Anna Jane Lester

Anna Jane Lester is a violinist and illustrator. She is a founding member of the Butter Quartet, a string quartet dedicated to vibrant performances of Classical, Romantic, and contemporary music on historical instruments.

In addition to the Butter Quartet’s recordings and radio and festival appearances across Europe and North America, Anna Jane’s chamber performances have brought her to stages ranging from the Concertgebouw Amsterdam to the Smithsonian Institution to the Festival Oude Muziek Utrecht. She performs with internationally acclaimed period-instrument ensembles including Holland Baroque, Le Consort, the English Baroque Soloists, and the Irish Baroque Orchestra. She has also appeared with Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, the Internationale Händel-Festspiele Göttingen Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, The English Concert, The Gabrieli Players, L’Arpeggiata, PRJCT Amsterdam, Le Sommeil, and the Luthers Bach Ensemble.   

Anna Jane began her violin studies at age four in Jacksonville, Florida, studying with Melissa Pierson Barrett before attending Vanderbilt University and earning her bachelor’s degree in violin performance with Cornelia Heard. She then attended The Juilliard School for a Master of Music in Historical Performance, studying with Monica Huggett and Cynthia Roberts. She has since moved to the Netherlands, completing her studies with Walter Reiter and Kati Debretzeni. In her free time, Anna Jane enjoys exploring American old-time music and spending time in wild places. 

Anna Janne is supported on the 2026-27 Intrada scheme, run in partnership with four partner ensembles: B’Rock Orchestra, Concerto Copenhagen, Le Banquet Céleste, Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, and Dunedin Consort.