Kayo Miki, violin

Born and raised in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Kayo Miki began studies as a child after catching the “music bug” from her mother who was concertmaster of the local symphony orchestra. As a high school student she attended the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan where she served as concertmaster. Her principal teachers include Charles Castleman, William Preucil, Denes Zsigmondy, and Camilla Wicks. While completing her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in violin performance at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York she participated in the Salzburg Music Festival, Heidelberg Castle Festival, Sapporo Pacific Music Festival and Banff Festival of the Arts. In 1996 she relocated to the Bay Area where she has collaborated with musicians from the San Francisco Symphony, Opera and Ballet Orchestras.

In 2003 and 2004, Kayo participated in the San Francisco Symphony's “Adventures in Music Program II” where her string quartet performed 150 concerts for first through third graders throughout the San Francisco public school district. She performs frequently on film and television soundtracks and has also appeared in concert with artists including Rod Stewart, Linda Rondstadt, Diana Krall, Peter Cetera, Bjork, and Joni Mitchell.

Kayo performs regularly with the New Century Chamber Orchestra, California Symphony (as co-concertmaster) and other chamber music groups in the San Francisco area. Kayo collaborates frequently with her bassist and composer husband and his Cory Combs Trio as well as his newly-formed jazz ensemble, the Cory Combs Great Plains Ensemble. When she is not performing or recording she dedicates time to teaching and coaching young musicians in the Bay Area.