ABOUT the ARTIST

A Minnesota native, Kiana Welsch has been playing the violin since she was six years old.  Kiana aspires to perform and create music that speaks to everyone across the musical spectrum.   

Between the ages of 6 and 18, Kiana took lessons from Poji Schreiber and Aaron Janse. At age 13, she became a dedicated member of the Minnesota Youth Symphonies for five years, which played a significant role in her decision to make a career out of her intense passion for all things music.  A member of Forest Lake High School's Sinfonia Orchestra for three and a half years, Kiana became Concertmaster during her Senior Year.  Throughout high school, she played in several chamber ensemble gigs, appearing at the Mall of America, IDS Center, and other venues.  

 

Among her passion and commitment to the violin, Kiana has also found a fascination in composing music.  At age 15, Kiana composed and conducted the high school's Chamber Orchestra in the premiere of her first original orchestral piece, Voyagers' Suite. Since then, she has composed a second movement to Voyagers' Suite, and a variety of other pieces.

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In September 2020 she became a violin and viola instructor for the University of Northwestern-St. Paul's Academy of Music where she discovered great joy in teaching music through private studio lessons. In May 2023, Kiana graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Violin Performance with a minor in Music Composition at the University of Northwestern-St Paul, where she studied violin under the tutelage of Emily Saathoff and composition under Dr. Josh Bauder. 

 

Currently, Kiana teaches orchestra at Maranatha Christian Academy and Concordia Academy, and plays with the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra as Assistant Principal for the second violin section. She continues to teach private lessons out of the UNW Academy of Music and her home studio.