Cordelia Brand is a professional freelance violist in the Chicago area. An avid orchestra musician, she regularly performs with the New Philharmonic Orchestra and orchestras across Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Iowa. 

This fall Cordelia is the violist in Kokandy Production's Jekyll & Hyde with Broadway in Chicago. The show runs through November 8th at Broadway Playhouse.

Cordelia is starting her second season as a member of the Kenosha Symphony Orchestra. She performed as a soloist and principal violist during last season's opening concert. 

During the summer months, Cordelia enjoys playing in opera festivals and weddings/private events. 

This past summer Cordelia was a substitute violist with Des Moines Metro Opera Company for their production of Carlisle Floyd's Of Mice and Men. In 2025 she was principal violist of the Trentino Music Festival Orchestra in Mezzano, Italy. The program consisted of three orchestra concerts along with opera and musical productions. Earlier in the season Cordelia performed with the Chicago Opera Festival Orchestra and in musical productions.

As a chamber musician, Cordelia collaborates with fellow Alumni from Midwest Young Artists Conservatory in educational outreach concerts and soirées. She recently was a member of  piano quintets and quartets with Lincoln Center Stage sailing on cruise ships around the world. 

Cordelia earned both her Bachelor and Master of Music Performance degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music studying with Jeffrey Irvine and Lynne Ramsey. During her time in Cleveland, Cordelia was a member of the Youngstown Symphony, a fellow in the National Repertory Orchestra, and regularly performed with the Cleveland Opera Theater and New World Symphony. 

Cordelia works with students in the northern Chicago suburbs teaching private lessons, leading viola sectionals, and coaching chamber music. Two of her students earned placements in the Illinois District 7 Senior Orchestra this season.