Rachel Barton Pine is an incredible symbol of perseverance. In 1995, the violinist’s career was interrupted by a Metra incident that injured both of her feet. Despite this tragedy, Pine returned on stage after a mere six months.
Pine was a remarkably dedicated violinist throughout her childhood. By age eight, she was practicing four to five hours a day, not including rehearsals and performances. Upon the recommendation from her school principal, Pine’s mother took on home-schooling Pine as a full-time job; meanwhile, her father was unemployed. Their home situation was often extremely stressful, and by the age of fourteen she was using the money she earned from violin to help provide for her family.
Pine is determined to help young musicians who are in similar circumstances to the economic struggles that she grew up with. In 2001, the violinist started her own foundation that provides funding for classical music education, research and performances. The foundation has supported over 70 young artists, through instrument loans and financial assistance. Moreover, Pine noted the lack of music written by black composers in musical education. Her foundation’s Music by Black Composers initiative has collected more than 900 works over the past 15 years by more than 350 Black composers from the 18th-21st centuries, representing North and South America, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
You can experience Ms. Pine as the featured artist in our October Symphony concerts, Rachel Barton Pine Plays Khachaturian, October 18–20.
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