Ken Allen

Beyond the stage violist Ken Allen is a dedicated advocate for his instrument. He helped start and currently leads the Massachusetts Viola Society, a vibrant community born from online connections during the pandemic's early days. What began as a virtual gathering has blossomed into a thriving 501(c)(3) organization, now a proud partner of the American Viola Society. 

Ken's path to a career in music was far from linear. His early passions included math, modern dance, and literature, leading him to earn a degree in English with highest honors from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and a Graduate Prize Fellowship at Harvard. However, his love of music-making, sparked by a variety of extraordinary teachers, ultimately led him to pursue a Master of Music from the Boston Conservatory and a graduate diploma in Historical Performance from the Longy School of Music.

He resides in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Marlboro, Vermont, with his husband and cat, playing violas crafted by Douglas Cox.