Naomi Culp

Violinist and co-founding member of the KAIA String Quartet, Naomi Culp is a dedicated performer and educator in the greater Chicago area. Culp has performed extensively throughout the United States and world wide in notable concert venues such as Carnegie Hall, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Perth Concert Hall in Australia, Jay Pritzker Pavilion and Symphony Center in Chicago. As first prize winner of the 2003 National Fine Arts Festival Competition in Washington, D.C., she performed in front of the U.S. Capitol Building. 

In 2011, Culp was invited to perform Schubert’s Cello Quintet with Yo-Yo Ma for Chicago Symphony’s Citizen Musician’s Week at the Fortnightly Club of Chicago. As a member of the KAIA Quartet, she has worked with the Muir String Quartet and renowned composer, Joan Tower, during her residency at Utah Symphony’s Deer Valley Music Festival. KAIA was the first ensemble in residence at Chicago’s classical radio station WFMT where they were broadcast daily. They are currently in residence at DePaul University Community Music Division.

With an extensive orchestral career, Culp served as Concertmaster of the Chicago Composers Orchestra, Assistant Concertmaster of Miami Symphony, and as section player with ProMusica Chamber Orchestra and Camerata Chicago. Culp is an alumna of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago where she had the privilege of working with world renown conductors such as Bernard Haitink, Ricardo Muti and Gustavo Dudamel. Currently she performs as Principal Second with the Oistrakh Symphony of Chicago as well as the Northbrook Symphony.

Outside the classical world, Culp enjoys collaborating with other ensembles and artists in jazz, independent rock, folk, and world music projects.  She has also performed with touring and local musical theatre productions in the Midwest area.

In addition to her performance career, Culp maintains a studio at DePaul University CMD as well as her private studio in Northern Chicago. She has recently accepted the position of coordinator and orchestra manager for the Academy at the Music Institute of Chicago.

Culp holds a Master of Music degree from Northern Illinois University and Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from Roosevelt University’s Conservatory of Music. Her principal teachers include Betty Haag, Desiree Ruhstrat, Yang Liu, Ilya Kaler and Mathias Tacke.