Linda Binder, mandolinist and violinist, was introduced to the mandolin by her first violin teacher and performed on mandolin with the Creighton Guitar Quartet in Omaha, Nebraska while still in high school. After studying music and violin performance in college Ms. Binder played violin with the Omaha Symphony, the Nebraska Chamber Orchestra, Mannheim Steamroller and the Metropolitan String Quartet all based in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska.
After moving to New York City Ms. Binder studied violin and chamber music performance with Todd Phillips of the Orion Quartet and the Orpheus Chamber Ensemble, and performed regularly with the Bronx Symphony, Chamber Orchestra and Opera Company, the Westchester Symphony and Brooklyn Lyric Opera in addition to freelancing. She since has had lessons with, and performed in mandolin workshops with several prominent mandolinists including Carlo Aonzo, Daniel Ahlert, Radim Zenkl and Andy Statman. In October 2006 she performed in masterclasses at the jazz oriented Centrum Workshop in Washington for mandolinist Mike Marshall and bassists Edgar Meyer and John Clayton in a workshop focusing on mandolin/bass duos.
Ms. Binder has performed premieres of contemporary music with Milwaukee's Present Music ensemble and Americana music of the late 1800's and early 1900's with the Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra, http://www.milmando.org , of which she is Music Director. The Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra performed twice on the radio show "A Prairie Home Companion" in 2006, including a performance at the Ravinia Festival She performs Brazilian music on violin and mandolin with the Chicago duo Dois no Choro, performing on their 2008 CD release Asa Branca produced by Laughing Buddha Music, and the ten piece Orquestra de Samba, http://www.evanstonescola.com/ODS.htm , also Chicago based which was awarded a Brazilian Press Award for 2008. Ms. Binder also plays electric violin with the improvisational ensemble Once Now Ensemble, http://www.oncenowensemble.com , based in Milwaukee and freelances with several area orchestras and chamber groups.
Ms. Binder performs on a violin made by luthier Brian Derber, a five string NS design electric violin, a Neopolitan style mandolin built in 2004 by Gabriele Pandini of Ferrara, Italy, a Tercio Ribeiro 10 string Brazilian mandolin and a Breedlove "Orca" model mandolin.
