Kathryn Sievers

Kathryn Sievers joined the viola section of the Boston Symphony in February 2018 after playing frequently with the orchestra as a substitute musician for 10 years. Sievers was born in Boston and grew up in the Marshall Islands, where she began her professional career in high school with a small private studio of violin students. She earned an undergraduate degree in English literature from Yale College, a Master of Music from the Juilliard School, and studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Influential teachers include Robert Vernon, Heidi Castleman, Misha Amory, and Erick Friedman. As a Fellow at the New World Symphony Sievers won the concerto competition and performed the Bartók Viola Concerto. After completing her studies Sievers embarked on an active freelance career, appearing with the Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Santa Fe Opera. She was a member of the Portland Symphony Orchestra in Maine and performed regularly at the Strings Music Festival in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

Sievers has been a passionate teacher since she began this work in the Marshall Islands. She has served as guest faculty at New World Symphony, the Longy School, and New England Conservatory, where she also maintained a studio in the preparatory school from 2012 to 2018. She particularly enjoys coaching students who are preparing for professional auditions and has developed a website of resources to refine professional skills.

In addition, Sievers serves the Boston Symphony Orchestra on a committee that interfaces with the marketing and social media teams, which aims to spark creative collaboration between players and staff to better connect our audience with the musicians they love to hear on stage. Sievers is also deeply committed to efforts to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion, and serves variously to further these values at the BSO, within the Boston Musicians Union, and at her child’s elementary school.

Kathryn Sievers invites you to connect with her on Twitter.