Instrument: Violin
Originally from: Hmmm… you wouldn’t think it, but this is a tricky question for me! I was born in Tokyo, Japan but moved to Edmonton, Alberta in Canada when I was 2. My family then moved around a few more times, but we ended up in Downers Grove, IL (a suburb of Chicago) for my middle school and high school years. My family moved back to Tokyo when I was in college, so that’s where I go “home” to now.
Now reside in: Houston, TX
Birthday: October 29
How did you get started? I started playing the violin just before my 4th birthday in Edmonton. My parents both love music, but never really got to play musical instruments themselves, so they vowed that all of their children would get that opportunity. My grandfather played the violin for fun, and my dad’s cousin played the violin professionally, not to mention there was a Japanese violin teacher in my neighborhood in Edmonton, so it seemed logical that I also play the violin! My first instrument was a 1/10 size violin that was a hand-me-down from my dad’s cousin.
How long have you performed with ROCO? 4 years.
What do you do when you’re not playing with ROCO? I freelance around Houston, playing with other groups like Houston Grand Opera and Mercury Baroque. I also love to teach… I have 24 private students ranging in age from 5 to 60-something!
What are you listening to on your iPod? Believe it or not, I don’t have an iPod!!!
Question you’re asked most often: How tall are you without your platform flip-flops? Answer: 5 feet even!
Interests outside music: I love to cook with my friends, eat with my friends, and luckily, exercise with my friends! Right now I am training for my first sprint triathlon and play on 2 soccer teams. I also love to travel with my family – we’ve gotten to go to a lot of interesting places around the world like Thailand and Malta.
Education: I went to Oberlin Conservatory for my undergraduate and the University of Houston for my masters.
Bio: Born in Tokyo, Japan, Kana Kimura began her violin studies at the age of 4 in Edmonton, Alberta, with the Suzuki School for Talent Education. When her family moved to Chicago, she continued her studies at the Music Center of the North Shore, where she studied with Almita and Roland Vamos. At the Music Center, Kana became active in chamber music, performing in master classes for such chamber musicians as Menahem Pressler and the members of the Vermeer Quartet, and becoming a prizewinner in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition.
Kana was awarded the Dean’s Scholarship to attend the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where she received her Bachelor of Music and was concertmaster of the Oberlin Conservatory Chamber Orchestra. She holds her Masters of Music in Violin Performance from the University of Houston, where she studied with Fredell Lack.
During the summers she has participated in such prestigious festivals as the Bowdoin Summer Music Festival, Bay Chamber Concerts, the Pacific Music Festival, Spoleto Festival USA, and the National Repertory Orchestra.
Kana currently resides in Houston, Texas, and performs with the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, and Mercury Baroque Ensemble. In addition to performing, Kana enjoys being active in children’s education, maintaining a studio of over 20 young students.
