Born In Chicago, IL
Resides In Chicago, IL

Carmen Abelson Assistant Principal - Violin 2

Violinist Carmen Abelson (she/her/hers) works throughout the Chicagoland and Midwest areas as a solo, chamber, and orchestral performer and music educator. A member and sometimes concertmaster of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago for three years, Abelson was a Civic Orchestra Fellow from 2017 through 2019, in which year she won positions with the West Michigan Symphony and Illinois Symphony Orchestra. Abelson has since won positions with the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra and Elgin Symphony Orchestra. She is also a member of Varo String Quartet and Four Equals String Quartet, as well as a core member of 5th Wave Ensemble, a collective dedicated to the performance of works by womxn and non-binary composers. Abelson has been a teaching artist at The People’s Music School since 2019, as well as working with students at Glenbard East High School, Hyde Park Youth Symphony, and maintaining a small private studio. Abelson became an Adjunct Professor of Violin at the University of Illinois at Springfield in January 2022.