New Zealand-born violinist, educator, and arts entrepreneur Dr. Natalie Lin Douglas is the founder and artistic director of Kinetic Ensemble. Committed to amplifying diverse, under-performed, 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 and “thoughtful, incisive programming” (Arts+Culture Texas). Under her leadership, Kinetic has commissioned and premiered over 20 works by composers of our time, including by Karim Al-Zand, Anthony Brandt, Theo Chandler, Daniel J. Knaggs, Paul Novak, and Nicky Sohn. The ensemble’s self-titled album, which debut #1 at the Billboard Traditional Classical charts, was released in 2023, and its studio recordings are also featured on Pierre Jalbert: String Theory (Orchid Classics, 2021), Karim Al-Zand: Studies in Nature (Centaur, 2018), and Daniel Knaggs: Two Streams (Capella Records, 2023).
A versatile 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 such acclaimed artists as Clarice Assad, Iva Bittova, Brian Connelly, Kyung Sun Lee, Jon Kimura Parker, and Evan Ziporyn. A prizewinner at the 2013 Michael Hill International Violin Competition and the 2012 Klein International Strings Competition, Natalie has appeared as soloist with the New Zealand Symphony, Auckland Philharmonia, Master’s Sinfonia (California), and Erie Philharmonic (Pennsylvania). As a Britten-Pears Young Artist, Natalie was concertmaster of the 2013 Britten-Pears Orchestra and a member of Aldeburgh Strings. 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. An adventurous program curator and an advocate for the under-performed repertoire both old and new, Natalie has championed the string works of such composers as Karim Al-Zand (b. 1970), Gabriela Lena Frank (b. 1972), and Zoltán Székely (1903-2001). Her current projects include recording under-performed violin duo repertoire, and commissioning new works for violin and percussion ensemble.
A dedicated educator, Natalie is an Associate Professor of Music at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where teaches chamber music and violin, and coordinates and advises for the Emerson/Harris Program for Private Study. Previously, 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. She has given masterclasses and guest lectures at Gordon College, Hong Kong Baptist University, Credo Music Festival, Youngstown State University, and MIT’s Concourse. With Kinetic, she has led numerous educational initiatives for middle school, high school, and undergraduate students, including composition workshops, side-by-side performances, and open rehearsal demonstrations.
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.
Natalie lives in Medford, MA with her husband, architect Tucker Douglas and their son, Ezra.
Summer Tour with A Far Cry
NYC, Boston and Rockport
August 23, 2025
Chamber Concert Featuring Mahler's Fourth
Voxman Music Building Concert Hall, Iowa City, IA
September 26, 2025
Kinetic Ensemble: Notes Unspoken
Midtown Arts & Theater Center Houston, TX
Pickman Hall, Cambridge MA
November 1, 2025
Evan Ziporyn Faculty Recital
Tull Concert Hall, Cambridge MA
December 13, 2025
Octet Collaborative Concert
Killian Hall, Cambridge MA
*Natalie is on leave Spring 2026.
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.
- Release Date: November 3, 2023
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Label: Bright Shiny Things
- Audio Engineer: Brad Sayles
Bringing a fresh perspective to the Romantic string quintets of George Onslow, Ensemble Telos unites five distinguished musicians from leading international institutions. Their upcoming CD, featuring Onslow’s string quintets No. 14 and 24, is set to be released by Naxos Records in January 2026.
Musicians and community stakeholders reflect on the first decade of Houston's Billboard chart-topping, "indie, conductorless ensemble."
Produced by Blueprint Film Co.
a. Photo Galleryb. Select Recordings
Performed by Natalie Lin Douglas
Performed by Natalie Lin Douglas (violin), Andrew Laven (cello), Wesley Ducote (piano)
Performed by Kinetic Ensemble, led by Natalie Lin Douglas
2023, Bright Shiny Things
with Kinetic Ensemble
2023, Capella Records
as chamber musician
2022, Navona Records
with Kinetic Ensemble
2021, Orchid Classics
with Kinetic Ensemble, and as chamber musician
2018, Centaur Records
with Aldeburgh Strings
2016, Linn Records
MIT Center for Art, Science & | 2025
MIT Center for Art, Science & Technology | March 2023
Arts+Culture Texas Magazine | October 2022
Schott/EAM News | September 2021
MIT "Said and Done" | September 2020
Houston Public Media | January 2020
365 Things To Do In Houston | January 2018
Houstonia | January 2018
Houston Public Media | October 2017
New Zealand Herald | June 2013
c. Select Repertoire List
Solo Violin
- Karim Al-Zand: Cappriccio No. 1 (2002)
- Karim Al-Zand: Loop Studies (2021) — commissioned & premiered by Natalie
- Anna Clyne: Rest These Hands (2014)
- Gareth Farr: Wakatipu (2009)
- Gabriela Lena Frank: Suite Mestiza (2017)
- Zoltán Székely: Sonata for Solo Violin (1920)
String Duo
- Texu Kim: Homage to Anonymous Ancient Fiddlers (2015)
- Lei Liang: Gobi Canticle for violin & viola (2005/2010)
- Kai-Young Chan: Echoes of the Autumn night for two vioins (2018)
- Zhou Tian: Duo Concertante for two violins (2006)
Violin and Piano
- Karim Al-Zand: Imaginary Scenes (2015)
- Benjamin Britten: Reveilles (1937)
- Benjamin Britten: Suite (1935)
- William Bolcom: Duo Fantasy (1973)
Concerto
- Béla Bartok: Violin Concerto No. 1, Sz. 36, BB 48a (1907-8)
- Benjamin Britten: Concerto for Violin and Viola (1932)
- Leonard Bernstein: Serenade for Violin, Strings, Harp, and Percussion (1954)
- Elena Ruehr: Concerto No. 2, “Return” (2022)
*standard repertoire omitted
For general inquiries:lindoug@mit.edu
For Kinetic Ensemble:
natalie@kineticensemble.org
Founder & Artistic Director
Associate Professor, Music and Theater Arts
Interested in supporting my work or an upcoming project? Please get in touch!
© 2025 Natalie Lin Douglas