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Described as “staggeringly virtuosic” by The Strad, violist Melia Watras has been hailed by audiences and critics alike for her electrifying and vibrant performances. She has long been at the forefront of the American new music scene, both as a soloist and co-founder of the award winning Corigliano Quartet (www.coriglianoquartet.com). Throughout her career Watras has championed the works of living composers. In the last ten years she has had 8 solo viola pieces written for her and has co-commissioned 10 new works for the Corigliano Quartet. As a soloist and chamber musician, she has performed 30 world premieres while making a dozen world premiere recordings.

Watras has performed in many of the nation’s leading venues including Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall, Alice Tully Hall and the Kennedy Center. A versatile performer, Watras made her dance debut at the Merce Cunningham Studio in New York City, where she played viola and danced in the premiere of Kathryn Sullivan's At Home.

Watras’s debut solo CD, Viola Solo, was released by Fleur de Son (www.fleurdeson.com) and earned high praise from the media. Strings remarked, “Watras is a young player in possession of stunning virtuosic talent and deserving of the growing acclaim.” The Strad called her “excellent” and “authoritative,” while the American Record Guide proclaimed, "Watras is a terrific violist." For the CD, Watras adapted John Corigliano’s Fancy on a Bach Air for viola. >>