Rowan Jeffrey Gemma

Rowan Gemma has been playing violin since age 8. Described by the Keene Sentinel as having “alluring stylings on violin that waft out open windows with the same effortlessness by which light breezes occasionally arrive”, he’s now a freshman at Boston Conservatory at Berklee pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance, where he studies under Saúl Bitrán. He previously studied with Elise Kuder and Maisa’a Hanbali. Upon his acceptance into the conservatory, he received a $22,000 conservatory scholarship from the school and was the 2020 recipient of the New Hampshire American String Teacher Association Scholarship. A member of the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and the Keene Chamber Orchestra, he recently received First Place Honors in the Senior Division of the Elite International Music Competition, and has performed in venues such as Symphony Hall, Carnegie Hall, Sanders Theater at Harvard University, and eight concert halls across Brazil. A two-time winner of the National High School Orchestra Award, he placed 3rd in the 2020 New Hampshire All-State Festival Auditions, and was also selected for the New Hampshire All-State Chamber Festival and the New England Music Festival. In 8th grade, he made his solo debut with the Community Orchestra of Keene, performing “Celtica” by Brian Balmages. In high school, he soloed both the First and Second Violin parts of the Bach Double Violin Concerto with the Keene High School Orchestra and the Keene Chamber Orchestra, respectively. As a sophomore, he served as a 1st violinist in the 2018 High School Honors Performance Series Symphony Orchestra. He has attended summer camps such as Apple Hill and SONAD, and was recently selected to attend the Rocky Ridge Young Artist Seminar in June 2021, receiving a merit scholarship. Since sixth grade, he’s frequently uploaded covers and performances to his YouTube channel, which has now racked up more than 34,000 subscribers. In September 2020, he released his debut album, Warm Day Reflections, featuring 7 of his original violin compositions, to virtually all streaming platforms. He frequently performs at weddings, parties, church services and occasions alike across New England. At the heart of his musical endeavors is the commitment of pouring his heart into every performance, no matter where his pursuits might take him.

You can find Rowan’s performance here.