Rachel Barton Pine, born October 11, 1974, in Chicago, is a violinist who defies musical boundaries, seamlessly blending classical mastery with a deep passion for heavy metal. Her journey with the violin began at age three, leading to a debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at just ten years old. But beyond the concert halls, Pine has carved a niche that connects the worlds of Bach and Black Sabbath.
Pine’s love for heavy metal isn’t just a personal passion—it’s an integral part of her musical identity. She has performed with metal bands and infused rock elements into her work, proving that the intricate compositions of classical music and the complex structures of metal aren’t so different. In 1997, she released Stringendo: Storming the Citadel, an album featuring all-strings covers of rock and metal songs. Her appreciation for bands like AC/DC, Anthrax, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Megadeth, Metallica, Motörhead, Pantera, Slayer, and Van Halen is well-documented, and she has even performed with some of them. Practicing metal songs, she has said, deepened her understanding of their classical influences, drawing a diverse audience of symphony lovers and headbangers alike.
In 2009, Pine co-founded the thrash/doom metal band Earthen Grave, where she played a six-string Viper electric violin. The band released an EP, Dismal Times, and shared the stage with heavy hitters like Pentagram, Black Label Society, Mayhem, and Nachtmystium. Pine credits her time in the band with strengthening her emotional connection to audiences, enriching her performances in both classical and metal settings.
Her efforts to merge these genres extend beyond performance. She frequently incorporates orchestral versions of rock and metal pieces into her coaching sessions for chamber music and youth orchestras. In 2009, she premiered her own arrangement of Metallica’s Master of Puppets with the McHenry County Youth Symphony. In 2015, she debuted Shredding with the Symphony with the Lafayette Symphony, blending works by Shostakovich and Beethoven with tracks from Van Halen, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Rush, Nirvana, Metallica, and Led Zeppelin.
Pine’s genre-crossing approach has challenged musical stereotypes, proving that classical virtuosity and metal’s raw energy can not only coexist but thrive together. Now, she’s taking that fusion to new heights. On Thursday, February 27, she’ll premiere a brand-new violin concerto by Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra composer-in-residence Harry Stafylakis, a piece inspired by his love of heavy metal. Stafylakis, known for his ability to merge classical tradition with metal’s intensity, has crafted a work tailor-made for Pine’s signature mix of technical brilliance and rock-inspired fire. Whether you’re a classical purist or a metalhead, this electrifying performance promises to be unforgettable.