Paris-based violinist Laura Corolla came to the violin almost by accident. Growing up in Aosta, in the bilingual Alpine borderland between Italy and France, she picked up the violin on a whim; but what started as a casual decision soon became a fascination, and Laura found, to her surprise, that the instrument quietly refused to let her go. Even then, what held her attention was the sense of discovery that every piece of music seemed to contain.

Very early on during her studies at Conservatorio G. Verdi in Milan — and at a time when the historically informed approach was still establishing itself — Laura heard a baroque violin for the first time. The sound stopped her. Gut strings, a lighter bow, a more porous connection between the instrument and the air around it -  the possible ranges of expression were inviting and challenging in equal measure. In discovering this ‘period approach’ Laura found that it offered a kind of expressiveness that felt more immediate and closer to something she had been searching for without knowing she was looking. She now plays on a late-17th-century violin by Francesco Ruggieri of Cremona.

Her path led her on to the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Basel, a leading academy for historically informed performance, where she studied with Chiara Banchini. Earlier, she had worked with Enrico Gatti and Luigi Mangiocavallo - all three among the defining figures of historically informed violin playing. Together, these encounters shaped not just a technique but a way of thinking about early music. For Laura, it is not about reconstruction or preservation. The music is a living language — historically grounded, but always spoken in the present tense.

That approach has made her a trusted and sought-after principal and collaborator in some of Europe's most respected period-instrument ensembles, both on stage and in the rehearsal room. She works regularly with Cappella Mediterranea, Le Concert de la Loge, the Orchestre de l'Opéra Royal de Versailles, Le Palais Royal, Les Arts Florissants, Hofkapelle München, and Gabetta Consort, among many others. She also appears with Il Pomo d'Oro, Concerto Italiano, Les Talens Lyriques, Accademia Bizantina, Le Caravansérail, Les Accents, Ensemble Artaserse, Orfeo 55, and Europa Galante — performing repertoire spanning the baroque, classical, and romantic eras, from intimate chamber concerts to full-scale opera productions.

As a principal violinist, Laura leads with calm, nuanced authority, translating historical insights and structural understanding into clear, supportive guidance.

Her own projects are where Laura experiments freely. Together with guitarist Alessandra Novaga, she created Duo Kaserne to explore new musical territories - a collaboration born from two musicians’ shared curiosity and refusal to ask permission. Laura also curates and leads solo programmes and cross-disciplinary collaborations, creating spaces where music connects with words, movement, and visual ideas. These programmes often unfold in intimate or unconventional settings, inviting reflection, dialogue, and emotional connection. By placing familiar repertoire next to new or unexpected material, Laura opens fresh perspectives on music we think we know — shaping performances that feel rooted in history and alive in the present. (Find out more about Laura’s projects)