Violinist Laurel Gagnon's performances have been described as “poised and mature” (The Strad) and her interpretations praised for their “naturalness that [is] both disarming and distinctive” (The Straits Times, Singapore). Performing as a soloist and chamber musician, she is currently based in New York City and is a fellow of Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect program for the 2025–2027 seasons.
A recent laureate of the Councours musicale international de Montreal, Gagnon was previously awarded top prizes at the Elmar Oliveira and Singapore International Violin Competitions. She has performed at venues including Carnegie Hall, Flagey in Brussels, Singapore’s Victoria Concert Hall, and the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Her solo performances have been featured on Kansas City Public Radio, KCUR, and local television broadcasts including KSHB TV’s “KC Live” and Fox4.
As a chamber musician, Laurel is the founding violinist of Vinola Trio, a clarinet-violin-piano ensemble with an emphasis on contemporary repertoire. The trio received grand prize at the 2025 Plowman Chamber Music Competition, and won prizes at both the MTNA National Chamber Music Competition and The American Prize. The group has performed at nstitutions including Boston Conservatory, Indiana University, and Truman State University, and has completed multiple residencies at the Avaloch Farm Music Institute. Actively involved in chamber music education, the ensemble has led masterclasses at Boston Conservatory, Truman State University, and worked with young ensembles at the Bridges Musical Arts Youth Organization.
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Junshi Yang Photography
Outside of Vinola Trio, Laurel works regularly with chamber groups, collaborating with musicians in groups and series such as Kallos Chamber series, Terra String Quartet, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, New York Classical Players, and New England Chamber Orchestra. Gagnon has also performed at the Marlboro Music Festival, Halcyon Music Festival, Mimir Chamber Festival. She was a fellow at Maine Chamber Music Seminar, where she worked alongside and coached younger musicians, and joined Vivace International Music Festival as junior faculty in 2025.
Passionate about engaging with local communities, Laurel worked extensively with Indiana University’s Center for Rural Engagement, where she collaborated with community partners to present public performances in libraries, schools, and senior care centers. As a teaching artist with Yale’s Music in Schools Initiative, she was partnered with a public school teacher in New Haven to provide classroom teaching to high school music students. Laurel also participated in Indiana University’s Fairview Violin Project, introducing violin to elementary students through group instruction at a local public school.
With over ten years of teaching experience, Laurel has taught violin in community studios across multiple states, maintaining an active private teaching practice. At the university level, she served as a secondary violin instructor at the Yale School of Music and as a studio assistant to Mauricio Fuks at Indiana University and Ben Sayevich at Park University. As a faculty member, Laurel coached chamber music and worked with young musicians at Yale’s Morse Summer Music Academy.
A recent graduate of the Yale School of Music under the mentorship of Augustin Hadelich, she previously studied with Ben Sayevich at the International Center for Music at Park University and with Mauricio Fuks at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
Being told she was too young to play flute, Ms. Gagnon instead picked up the violin at the age of three and never looked back. She and her brothers spent many hours of their childhood arguing and performing in a family string quartet. When not practicing, Laurel enjoys exploring the outdoors, drinking strong coffee, and hiking any trail she can find. She shares her daily life with her boyfriend Lee and his parrot, Pippin.
Laurel performs on an 1809 Lupot violin, generously on loan from Canimex Inc., Drummondville, Québec, Canada.
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