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Meet Your Orchestra

Paul Arnold

Second Violins
  • Joseph Brodo Chair, given by Peter A. Benoliel
Photo: Jessica Griffin

Paul Arnold has been a member of The Philadelphia Orchestra’s violin section for 36 years. He has appeared as a guest artist with every established chamber music ensemble in the city. He has collaborated with the Emerson Quartet, the New Arts Trio, Yefim Bronfman, Christoph Eschenbach, Martha Argerich, and Truls Mørk, among many others. Mr. Arnold has appeared over 30 times in the Philadelphia Orchestra’s Chamber Series and in Postlude concerts. He is a founding member of the Society Hill Quintet and the Dalihapa Ensemble. His arrangement of Beethoven’s Op. 101 Piano Sonata for string quintet was the intermission feature in a nationally broadcast program hosted by Mr. Eschenbach.

Mr. Arnold was the music director of the Orchestra’s outreach series at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and he was, for six years, an overseer at the Curtis Institute of Music, where he is now a frequent coach for the string section of the Curtis Symphony. Mr. Arnold is also a frequent artist coach at the National Orchestral Institute at the University of Maryland and has been a coach at the National Youth Orchestra. 

An ardent practitioner of audience interfacing, Mr. Arnold has given PreConcert Conversations for The Philadelphia Orchestra for more than 25 years, where his “I Have a Friend in the Orchestra” series continues to delight concertgoers.  

Mr. Arnold is a passionate photographer and has had numerous showings of his works. Despite being a native New Yorker, he has developed a deep affection for all local sports teams despite his biologically dictated love for the Yankees. 

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Video: Get to Know Philadelphia Orchestra Violinist Paul Arnold

Learn more about violinist, amateur photographer, and The Wonder Years inspiration Paul Arnold!

Check out our other Musician’s Minute videos here: Https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjScAPkQrKN5mv5vS-R8sJC3MZw5m2O-V