Biography

Violist Christina Ebersohl-Van Scyoc brings a rare combination of expressive depth, cultural fluency, and visionary leadership to the international concert stage. Her 2024–2025 debut tour featured performances in Switzerland, Egypt, and the United States, including her Carnegie Hall debut in July 2024—a milestone she described in a national news feature as “surreal,” marking her transformation from Army linguist to celebrated concert artist.

Joël Belgique, principal violist of the Oregon Symphony, describes Christina as part of a new generation of musicians: “Her talent alone is not enough… she’s inspiring.”

Her debut album, Viola al-Mashura / The Enchanted Viola, will be released on Acis Productions in Fall 2025, featuring contemporary works and world premieres that bridge cultures and genres. The project reflects Christina’s commitment to global collaboration and artistic storytelling, with a focus on Egyptian composers and the Arabic diaspora.

A United States Army veteran and Arabic linguist, Christina launched her solo career following her honorable discharge, quickly earning acclaim for performances marked by fearless imagination and warm maturity. Whether in concert halls or community spaces, she brings an emotional clarity and presence that resonates deeply with listeners.

Beyond the stage, Christina is a driving force in the viola world. She serves as:

  • Editor of the Journal of the American Viola Society (since 2021),

  • Executive Secretary at the International Viola Society,

  • Vice-President of Cantos for Arts in Alexandria, Egypt,

  • and a founding member of the Egyptian Viola Society, launching in late 2025.

Her impact also reaches into music education and accessibility. A 2022 Pat Tillman Scholar, Christina is a leading advocate for blind and visually impaired musicians, with speaking appearances at the New Music Gathering, Music Library Association, and International Vision Conference. She is a recipient of the NFB Pearson Scholarship for Teaching, a Gilman International Scholarship alumna, and a passionate mentor for inclusive teaching practices. Her first book, featuring interviews and biographies of contemporary Egyptian composers, will be published in Fall 2025.

A Licensed Body Mapping Educator, Christina teaches workshops that help musicians prevent injury, develop sustainable technique, and reclaim healthy movement. She has studied with esteemed violists Joël Belgique, Kenji Bunch, Basil Vendryes, and Liz Freivogel of the Jupiter Quartet. She earned her DMA in Viola Performance and Literature as an Illinois Distinguished Fellow at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Christina is not only performing on today’s global stages—she’s harnessing the power of music to connect, to challenge, and to expand who classical music is for.