Biography

Jade Kurlas is rapidly establishing herself as a young artist of singular voice and cross-genre versatility. Ms. Kurlas first became a household name in the greater Cincinnati area at the age of three, and she has since traveled the world teaching and performing in various settings. From Baroque music to contemporary, and from orchestra to chamber music, Ms. Kurlas continues to delight audiences through blending historical performance with relevant contemporary interpretations. 

Recent seasons have taken Ms. Kurlas all over the world, and have included performances in Central Europe and China. In 2016, she was invited to play with the Starling Chamber Orchestra on their China tour which included performances in six professional venues: the Hunan Radio and Television Center Studio, Shantou Arts Grand Theatre, Shenzhen Poly Theater, Huizhou Poly Culture and Arts Center and Heyuan Theatre. Ms. Kurlas was also invited to perform jazz works in various cities in Poland with Ensemble Eclectique, a group comprised of several phenomenal musicians from the Cincinnati area. Along with her international performances, Ms. Kurlas has performed several concerts throughout the United States. In 2012, Ms. Kurlas performed Carnegie Hall with the School of Creative and Performing Arts Symphony Orchestra and also appeared at Boston’s Symphony Hall throughout 2017 and 2018. She is currently an associate member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago for the 2020-2021 season. In addition to symphony orchestra performances, Ms. Kurlas has performed for the University of Cincinnati’s performance of Swan Lake as well as the opera Pelléas et Mélisande held at The Majestic Theatre in Boston. She has also performed in the pit orchestra for in numerous musicals including “The Music Man”, “Brigadoon”, and “The Wizard of Oz.”

As a private teacher and music educator, Ms. Kurlas has a growing private studio consisting of aspiring musicians of all ages and levels. During her studies at the University of Cincinnati, she assisted with coaching chamber music with the young musicians enrolled in the pre-college program of Sassmannshaus Traditions. She also coached cello sectionals with the Boston University All-Campus Orchestra. Having been exposed to expert musicians and pedagogues from around the world, Ms. Kurlas has taken techniques and styles used from each place visited to help shape her own pedagogy. Most recently, she studied in Bordeaux, France with teacher, Valérie Aimard, where she was exposed to a French method of teaching and playing. During the two week long intensive, Ms. Kurlas was quickly able to learn in-depth about French bow arm techniques and while also learning about the movement of the human body to produce excellent sound.

A multi-faceted and passionate chamber musician, Ms. Kurlas has played several different works ranging from Mozart and Brahms string quartets to “Meeelan” by Wynton Marsalis composed for bassoon and string quartet. She began playing chamber music at the age of seven when she auditioned and was accepted into the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music Preparatory Department. During her studies at conservatory she had the privilege of being coached by incredible musicians including members from the Ariel Quartet, The American String Quartet, the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. In 2018, Ms. Kurlas was invited with her string quartet il Calore to participate at the inaugural Harvard Chamber Music Festival in Harvard, Massachusetts. 

As a chamber coach, teacher, and professional musician, Ms. Kurlas is dedicated to sharing music and music education. Her primary teachers have included Jennifer Wheatley, Nadine Monchecort, Ellen Shertzer, Dr. William Grubb, and Rhonda Rider. She has played under several notable conductors including Grammy award-winning composer and conductor, Maestro Bramwell Tovey; Assistant Conductor of the New York Philharmonic, Joshua Gersen; as well as Jonathan McPhee, conductor of the Lexington Symphony and Boston Ballet. As someone who began intensely studying music theory, ear training, and musicianship at a young age, she hopes to instill this into her students as well as showcasing the many different genres and styles of music that can be played. Recently graduating with her Masters in Music from Boston University, she strives to share her music as well as her pedagogy to audiences and students all around the globe.