Colin Jacobsen

Colin Jacobsen is an American violinist and composer known for blending classical training with folk, Persian, and other global musical traditions. A founding member of the genre-crossing string ensemble Brooklyn Rider and a co-founder of Silkroad, the collective started by Yo-Yo Ma, Jacobsen writes and arranges music that draws on his experience performing across cultures. His works are often shaped by close collaboration with performers rather than written in isolation.

Jacobsen's music tends to favor string instruments, reflecting his own background as a violinist, and often moves between clearly rhythmic, dance-like passages and more free, improvisatory-sounding stretches. Listeners can expect melodic lines that curl and ornament in ways borrowed from non-Western traditions, particularly Persian classical music, rather than following strict Western harmonic patterns. Pieces are often fairly short, built more like vivid vignettes than large symphonic statements, and frequently open with a solo instrumental gesture before other voices join in. Rhythms can shift unexpectedly, mimicking the flexible pulse of folk dance music. Endings are often abrupt or quietly trailing off rather than grand, and the overall mood favors color and energy over drama.