VIOLINIST
VIOLIST
VOCALIST
Yvette Cornelia Holzwarth is a musician of rare versatility. Based in Los Angeles, she has established herself as a artist equally at home in orchestral string sections, experimental theater productions, improvisational world music ensembles, as well as her own original work.
Yvette has performed and recorded with legends and pop icons including Stevie Wonder, George Benson, Ariana Grande, Kamasi Washington, Van Dyke Parks, and The Backstreet Boys. Yet, her artistry is most distinct in her cross-cultural collaborations. As a duo partner to guitarist Miroslav Tadić, she explores the intersection of Balkan folklore and Americana; their debut album LUKA (Croatia Records) was praised by critics as a "magical musical fabric" woven by two world-class musicians. A dedicated advocate for new music, Yvette is also a founding member of the Desert Quill Quartet and the chamber collective Bridge to Everywhere, an ensemble known for its celebration of cultural diversity.
Under her solo moniker Yvette Cornelia, she releases her original music that bridges the gap between chamber-folk and art-pop, most notably on her full-length album What Lies Ahead. Yvette’s creative practice also extends to education and community. Inspired by her heritage, she wrote and illustrated the children’s book The Chinese Zoodiac Band, creating an accessible entry point for children to learn Mandarin and musical instruments.
Yvette thrives in interdisciplinary storytelling. She is a frequent collaborator with the immersive theater company Four Larks, bringing her dual talents as a violinist and vocalist to the stage. Her theatrical credits include the site-specific katabasis at the Getty Villa and the "thrillingly realized" ( LA Times ) production of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein at The Wallis Center.
Yvette plays on a Collin-Mézin violin with Thomasthik strings. She holds an M.F.A. from the California Institute of the Arts and currently serves on the faculty at Mount Saint Mary's University.
COMPOSER
SONGWRITER
ARRANGER
“As ingenious as Tadić is, what makes Luka special is the contribution of Yvette, who with her violin brings the spirit of gypsy, even klezmer music, melancholy Americana as well as the playfulness of John Zorn's daring acoustic projects. Somewhat unexpectedly, the album, which could have sounded safe and familiar, catapulted into one of the safe contenders for the high places of this year's list of the best domestic and regional albums."
"Rooted in my year of intensive study of klezmer composition and Iranian setar-playing," said Ravaie, "the violin part shifts between brisk klezmer-style passagework and lavish Persian improvisations." Violinist Yvette Cornelia Holzwarth, who both plays and moves beautifully, showcases the wonderful nuances within the work. In fact, she created some of the ornamentation, which Ravaei wove into the score.