Born and raised on O’ahu, Hawai’i, Taylor DeCastro is a versatile violinist whose artistry spans period performance and experimental music. Now based in Seattle, she is currently completing her Master of Music at the University of Washington, where she serves as a graduate teaching assistant.

Her orchestral experience includes recent appointments as Concertmaster of Philharmonia Northwest, Assistant Principal Second Violin of the Olympia Symphony Orchestra, and Assistant Concertmaster of the Bainbridge Symphony Orchestra. She also performs with Philharmonie Austin (TX), a period-instrument ensemble, and appears on their recordings released by Navona Records. Past engagements include performing with the Auburn Symphony Orchestra, Yakima Symphony Orchestra, Bellevue Symphony Orchestra, and Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra (WI). In 2024, she was named a finalist in the Musicians Club of Women Competition in Chicago, IL, and has performed across the United States, Canada, and France.

Equally at home in early music and the avant‑garde, Ms. DeCastro’s versatility has led to a wide spectrum of collaborations and performances. In addition to her period-performance work with Philharmonie Austin, she recently appeared as soloist in J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 with the Bainbridge Symphony Orchestra. Simultaneously, she is fascinated by intersections of the past and present, specializing in contemporary, experimental, “noise” music as well. She has collaborated with renowned composers inti figgis-vizueta and Michael Gordon, and with the Seattle Modern Orchestra. Reflecting her dual interests, Ms. DeCastro served as the teaching assistant of both the Baroque Ensemble and the Modern Music Ensemble at the University of Washington.

An advocate for equity and accessibility in music, Ms. DeCastro fosters inclusive teaching environments and diverse programming. She currently teaches violin at Epiphany Music Academy and coaches chamber groups and sectionals at UW. As a woman of color, Ms. DeCastro is passionate about bringing the works of underrepresented composers to life. Her performance in the Black Composers Project at the University of Washington has been featured on Minnesota Public Radio.

Ms. DeCastro earned her Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance at the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music, summa cum laude, where she also minored in Studio Art. Her primary teachers include Rachel Lee Priday, Samantha George, and Colin Belisle.