Anita & Julian Graef

about the duo

Violinist and violist Julian Graef has earned acclaim as an artist of remarkable versatility. He has been featured in Strings Magazine, on the “Concerts from the Library of Congress” series, and in many of the world’s foremost concert halls. In addition to an active touring schedule as a soloist, recitalist and chamber musician, Mr. Graef also serves as the Co-director of the Juliani Ensemble, and as the founding Executive Director of Tallgrass Chamber Music Festival. With the Juliani Ensemble, Mr. Graef has given performances and masterclasses at universities and conservatories throughout North America, while also directing the Ensemble’s resident series; Saturday Salons at Primitive Gallery in Chicago, IL. Mr. Graef obtained both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Eastman School of Music. He performs on a 1949 Natale Carletti viola and an unnamed 1810 Stradivarius model violin.

American cellist Anita Graef has garnered praise as a musician of “superb artistry” (Pasadena Now) who plays with “high energy and polish” (WQXR). She has appeared both nationally and internationally in concerto, recital and chamber music engagements, while establishing a reputation as an artist who is equally at home exploring traditional as well as contemporary works, along with a deep commitment to service, outreach and education. Notable appearances include features in Strings Magazine, as well as Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert series, and “Concerts from the Library of Congress.” She has also performed as a guest of various radio programs, including WQXR, WFMT and NPR, among others.

As the winner of the 2022 Gheens Young Artist Award and the 2021 American Prize, recent seasons have seen concerto debuts from Ms. Graef with the Louisville Orchestra, the Arkansas Philharmonic, the Riverside Symphony, the Miami Valley Symphony and many others. She recently concluded an appointment as the 2023 Duncanson Artist-in-Residence for the Taft Museum of Art. Upcoming recital and chamber music appearances include engagements with the Norton Museum of Art (West Palm Beach, FL), Saugerties Pro Musica, the Turner Center for the Arts (Valdosta, GA), Musica Sierra (Lake Tahoe/Reno, NV), the Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts, and the Partnership for the Performing Arts (Brookings, OR), with return appearances to Chicago’s “Live from WFMT” and others. Ms. Graef has appeared at numerous festivals, most recently including the Victoria Bach Festival, Green Lake Festival of Music, along with Artist-in-Residence positions at pianoSonoma and Lake George Music Festival. Anita serves as the Artistic Director for both Tallgrass Chamber Music Festival and the Juliani Ensemble, with whom she performs extensively both on tour and in residence in her hometown of Chicago.

Ms. Graef performs on a modern Italian cello by Ferdinando Garimberti, dated 1923.

For more info, visit anitagraef.com.