Photo by Irene Young

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Kathy Sierra
violin, viola & vocals

Kathy Sierra brings an artistic flexibility and energy, which makes her a joy to watch and hear. Kathy began her violin studies  at age 5 in Honolulu, Hawaii and performed in concert with the Honolulu Symphony at age 7. Upon moving to Sacramento California, she continued  her studies with Jeannette Bjorak and was Concertmistress of her middle school orchestra at the Sacramento Waldorf School.

In high school, she studied with violinist Marlene Silva of Placerville, CA,
and became the youngest member of El Dorado County’s Sierra Symphony.
In 1990, she won the talent competition and a college scholarship from
The Miss El Dorado County Scholarship Competition.

Kathy’s musical style took an exciting and eye-opening turn upon moving to Berkeley, CA. There she met violinist, producer, and composer Kaila Flexer, 
who became a mentor to Kathy on other styles of violin playing, including Irish and Scottish fiddle, Bulgarian folk, Klezmer and Jazz. During this period,
Kathy performed with the Gold Country Chamber Orchestra in Sacramento, CA, and the 1999 inaugural performance of the Cotati Philharmonic in
Cotati, CA. She also played weekly in Berkeley fiddle jams and with an Eastern European folk group, headed by accordionist Nada Lewis.

Kathy’s violin was made in 1992 by international medal winning Bulgarian violinmaker, Hristo Tchechmedjiev,
at the Orpheus Violin House, located in Sacramento, CA.  Hristo is a master of acoustics for the violin and guitar family.
His nephew, Yuriy Hristev Tchechmedjiev, has joined him and gave to Kathy’s viola its special voice.

Kathy lives in Alameda, CA with her talented husband and videographer,  John their two fabulous cats, Fox and Dana.