Rebecca Christainsen

Rebecca Christainsen is from Palo Alto, California and graduated from Williams College in 2021, majoring in chemistry and music. While at Williams, Rebecca studied with Ah Ling Neu and played in the Berkshire Symphony, Chamber Orchestra of Williams, I/O New Music, and many chamber music ensembles. She also worked as the music librarian for the Berkshire Symphony. Rebecca performed the Bartok Viola Concerto with the Berkshire Symphony in 2022, having won the concerto competition in 2020. As a member of the Axxea Quartet, founded at Williams, Rebecca attended the Music Mountain Academy for two years and performed at Lincoln Center and Bargemusic. She was awarded the coveted Hubbard Hutchinson Fellowship in music during her senior year at Williams.

In her early years, Rebecca took lessons with Susan Bates at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She has spent previous summers performing at the Aspen Music Festival, Manchester Music Festival, and Madeline Island Chamber Music Festival. After graduating from college, Rebecca worked as an options trader in New York City before joining the RPO. She plays on a 1980 viola by Hiroshi Iizuka.