Tanja Becker-Bender is a German violinist and music educator. She received her early lessons in Stuttgart and continued her studies in Salzburg, Freiburg, and London. She earned her master of music at the Juilliard School. A concert artist since the age of 11, Becker-Bender has appeared with prominent symphonies, many chamber orchestras, and smaller ensembles. A frequent guest of festivals in the United States, Europe, and Israel, she has performed with Gidon Kremer, Yuri Bashmet, Boris Pergamenschikow, Arnold Steinhardt, and most notably in recitals with Péter Nagy. She has demonstrated a deep interest in new music, working with such composers as Cristóbal Halffter, Peter Ruzicka, and Peteris Vasks. An international artist, Becker-Bender resides in Berlin and Hamburg, though her academic career has taken her to positions in Saarbrücken, Vienna, and Hamburg. She was elected a member of the Free Academy of the Arts in Hamburg in 2011. ~ Blair Sanderson