Violinist Madeline Adkins joined the Utah Symphony as Concertmaster in September 2016.  Prior to this appointment, she was a member of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO), performing as Associate Concertmaster from 2005-2016. She was also Concertmaster of the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra from 2008-2016. 

Adkins performs on the "ex-Chardon" Guadagnini of 1782, graciously loaned by Gabrielle Israelievitch to perpetuate the legacy of her late husband, former Toronto Symphony concertmaster, Jacques Israelievitch (1948 - 2015).

Madeline is a Concertmaster of the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra and has served as Guest Concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Cincinnati Symphony, the Houston Symphony, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra in Chicago. Adkins has also been a guest artist at numerous festivals including the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival in South Africa, the Sarasota Music Festival, Jackson Hole Chamber Music, Music in the Mountains, and the Sewanee Summer Music Festival, as well as a clinician at the National Orchestral Institute, the National Youth Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, and the Haitian Orchestra Institute. In addition, she has served as the Music Director of the NOVA Chamber Music Series in Salt Lake City.

A sought-after soloist, Adkins has appeared with orchestras in Europe, Asia, Africa, and 24 US states, including over 25 works as soloist with the BSO, and 9 concertos as soloist with the Utah Symphony. Her recording of the complete works for violin and piano by Felix Mendelssohn with pianist Luis Magalhães on the TwoPianists label was released to critical acclaim in late 2016. American Record Guide notes that Adkins and Magalhães are "ardent and spontaneous" and "their fierce coordination is breathtaking." Additional discography includes 13 albums with the Baltimore Symphony, where she was featured soloist on Brandenburg Concertos No. 2 + 4, and 6 albums thus far with the Utah Symphony, including Danse Macabre. 

In June 2021, Adkins premiered a new concerto for violin and orchestra that she commissioned from composer Nathan Lincoln de Cusatis entitled “The Maze” about the dramatic scenery and pictographs of the Maze section of Canyonlands National Park. 

A champion of early music, Adkins has been active in baroque performance on period instruments since the age of 11.  She has been a member of the Handel and Haydn Society, Boston Baroque, and Pro Musica Rara of Baltimore.  With the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Adkins appeared as conductor and soloist in several baroque programs of her own design, as well as hosting concerts on the Casual Series. Since her arrival in Utah, she continues to lead conductor-less concerts with the Utah Symphony.

The daughter of noted musicologists, Adkins is the youngest of eight children, six of whom are professional musicians.  The siblings, who included titled players in the National, Dallas, and Houston symphonies, joined together to form the Adkins String Ensemble.  She performed on viola and violin with this unique chamber ensemble for over 15 years, and the group has made numerous recordings, including Schoenberg's Verklärte Nacht.

Adkins received her Bachelor’s summa cum laude from the University of North Texas and her Master’s degree from the New England Conservatory where she studied with James Buswell. While a student, she won first prize in a number of competitions, including the Stulberg International String Competition, the ASTA National Solo Competition, and the New England Conservatory Concerto Competition and was a second prize winner in the Irving Klein International String Competition.  

Madeline serves as a Musician Director on the Board of the Grand Teton Music Festival. When not on stage, Madeline enjoys travel photography, reading, tap dancing, and exploring the West. She is also passionate about animal rescue, and has fostered over 100 kittens! Madeline volunteers regularly for Best Friends Animal Society, the Utah Food Bank, and the International Rescue Committee.

A sought-after soloist, Adkins has appeared with orchestras in Europe, Asia, Africa, and 20 US states, including over 25 works as soloist with the BSO. Her CD of the complete works for violin and piano by Felix Mendelssohn with pianist Luis Magalhães on the TwoPianists label was released to critical acclaim in late 2016. American Record Guide notes that Adkins and Magalhães are "ardent and spontaneous" and "their fierce coordination is breathtaking."  Additional discography includes 13 recordings with the Baltimore Symphony, where she was a featured soloist on the Brandenburg Concertos No. 2 + 4, six discs with the Utah Symphony, including Mahler 8 and the complete symphonies of Saint-Saens, and recordings with Boston Baroque, Armonia Celeste, and the Adkins String Ensemble.

Adkins has performed as guest concertmaster of the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra in Chicago, where she was featured in Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis. She has been a guest artist at numerous summer festivals including the Sarasota Music Festival, the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival in South Africa, Music in the Mountains, the Grand Teton Music Festival, and the Sewanee Summer Music Festival, as well as a clinician and coach at the National Orchestral Institute and the National Youth Orchestra at Carnegie Hall.

She performs on the "ex-Chardon" Guadagnini of 1782, graciously loaned by Gabrielle Israelievitch to perpetuate the legacy of her late husband, former Toronto Symphony concertmaster, Jacques Israelievitch (1948-2015).
A champion of early music, Adkins has been active in baroque performance on period instruments since the age of 11. She has been a member of the Handel and Haydn Society, Boston Baroque, the Dallas Bach Society, and Pro Musica Rara of Baltimore. Additionally, she was featured on the BSO's subscription series as the leader of five different progams of baroque music, and as a host on the Casual Series.
The daughter of noted musicologists, Adkins is the youngest of eight children, six of whom are professional musicians. She received her Bachelor’s summa cum laude from the University of North Texas and her Master’s degree from New England Conservatory, where she studied with James Buswell. While a student, she served as concertmaster of the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra under Seiji Ozawa and won first prize in a number of competitions, including the Stulberg International String Competition, the ASTA National Solo Competition, and the New England Conservatory Concerto Competition. She was also a second prize winner in the Irving Klein International String Competition.

When not on stage, Madeline is passionate about animal rescue and has fostered over 100 kittens.