About Kristiana Holt
Kristiana Holt is a trained vocalist, violinist, violist, pianist, and folk guitarist who bridges her deep classical roots with folk songwriting. She began singing and whistling as young as a toddler and began studying the violin over twenty-five years ago — her lifelong companions in sound and expression.
After years performing as a child and teen in orchestras, chamber groups, and choirs — from Carnegie Hall to Tanglewood and venues across New York City — Kristiana began exploring life as a multi-instrumentalist in college and continued her exploration as a songwriter. It wasn’t until a decade ago, during the beginning stages of motherhood, that she found the confidence to truly step beyond her classical training and embrace her poetic voice as the center of her musical world by writing folk tunes.
Throughout her life, Kristiana has had the opportunity to learn from and work alongside influential musical artists, poets, and educators who have shaped her understanding of music and poetry. Yet, what remains most important to her is listening to her own natural inner voice of expression. And this is something she values teaching in her music lessons.
Kristiana holds a Bachelor of Liberal Arts from Sarah Lawrence College with a concentration in music, psychology, and poetry. There she focused extensively on studying the voice, continuing her studies in violin and viola alongside performing jazz and blues, taking courses in guitar and piano, and exploring electronic music composition. She’s currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Music Therapy at Southern Connecticut State University (Class of 2026) where she is continuing her studies in voice, guitar, percussion, and piano for her degree. Alongside her songwriting and music therapy studies, Kristiana has been a private strings teacher for over twenty years, sharing her passion for helping others discover their own musical voices.
