Ren Martin-Doïké

Born in Honolulu, Hawaii to a Canadian father and American mother, Ren Martin-Doïké is a versatile performer on a mission to share music with diverse audiences around the world. Ms. Martin-Doïké has performed throughout Europe, Asia, and the Americas as a soloist and member of a diverse range of ensembles including Duo RenJi, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and as a hand picked member of Carlos Santana Band bassist and music director Benny Rietveld’s personal jazz quintet. Often heard on the radio, Ms. Martin-Doïké has performed for broadcasts on Radio France, American Public Radio, National Public Radio, as well as RTHK television in Hong Kong. More recently, she appeared in Death in Montmartre, an RTHK film production for which she also recorded original arrangements.

Named a 2015-16 Harriet Hale Woolley Scholar and Artist in Residence at the Fondation des États-Unis in Paris, Ms. Martin-Doïké is also the recepient of  the Fontys prize from the Rubinstein International Viola Competition in Germany. Ms. Martin-Doïké is also an award winning chamber musician, taking home First Prize in the string quartet division at the Fondation Maurice Ravel Competition and the Prix de musique de chambre at the Conservatoire américain de Fontainebleau (France).

Ms. Martin-Doïké has enjoyed musical collaborations with Hilary Hahn and Joshua Bell, as well as members of the Johannes and Dover String Quartets, among others.  Ms. Martin-Doïké plays regularly with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and has also served as principal viola of the Curtis Symphony Orchestra, New York String Orchestra, and Hyogo Performing Arts Center Orchestra (Japan).  As principal viola of the Curtis 20/21 Chamber Orchestra, she went on tour with Jennifer Koh and Jaime Laredo as a part of their Two x Four Project, which resulted in a Grammy Award nominated album on the Cedille label. 

Notable performances this past season include solo recitals at the Festival des Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad (Switzerland) and Fondation des États-Unis (France), concerts with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and the premier of Archipelago for solo viola by John B Hedges, specially commissioned for her by the Curtis Institute of Music in honour of Laura and Kenneth Mitchell.  A former fellow at the Bang on a Can summer music festival, Ms. Martin-Doïké has also premiered numerous other works, including Toccatina à la Turk by Atar Arad, Unusta IV by Riho Esko Maimets, and the Sonate pour deux altos by Alain Louvier.

A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, Ms. Martin-Doïké earned her master’s degree from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, receiving a unanimous first prize from the jury, along with top marks for her world premier recording and thesis “Sonate pour deux altos d’Alain Louvier: Analyse, poétique, et guide pour l’interprète”. She joined the viola section of the National Arts Centre Orchestra in 2019.