Dr. Edward W. Hardy at The American Theatre Wing Gala, Photo by Lia Chang

CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED
COMPOSER • VIOLINIST • ACTOR

"WHERE SOUND SPEAKS"

"EDWARD W. HARDY, WHO COMPOSED

THE OMNIPRESENT MUSIC,

PLAYS THE VIOLIN

SUPERBLY"

LISTEN TO HARDY'S ORIGINAL WORKS, ARRANGEMENTS & COLLABORATIONS

Evolution (for solo violin)
by Edward w. hardy
Colorado Public Radio | CPR classical Performance studio

Strange Fruit (for string quartet)
BY BILLIE HOLIDAY & Abel Meeropol, arranged by Edward w. hardy
The General Theological Seminary, NYC | CHURCH SERVICE

daniel constant, violiN
Tia Allen, viola
thapelo masita, cello

BORN FREE (for SOPRANO, VIOLIN, AND PIANO)
by Edward w. hardy, Lyrics by Margaret Walker
Performed by the Almost Quintet
GRACE'S & ST. PAUL'S CHURCH, NYC | PUBLIC CONCERT

Thong Song, Back That Azz Up,
Not Like Us (Violin Cover)
by Sisqo, Juvenile, and Kendrick Lamar, Arr. Edward W. Hardy
Southampton, NYC | PRIVATE EVENT

Zigeunerweisen (for violin & Orchestra)
by Pablo de Sarasate
LITTLETON UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, Colorado | PUBLIC CONCERT

The Colors of my life (From "Barnum")
by Cy Coleman & Michael Stewart, Arranged by Drew Wutke
Cipriani 42nd Street, AMERICAN THEATRE WING, NYC | PRIVATE EVENT

RECENT INTERVIEW WITH MULTI-GENRE PERFORMANCES

On the Town with Solo Violinist
Dr. Edward W. Hardy
Backstage Pass with Lia Chang, Ep 138
Richard Rodgers Amphitheater, NYC | PUBLIC CONCERT

CLICK HERE FOR HARDY'S
Performance Archive

Sheet Music • Recordings • Merchandise • Web Design & Artist Services

IN THE PRESS

Articles • Interviews • Reviews

FORBES

HOW CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED VIOLINIST EDWARD W. HARDY IS TRANSFORMING MOOD INTO MUSIC (INTERVIEW)

FEBRUARY 23, 2021

American composer and virtuoso violinist and violist Edward W. Hardy is one such performer seeking out creative ways to continue his craft... “I am blessed to have had a fulfilling musical career pre-pandemic, but now most of my career has evaporated,” says Hardy. “Recently I composed and performed music that reflects our current time, and one piece even ties most of the Black music genres together.”

MUSIC CITY REVIEW

COMPOSING THE MAGIC OF OZ: DR. EDWARD W. HARDY ON HIS MUSIC FOR THE WOODSMAN (INTERVIEW)

AUGUST 5, 2026

"Writing for The Woodsman required me to think more like a filmmaker than a traditional theater composer. I conceived the score as a dramatic narrative rather than simply incidental music. The collaboration between the puppetry and pantomime helped me understand what each moment of this nearly silent production required and what my role was in guiding the audience’s emotional journey. Every musical phrase had to communicate intention, emotion, pacing, and transformation."

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

SEE IT, HEAR IT, FEEL IT: ALL THE PHILLY ART WE LOVED THIS WEEK (REVIEW)

JULY 4, 2026

[Anna Deavere] Smith crafted a riveting world that showcased fierce resilience, disarming humor, and profound empathy during a painfully divided time. The story is fueled by original music from actor/violinist Edward W. Hardy. It was an honor to experience one of the earliest presentations of this play, which will likely grow into a major production. It’s the kind of honest work about this nation’s bloody, conflicted history that feels like essential viewing for anyone who calls themself a patriot.

NEW YORK CONCERT REVIEW

LOVE, EARTH, DEATH: A DIALOGUE BETWEEN BLACK AND CHINESE VOICES IN REVIEW

AUGUST 20, 2026

BORN FREE (NYC premiere) by Dr. Edward W. Hardy (b. 1992), a song cycle (Sorrow Home, Lineage, The Struggle Staggers Us, and Southern Song) for soprano, violin, and piano, is the work of a promising and talented composer. There are languorous blues, “fire-in-the belly” storms, plaintive despair, and a stately dignity of voice and purpose that all figure prominently in these songs.

BROADWAY WORLD

PHOTOS: SEE THE MUSIC OF SHO KUON AT CARNEGIE HALL'S WEILL RECITAL HALL (REVIEW)

MAY 9, 2024

While each piece held significant meaning within Kuon’s musical and personal journeys, highlights included a mesmerizing performance of “Coexistence” by Kuon on piano and Dr. Edward W. Hardy on violin, a thrilling rendition of “In Summer” featuring Kuon, Hardy, Keita Ogawa on percussion, and Greg Pattillo on flute, and the celebratory “Japanese festival (MATSURI)” that involved every performer on stage and in the audience.

THE NEW YORK TIMES

LED BY A TENDER HEART, BEFORE IT IS RIPPED OUT (REVIEW)

FEBRUARY 22, 2015

Edward W. Hardy, who composed the omnipresent music, plays the violin superbly throughout, occasionally complemented by the actors’ choral vocals or percussion: hand claps, finger snaps. This soundscape and the lighting, by Catherine Clark, do much to conjure the mood. The nine cast members are busy; they operate the puppets, too.

HAUTE LIVING

Q&A WITH COMPOSER AND MUSICIAN, EDWARD W. HARDY (INTERVIEW)

JANUARY 20, 2020

However, Hardy is also constantly pushing himself to evolve and challenge himself in new areas of his career, whether it’s taking on new genres of music or new projects, he does so with determination and an extremely charming and amenable attitude that has made him a natural star in whatever role he’s in. Haute Living got to experience his talent on two separate occasions, and each time Hardy showed up confident, collected and ready to bring a stellar show to each crowd he was performing for, captivating the audience with his mesmerizing compositions.

THE STRAD

'HE HANDED ME THE BLACK VIOLIN AND SAID, TRY THIS ONE – IT WAS LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT' (INTERVIEW)

DECEMBER 4, 2018

'Flash forward to 2017, I created my first one-man show called ‘Six Violins’. Some of those featured were inexpensive violins that I purchased and restored, others were on loan. And although several years had passed, I had never stopped thinking about the Black Violin, so I got in touch with Guy hoping that by some chance he still had it. To my surprise, he did, and he even remembered that young boy so full of wonder and enthusiasm.'

PLAYBILL

HOW THE COMPOSER OF THE WOODSMAN FOUND HIS PASSION (INTERVIEW)

OCTOBER 25, 2016

Music is so important in that show, as there is almost no dialogue. You must have relished that opportunity? EH: 'To be able to tell a story through one instrument and to convey all these emotions, and love scenes, suspense, and drama—it’s really fun. I take pleasure in writing music that is parallel to what the play is telling you; almost so that if you close your eyes, you can still tell what is happening. That’s what I love to do.'

What Celebrities Say About Edward W. Hardy

"Strange Fruit arr. by Edward W. Hardy Repost from @edwardwhardy • This week I had the pleasure of creating music with my friends again. I haven’t been in the same room with other musicians for several months due to Covid-19 but boy was this a fulfilling experience that lifted my spirits.

@edwardwhardy Awh, I would have been down for that too! I just wanted more! Fantastic work!

Leslie Odom, Jr.
@leslieodomjr

"Y’all were perfection all evening. Such a pleasure"

20241204_Dr. Edward W. Hardy, Justus Ross, and Aaron Stokes at New York City Center, Alvin

"@edwardwhardy - u r talented and beautiful Edward"

Lori Tan Chinn

"Congrats, young Edward W. Hardy, virtuoso violinist, violist, composer. (Dang, you gotta see this video of him playing Vivaldi: goo.gl/HYXmnI) - A fantastic, beautiful production. You did a great job. Loved it!

Edward W. Hardy_Lori Tan Chinn_20160507_TheWoodsman

"Yessssssssss!"

Edward W. Hardy @edwardwhardy

#TheWoodsman Album is Now Released to the Public

Experience A Music Journey Unlike Any Other

www.edwardwhardy.com/TheWoodsmanAlbum

Andrew Lloyd Webber
@AndrewLloydWebber

Edward W. Hardy at the University of Northern Colorado (2022).jpg

A beautiful performance! 👏😍 - TeamALW
•••
"This is one of my favorite songs by @andrewlloydwebber, and I dream of performing it with a beautiful Christine Daaé (soprano) one of these days❤️"

Steven Pasquale
@StevenPasquale

@edwardwhardy @TheWoodsmanPlay Congratulations to you sir. Incredibly well done.

"Was here when this dropped! Awesome job bro! :)"

Edward W. Hardy_20180315_EdgarAllanPoe_MusicVideo

About

Praised for “composing the omnipresent music and playing the violin superbly” (The New York Times), composer, violinist, and actor Dr. Edward W. Hardy bridges classical, contemporary, and Black musical traditions. Known for his acclaimed score for the Obie Award-winning The Woodsman and his work as composer, violinist, and actor in Anna Deavere Smith's Basil Biggs, he has performed at Carnegie Hall 33 times and appeared at Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, the Met Gala, and New York Fashion Week. A DownBeat Award winner with one album, eight singles, and a growing catalog of genre-spanning compositions, Hardy continues shaping contemporary violin performance through storytelling and cultural reflection.

Read Full Biography

See Discography

LINKS

Gallery

Dr. Edward W. Hardy and Anna Deavere Smith, June 28, 2026.

Dr. Edward W. Hardy, "Basil Biggs" Rehearsal at Gibney NYC, June 18, 2026.

Clientele

Trusted by Over 500 Wedding Clients and World-Class Brands

UPCOMING Performances

Dr. Edward W. Hardy: “Subway Series” | MTA Music

Experience the “Subway Series”: public solo violin performances by Dr. Edward W. Hardy at Grand Central Terminal, presented as part of the MTA Music program and proudly sponsored by The Sound Kulture Brand and Marco Alexander. Drawing from classical repertoire, jazz, Latin music, rock, and contemporary popular works, Dr. Hardy presents a wide-ranging multi-genre program that reflects the versatility of the modern violin. Each performance is approached with the same level of preparation, professionalism, and presentation as his formal concert engagements, reinforcing his commitment to artistic excellence in both traditional and nontraditional performance spaces. These performances are intended to make high-level live music accessible to a broad public audience, fostering an inclusive environment in which the boundaries between performer and listener are intentionally dissolved.

September 21, 23, & 25, 2026 (Free)

Grand Central Terminal | NYC

Click Here For More Details

NBA & Amazon: "Prime Perspective: The New Front Door to Sports"

Join Amazon and the NBA at NBA Headquarters for Prime Perspective: The New Front Door to Sports: Redefining the Path to Fandom, an intimate evening exploring the forces reshaping sports fandom. Prime Perspective will bring together a curated group of senior women across sports, media, advertising, technology, leagues, agencies, and brands around one central question: How do we create the next generation of sports fans? The evening will feature a moderated conversation exploring how culture, creators, streaming, commerce, AI, and athlete storytelling are creating new pathways into fandom — and what those shifts mean for the future of sports. Performances by Dr. Edward W. Hardy with featured speakers including Sarah Iooss (Director, Global Agency & Global Twitch, Amazon Ads), Samira Panah Bakhtiar (General Manager of Media & Entertainment, Games, and Sports at Amazon Web Services, AWS), Sara Zuckert (Senior Vice President, Head of NBA App), Phil Cook (Chief Marketing Officer, WNBA), and Cosmina Schulman (Principal, Sports & RMG, Amazon | Moderator).

September 22, 2026 (Invitation Only)

NBA Headquarters | NYC

Click Here For More Details

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Upcoming & PAST PERFORMANCES

Performances

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CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED COMPOSER • VIOLINIST • ACTOR "WHERE SOUND SPEAKS"

LISTEN TO HARDY'S ORIGINAL WORKS, ARRANGEMENTS & COLLABORATIONS

Evolution (for solo violin) by Edward w. hardy ​Colorado Public Radio | CPR classical Performance studio

Strange Fruit (for string quartet) BY BILLIE HOLIDAY & Abel Meeropol, arranged by Edward w. hardy The General Theological Seminary, NYC | CHURCH SERVICE

daniel constant, violiNTia Allen, violathapelo masita, cello

BORN FREE (for SOPRANO, VIOLIN, AND PIANO) by Edward w. hardy, Lyrics by Margaret Walker Performed by the Almost Quintet GRACE'S & ST. PAUL'S CHURCH, NYC | PUBLIC CONCERT

Thong Song, Back That Azz Up, Not Like Us (Violin Cover) by Sisqo, Juvenile, and Kendrick Lamar, Arr. Edward W. Hardy Southampton, NYC | PRIVATE EVENT

Zigeunerweisen (for violin & Orchestra) by Pablo de Sarasate LITTLETON UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, Colorado | PUBLIC CONCERT

The Colors of my life (From "Barnum") by Cy Coleman & Michael Stewart, Arranged by Drew Wutke Cipriani 42nd Street, AMERICAN THEATRE WING, NYC | PRIVATE EVENT