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About Anna Bulbrook

Director/TEDNext + Curator/Music at TED

Anna Bulbrook is a multifaceted artist, curator, and advocate known for her violin and viola performances with bands like The Airborne Toxic Event and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, her founding of the feminist music initiative Girlschool, and her current role as Director of TEDNext and Music Curator at TED. Her thinking revolves around the intersections of music, movement, feminism, and creative freedom, emphasizing joyful motion, critical mass for change, and transitions between structured discipline and improvisational release. She embodies a shift from rock performance to curatorial and strategic leadership in arts and consciousness.

Music Performance and Collaborations

Anna Bulbrook is a violinist and vocalist who has performed with indie rock bands including The Airborne Toxic Event and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.[1][2][5][7][11] Highlights include a soul-baring performance at the Lincoln Theater, described as a 'storm blowing from Paradise,' showcasing her alongside bandmate Mikel.[2][5] She has also switched from violin to viola, embracing improvisation in events like SILENCE at Descanso Gardens.[8]

Girlschool and Feminist Advocacy

Bulbrook founded Girlschool, a collective and festival aimed at creating change through 'critical mass' in music by, for, and supporting women.[3][4][6][9][10] She promotes 'fearless feminism,' viewing trending feminism positively and leading initiatives like #GIRLSCHOOL and Field Day Weekend with Anna Bulbrook and The Bulls.[6][9][10] Her work underscores magic in collective action for gender equity in music.[3][6]

Movement, Discipline, and Freedom

Bulbrook's relationship with movement spans trail running, half-Ironman racing, and violin discipline, finding freedom in releasing structure for joyful motion.[1] This fluidity connects her musical practice—once rigidly structured—to improvisational arts and physical endurance.[1][8]

Curatorial and Creative Transitions

Transitioning from rock music, Bulbrook now curates music at TED and directs TEDNext, focusing on design, consciousness, and arts.[Bio][1][9] She has pursued brand strategy and new creative careers, producing events and features like Distinct Daily for fan communities.[1][9][11]

Broader Artistic and Cultural Impact

Her influence spans fan blogs, leadership insights, and motivational content, positioning rock stars as relatable while illuminating artsy narratives.[4][7][11] She connects music to cultural moments, from Versace experiences to concert reviews.[4][5]

Music Performance

Core to her identity as violinist/viola player in indie rock bands.

  • Played violin/vocals with Airborne Toxic Event [1][2][5][7]

  • Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros [1]

  • Switch to viola and improvisation [8]

Feminism and Girlschool

Advocacy for women in music via festivals and collectives.

  • Founder of Girlschool for critical mass change [3][4][6][9][10]

  • Fearless feminism as positive trend [6]

  • Field Day Weekend events [10]

Movement and Freedom

Embracing unstructured joy in running, racing, and music.

  • Half-Ironman racer, trail running fluidity [1]

  • Letting go of violin structure [1]

  • Improvisation [8]

Creative Transitions

Shifts from performance to curation and strategy.

  • Rock scene to feminist festival [9]

  • TED Music Curator/Director [Bio][1]

  • Brand strategist [1]

Curatorial Leadership

Shaping arts, design, and consciousness at TED.

  • TEDNext Director, Music Curator [Bio]

  • Producer/curator [4]

  • Fan community features [11]

Every entry that fed the multi-agent compile above. Inline citation markers in the wiki text (like [1], [2]) are not yet individually linked to specific sources — this is the full set of sources the compile considered.

  1. Salt and Flickers: Episode 2 - Anna Bulbrookpodcast_episode · 2026-04-14
  2. A storm blowing from Paradise: A night with the Airborne Toxic Eventarticle · 2026-04-14
  3. Music: Anna Bulbrook - Create & Cultivatearticle · 2026-04-14
  4. Anna Bulbrook (@AnnaBulbrook) - Mentions | Facebookarticle · 2026-04-14
  5. Anna Bulbrook – District Consonancearticle · 2026-04-14
  6. Girlschool Founder Anna Bulbrook's Fearless Feminismarticle · 2026-04-14
  7. Rock Stars, They're Just Like Us — Eber Leadership Grouparticle · 2026-04-14
  8. Anna Bulbrook on Switching from Violin to Viola, Improvising, and ...article · 2026-04-14
  9. 125: Anna Bulbrook – How To Transition To A New Creative Careerarticle · 2026-04-14
  10. Midnight | This Is Nowherearticle · 2026-04-14
  11. This Is Nowhere | Fans of The Airborne Toxic Event, Just Trying to ...article · 2026-04-14