Violist Aleida Gehrels is a Seattle based performer and recording artist.  A leading collaborator in cross-genre music, Aleida has toured with Macklemore and been featured live on KEXP radio with ODESZA and Jeremy Enigk.  Other recent highlights include performances, tours, and recordings with Father John Misty, Perfume Genius, Abney Park, Amy Grant, and comedian Christopher Hall. Aleida frequently appears with Andrew Joslyn and the Passenger String Quartet and the Seattle Rock Orchestra.  She is a founding member of the Indian fusion ensemble Deep Energy Orchestra, and a contributor to the rich PNW singer-songwriter community.

 

In addition to her work in contemporary music, Aleida maintains an active career as a classical violist.  She often represents the city of Seattle as the violist of the Seattle-Bergen String Quartet, a touring ensemble focused on cultural diplomacy between the two sister cities. She is a musician and member of the artistic board for The Sound Ensemble, with whom she has been broadcast live on KING FM radio, and appears with the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra, the Seattle Modern Orchestra, and the Federal Way, Yakima, and Tacoma Symphonies.

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Aleida’s diverse musical interests stem from her rigorous classical training. She made her debut as a soloist at the age of 17, performing the Stamitz Viola Concerto with the Tucson Pops Orchestra.  She went on to achieve her Bachelors in Music with Hong-Mei Xiao at the University of Arizona and her Masters in Music with Roger Chase at the Chicago College of Performing Arts. Upon completing her degrees Aleida embarked on a career as a chamber musician, touring all seven continents with the Beacon Street Strings on board luxury cruise liners.  She relocated permanently to Seattle in 2015 and has quickly become one of the most sought after freelance violists in the region. Aleida performs on a Chappuy viola from Paris, 1772.