Wendy Putnam, Founder and Director

Wendy Putnam has been a violinist in the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1996. She has collaborated and concertized with many of the world’s most renowned musicians including her BSO colleagues. Distinguished artists have not only recognized Ms. Putnam’s ability as a highly accomplished violinist but also commended her devotion to the arts and humanities.

Ms. Putnam was born in Wisconsin and began her study of the violin there at age 3. She made her first appearance in the concert hall at age 9 when she was invited to perform as soloist with the Green Bay Symphony. At age 16 she enrolled at Louisiana State University, where she completed both her Bachelor’s and Master of Music degrees under the guidance of professor Sally O’Reilly.

In 1991, while completing her Master of Music with Josef Gingold at Indiana University, Putnam was appointed concertmaster of the New Orleans Symphony (now the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra). Her performance of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto under Maxim Shostakovich was named best classical performance of the year in 1995 by the Times-Picayune. Her performance of Vieuxtemps’s Violin Concerto No. 5 with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops in May 2001 was also greeted with critical acclaim.

In addition to fellowships to many of the world’s most prestigious music festivals, Putnam has been the recipient of awards from numerous organizations including the National Federation of Music Clubs and the Henry B. Cabot Foundation at Tanglewood.

Putnam is an alumna of Harvard Business School where she completed the Program for Leadership Development in February 2021.