New Zealand-born violinist, educator, and arts entrepreneur Dr. Natalie Lin Douglas is the founder and artistic director of the Houston based conductorless ensemble Kinetic. Committed to amplifying diverse, under-represented, and newly composed classical music through flexible chamber and orchestral ensemble performances, Kinetic has been coined “Houston’s indie, conductorless orchestra” (Houston Public Media) and praised for its “visually arresting… brilliantly executed” performances (Arts+Culture Texas). Under her leadership, Natalie has commissioned and premiered over 15 works by composers of our time, including Karim Al-Zand, Daniel Temkin, Peter Klatzow, Paul Novak, Giancarlo Latta, Alexandra T. Bryant, and Daniel J. Knaggs. The ensemble’s recordings are featured on Pierre Jalbert’s critically acclaimed album, String Theory (Orchid Classics, 2021) and Karim Al-Zand's Studies in Nature (Centaur, 2018).


An avid chamber musician, Natalie has toured throughout New Zealand in concerts presented by Chamber Music New Zealand and in the UK with the Scottish Ensemble. She has appeared as a guest artist with NZTrio, and performed alongside musicians such as Paul Kantor, Jon Kimura Parker, Kyung Sun Lee, Brian Connelly, and Clarice Assad. As a soloist, Natalie was a prizewinner at the 2013 Michael Hill International Violin Competition and the 2012 Klein International Strings Competition, and has performed with orchestras including the New Zealand Symphony, Auckland Philharmonia, Master’s Sinfonia (California), and Erie Philharmonic (Pennsylvania). Notable solo performances include at the Kennedy Center (Washington, D.C.) Severance Hall (Cleveland, Ohio), and the Taipei Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A Britten-Pears Young Artist from 2011-13, Natalie was concertmaster of the 2013 Britten-Pears Orchestra and a member of Aldeburgh Strings, which has recorded for Hyperion Records. She has been featured on Houston Public Media, Radio New Zealand, and Cleveland’s WCLV, as well as in the Houston Chronicle, Arts+Culture Texas, Houstonia Magazine, Houston CityBook, and New Zealand Women’s Weekly.


In 2020, Natalie was appointed Assistant Professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Music and Theater Arts, where she coordinates the MIT Chamber Music Society and the Emerson/Harris Program for Private Study. In the past, she served as Teaching Assistant to renowned violin pedagogue Paul Kantor at both the Aspen Music Festival and the Cleveland Institute of Music, and taught courses in Music Theory for Non Majors at Rice University. With Kinetic, she has also conducted numerous educational activities to middle school, high school, and undergraduate students, including side-by-side performances, chamber music coachings, and technique classes.


Natalie completed her Doctor of Musical Arts at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, under the mentorship of Paul Kantor and Karim Al-Zand, where she was the recipient of the Lodieska Stockbridge Vaughn Fellowship, the Sviatoslav Richter Fund for Music Outreach, and the Mary Hobson Teaching Fellowship. Her areas of focus included the string works of Benjamin Britten and Leonard Bernstein, and her doctoral dissertation is titled, “Eclecticism, Evolution, and Return in Leonard Bernstein’s Serenade for Solo Violin, Strings, Harp, and Percussion.” Natalie received her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Besides music, she enjoys graphic design, yoga, and sewing. She lives in Medford, MA with her husband, architect Tucker Douglas.


(Updated Nov 2022)



Performance Calendar


Natalie is on leave for the 2023-24 season.

Browse Past Events



Recent Projects

Kinetic by Kinetic Ensemble


Release Date: November 3, 2023

The “agile virtuosity and vibrant sound” (Arts and Culture Texas) of the Houston based Kinetic Ensemble showcases world premiere recordings of works by four exciting young composers: Patrick Harlin, Paul Novak, Nicky Sohn, and Daniel Temkin. A deeply immersive listening experience, the album explores the deep-rooted connections between musical sound and the natural world. Produced and engineered by GRAMMY® award winner Brad Sayles, this debut sets Kinetic’s “thoughtful, incisive programming” and “brilliantly executed” performance on display.

Pre-Order the CD & Limited Edition Vinyl



Kinetic



Select Performance Videos


Gabriela Lena Frank: Suite Mestiza for Solo Violin


Performed in April 2021

Kresge Auditorium, MIT


Beethoven: Grosse Fuge (String Orchestra Version)


Performed in May 2018

Midtown Arts & Theater Center Houston

with Kinetic


Solitary Dialogues: Virtual Faculty Recital


Performed in April 2021

Kresge Auditorium, MIT

Program:
Karim Al-Zand: Capriccio, “As quickly as possible” (2002)
Giancarlo Latta: A Simple Song for two violins (2021)
Gabriela Lena Frank: Suite Mestiza (2017)
Johann Sebastian Bach: Chaconne from Partita No. 2 for Solo Violin (1720)




Select Press


"The Amazon Inspires New Music at MIT"

MIT Center for Art, Science & Technology | March 2023


"Kinetic Season 8: Distinct Voices, New Works, and Wild Soundscapes"

Arts+Culture Texas Magazine | October 2022


"Orchid Classics Releases "String Theory," a New Recording of Works by Pierre Jalbert"

Schott/EAM News | September 2021


"MIT SHASS Welcomes New Faculty"

MIT "Said and Done" | September 2020


"Kinetic Celebrates 5 Years as Houston's Indie, Conductorless Orchestra"

Houston Public Media | January 2020


“My Top 5: Violinist & Kinetic Founder Natalie Lin”

365 Things To Do In Houston | January 2018


“KINETIC Is Here To Stay”

Houstonia | January 2018


“Hear and Now”

Houston CityBook | May 2017


“For The Love Of Conductorless”

Houston Public Media | October 2017


“Leader of the Pack: Violinist to Helm Conductorless Group”

Houston Chronicle | October 2015


“Auckland violinist stunned to reach world semifinals”

New Zealand Herald | June 2013


More Music


String Theory, recorded by Kinetic

Pierre Jalbert


Prince of Clouds for Two Violins & Strings

Anna Clyne


Seascapes for Piano Trio

Jenny Mcleod


Round I; Round II; Round III

Michael Hill International Violin Competition 2013


Affiliations


Kinetic Ensemble

Founder & Artistic Director


Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Assistant Professor, Music and Theater Arts


Contact Info


General Inquiries

lindoug@mit.edu


Kinetic Ensemble

natalie@kineticensemble.org

www.kineticensemble.org


Interested in supporting my work or an upcoming project?

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