Gretchen Koehler with The Orchestra of Northern New York, Watertown, NY

The Orchestra of Northern New York, Gretchen Koehler-fiddler, Hosmer Hall, Potsdam, New York

For 25 years, Gretchen Koehler has been a violinist in The Orchestra of Northern New York. While holding a classical music degree from McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Koehler is fluent in both the classical and folk idioms and has stepped forward as a fiddle soloist with The Orchestra for many seasons. Over the years she has performed as a solo artist, with members of her musical family, with guitarist Barb Heller and collaborated with The Susquehanna String Band to bring "American Pops" concerts to literally thousands of residents in Northern New York.

In 2020, Gretchen Koehler, along with Barb Heller, was commissioned by the Flynn Family Foundation to write a work honoring The St. Lawrence River. The 10 minute orchestral work, “Song of the St. Lawrence -An Homage to the People of the St. Lawrence River Lowlands” premiered in July 2021.