Photo Credit: Eva Ravel

Praised by The Strad for the “lyricism that stood out…a silky tone and beautiful, supple lines,” violist Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt has established herself as one of the leading violists of her generation. Equally celebrated as a soloist, chamber musician, and educator, she has performed throughout North and South America, Europe, and Asia, earning acclaim for performances marked by expressive depth, technical brilliance, and musical insight.

As a soloist, Pajaro-van de Stadt has appeared with orchestras including the New York String Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, the Tokyo Philharmonic, the Jacksonville Symphony, the Sphinx Chamber Orchestra, and Symphony in C. Her 2011 Wigmore Hall debut in London drew praise from The Strad, which described her playing as “fleet and energetic…powerful and focused.”

From 2008 to 2022, she served as founding violist of the internationally renowned Dover Quartet. During her tenure, the ensemble received numerous honors, including First Prize and every special award at the 2013 Banff International String Quartet Competition, the Gold Medal and Grand Prize at the 2010 Fischoff Chamber Music Competition, the Cleveland Quartet Award, and an Avery Fisher Career Grant. The quartet also earned two Grammy nominations and held prestigious appointments as Quartet-in-Residence at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., while Pajaro-van de Stadt joined the faculties of the Curtis Institute of Music and Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music.

Her individual distinctions include First Prize at the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition and top prizes at both the Sphinx Competition and the Tokyo International Viola Competition. Today, she continues her chamber music career as a member of the piano quartet Espressivo! alongside acclaimed artists Jaime Laredo, Sharon Robinson, and Anna Polonsky. Starting in the fall of 2026, Pajaro-van de Stadt will join the faculty of the University of Michigan as Associate Professor of Viola for the School of Music, Theater and Dance.

A graduate of Curtis Institute of Music and Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, Pajaro-van de Stadt studied with distinguished mentors including Roberto Díaz, Michael Tree, Misha Amory, and James Dunham. Today, she remains one of the most compelling and influential voices in chamber music.