Sarah Abbott Boerema, D.M.A

Sarah Abbott Boerema is a violinist, educator, and scholar whose career encompasses extensive performance, teaching, and research in classical music. She currently serves on the music faculties of Calvin University and Aquinas College, where she teaches violin and works with developing collegiate musicians.

Dr. Boerema holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Arizona State University, as well as graduate degrees from the University of Michigan and the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings. Her professional experience encompasses solo, chamber, and orchestral performance.

As a performer, Dr. Boerema has collaborated with distinguished classical artists including Lynn Harrell, Robert McDuffie, Gil Shaham, Stefan Jackiw, and Andrea Bocelli. She maintains an active performance career with the Grand Rapids Symphony.

Dr. Boerema's scholarly interests include the music and professional lives of women composers in the nineteenth century, with a particular interest in expanding the violin repertoire and bringing greater attention to historically underrepresented composers and works. Her research informs both her performance and teaching, connecting historical inquiry with contemporary approaches to repertoire and interpretation.

Dr. Boerema's teaching is grounded in her experience as a professional performer, collegiate educator, and scholar. She is committed to developing technically secure, musically expressive, and independent musicians, with an emphasis on thoughtful practice, strong fundamentals, musical interpretation, and individual artistic development.