Carla Leurs is an extraordinary violinist whose incredible artistry and leadership have captured the hearts of audiences and musicians all around the world.
With a vibrant career that spans solo, chamber, and orchestral performances, she showcases a dazzling blend of technical prowess, emotional richness, and a fresh, innovative approach to music.
Her passion for bringing people together through music—whether in prestigious concert halls or exciting unconventional spaces—defines her as an artist and leader.
Carla has performed as a soloist with orchestras throughout Europe, the United States, and Asia, including Les Solistes Européens, The Netherlands Symphony Orchestra, NDR Philharmonie and the Sinfonieorchester Basel, under the baton of esteemed conductors such as Carlos Kalmar, Vassily Sinaisky, Ed Spanjaard, and Jan Willem de Vriend. Her solo career has taken her to iconic stages like Carnegie Hall in the "Artists International Series" and the "New Masters on Tour" series in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Tallinn.
As a chamber musician, Carla has collaborated with celebrated artists such as Itzhak Perlman, Vilde Frang, Liza Ferschtman, Nicolas Altstaedt, and Sol Gabetta, with whom she also performed Brahms’ Double Concerto. Her festival appearances include the Menuhin Festival in Gstaad, Verbier Festival, Davos Festival, Delft Festival, and the inaugural Perlman Chamber Music Program in New York.
Carla’s extensive orchestral leadership experience includes serving as concertmaster for the Sinfonieorchester Basel, the Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic, and the Orkest van het Oosten (Phion). She regularly appears as a guest concertmaster with orchestras such as the London Philharmonic, BBC Philharmonic, Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, and the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, working with conductors like Jaap van Zweden, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, and Osmo Vänskä. Her ability to inspire and unify musicians has made her a sought-after leader in the orchestral world.
Higlights of season 24-25 include directing the ReSound, Singapores chamber orchestra in Beethoven 1st Symphony as well performing Bernstein's West Sides Story for solo violin and strings. At the NDR Philharmonie she will be working together with Maurice Steger, leading the orchestra and appearing as a soloist in Vivaldi. With baroque ensemble Himmelsburg she can be heard in concertos by Vivaldi, Bach and Pisendel. In addition to her performing career, Carla is a dedicated educator, serving on the faculty of the Utrecht Conservatory, where she mentors the next generation of musicians.
Beyond the concert hall, Carla is passionate about making classical music accessible to all. She has performed in unconventional venues, from pop festivals to refugee camps, sharing the transformative power of music with diverse audiences, often combining different art forms. This commitment to connection and service is at the heart of her artistic vision.
Carla studied at the Juilliard School under Itzhak Perlman and Donald Weilerstein, where she won the Juilliard Competition, which led to her debut at Lincoln Center. She is a laureate of international competitions such as the Isang Yun competition in Korea, and the Tibor Varga Competition in Switzerland, as well as several competitions in the Netherlands.
Carla performs on the ‘Zomer Violin,’ crafted by G.B. Guadagnini in Parma in 1770, and a Dominique Peccatte bow from the ‘Tettelaar Collection,’ both on loan from the Dutch National Musical Instruments Foundation. Other bows she is using include a beautiful Baroque bow made by Marcus Van Den Munckhof en a modern bow by Benoit Rolland.