Based in New York City, Dr. Kristina Giles (neé Hendricks) enjoys a creative and varied musical career.  Trained as a classical violist, she has become known for her artistry on both the violin and viola and their baroque counterparts. She has performed throughout the United States, Europe, and China, and recorded solo improvisations on folk and country albums. She has become widely known as the first artist to record  Campagnoli's 41 Caprices for viola, available to view on YouTube. 

 

Kristina is a member of the all-women's group SIREN Baroque, and can be regularly seen performing in New Yok's finest concert halls and churches. She performs with the New England Symphonic Ensemble and period ensembles REBEL Baroque, Brooklyn Baroque, and Dorian Baroque. She has performed with the Dallas Opera, Kansas City Symphony, and Huntsville Symphony. Past summer music festivals include Aspen as an orchestral fellow, Kneisel Hall, Longy Baroque Institute, and Sarasota.

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Dr. Giles has a great passion for teaching, a vocation that she began at age 15.  As a co-founder of the Hudson Music Group, she maintains a thriving piano and strings studio on the Upper West Side. She is also the founder and director of the Riverside Community String Ensemble at The Riverside Church. Kristi holds degrees from Oberlin College and Conservatory (B.A./B.M.), Rice University (M.M.), and SUNY Stony Brook (D.M.A.). She received scholarships from each school, including full-rides at Rice and Stony Brook.

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Kristina grew up in Overland Park, Kansas. She began learning piano at age 5, and the viola in public school at age 9. She'd like to thank to all her teachers who have helped her live the dream: Marles Dudley (piano), Michael Kimber and Peter Chun (University of Kansas), Peter Slowik (Oberlin Conservatory), James Dunham (Rice University), Katherine Murdock and Daniel Panner (SUNY Stony Brook), and Jörg Michael Schwarz of REBEL.

 

Dr. Giles lives on Manhattan's Upper West side with her husband, three daughters, and two cats.