About Luke

Luke Pisani is a native of Rochester NY where he studied and performed at the Hochstein School and Eastman Community School. Teachers included: Shannon Nance (violin), Gary Palmer (classical piano), Dariusz Terefenko (jazz theory and improvisation), with periodic coaching from Julianna Atheyde (violin). Luke is currently pursuing degrees in Violin Performance (studio of Aaron Berofsky) and Jazz Studies (studio of Andy Milne) at the University of Michigan.

Luke Pisani Wedding band, trio, quartet in Michigan

Selected Honors

  • Concertmaster, University Symphony Orchestra, University of Michigan (2025-2026)

  • Young Artist of the Year, Musicale of Detroit (2026)

  • Musicale of Detroit Irene Kinsey Stare Strings Award (2024)

  • Syracuse Friends of Chamber Music Young Artist winner (2023)

  • Rochester Philharmonic League Grand Prize (2022)

  • Chicago Violin Competition Young Artist Division – Second Prize (2021)

Festival & Residency Highlights

  • Music Academy of the West

  • Austin Chamber Music Center Festival Artist

  • Bowdoin International Music Festival

  • National Orchestral Institute + Festival

  • Chautauqua Institution

  • Garth Newel Center for Music Emerging Artist

Education

University of Michigan

BM in Violin Performance, Studio of Aaron Berofsky
BM in Jazz Piano, Studio of Andy Milne
2023-present

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Violin Program Bios and Photos

Full Program Version
Violinist Luke Pisani is a senior at the University of Michigan, where he studies with Aaron Berofsky.

He has earned numerous solo honors, including second prize at the Chicago Violin Competition, the grand prize of the Rochester Philharmonic League, the Douglas Lowry Award from the Rochester Hall of Fame, and the Irene Kinsey Stare Strings Award and Young Artist of the Year from the Detroit Musicale. He has also won competitions to appear as soloist with the Rochester Philharmonic, the Genesee Symphony, and the Finger Lakes Symphony.

An avid chamber musician, Luke is first violinist of the Bear Quartet. The quartet was a semifinalist in the senior division of the 2026 Coltman Chamber Competition, won the 2025 University of Michigan and Rosseels String Quartet competitions, and took second prize at the Briggs Chamber Music Competition. In 2026 the quartet served as Festival Artists at the Austin Chamber Music Center.

Luke is concertmaster of the University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra and previously served as concertmaster of the New York All-State Orchestra. He has performed with the National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic, the Chautauqua Institution Festival Orchestra, and the Lansing Symphony.