamber Music Project. From 2017-2020 she also played with the Live Wire String Quartet in Baltimore, which strove to further education curricula in Baltimore public schools through engaging music presentations and performances.
Kristin earned her Master’s degree in Violin Performance at the University of Maryland, College Park in 2014, and completed her Bachelor’s degree in Violin Performance at Ithaca College in 2012. Her primary teachers have been members of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra, including John Merrill and Elisabeth Adkins.
In her free time, Kristin enjoys making music with her husband, Paul, also a violinist, and watching their greyhound Jovie sleep, where they reside in Arnold, MD.