Luke Stikeleather

Luke Stikeleather, violinist, is pursuing a Master of Music in Violin Performance at Arizona State University under Dr. Katherine McLin. Originally from North Carolina, Luke obtained both a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance, and a Bachelor of Arts in Arts Administration from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2022, and stayed in the area as a freelance musician and administrator for one year after graduation. During his year off from school, Luke cultivated a dynamic career consisting of performing, teaching, and working in administration at his own alma mater.

An avid performer who feels most at home on the concert hall stage, Luke worked as a contracted player with multiple professional orchestras throughout North Carolina including the Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and Western Piedmont Symphonies. He has attended several summer intensive music festivals across the country including Marrowstone, Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, Round Top, and Saluzzo Opera Academy in Saluzzo, Italy. In 2017, he appeared as a featured soloist with the Lake Norman Orchestra with his own violin teacher at the time, Eduardo Cadeño, conducting at the podium. His previous teachers include Kevin Lawrence and Marjorie Bagley, and has also received lessons from Kevork Mardirossian, Mari Sato, and Sheryl Staples.

Also an experienced teacher, Luke has been teaching for over six years in various capacities. He has taught at after school programs, private music schools, and el sistema based programs that cater to students that come from low income families. He originally studied violin under the Suzuki method, and is very comfortable teaching the method, while also using other methods based on students’ needs. Luke enjoys teaching and sharing his love of music with students of all ages and backgrounds, and is excited to share his enthusiasm with the community at Hammer & Strings!