’87 grad rocks with Mannheim Steamroller

Violinist Becky Kia ’87 actually said no the first two times Mannheim Steamroller came calling.

But by 1990, she was ready. Kia accepted the invitation to join the ensemble’s backup orchestra for its Christmas concerts in Omaha. Thirteen years later, she hit the road as Mannheim Steamroller’s solo violinist and has been ever since.

Kia lives in Atlantic, Iowa, an hour’s drive from Omaha where she has been a full-time violinist with the Omaha Symphony for 35 years. But each winter, she steps away from her regular gig for Mannheim’s Christmas season show. It’s so popular that two touring groups split the country. Kia’s group performs a whirlwind 45-50 concerts in about 40 cities over seven weeks.

“In addition to being the solo violinist, I’m also the conductor,” Kia explained. “I rehearse the local orchestras in each city, each day of the tour. It’s an enormous gift to have met so many wonderful musicians. The local orchestra consists of four violins, one viola, one cello, one English horn/oboe, one trumpet and one French horn. Over 20-plus years, that’s a whole lot of musicians I’ve gotten to work with!”

And that’s a whole lot of miles she’s traveled since her days on campus studying music education and playing in the Augustana Symphony Orchestra led by Dr. Daniel Culver.

When Kia first teamed up with Mannheim, the group’s legendary founder and director, Chip Davis, was still touring. At the time, the neoclassical new-age and progressive rock band performed only 12-15 shows per year.

“The chemistry on stage amongst my bandmates today is still magical,” Kia said. “We are all focused on the common goal of sharing the tradition of Chip’s unique music with now four generations of families.”

All audiences are special but none so much as those including her family.

“I have three daughters who have grown up with me on stage,” Kia said. “They know the ins-and-outs of the shows, they understand my touring life, and they are 100% supportive of what I do. My parents have also been to countless shows.”

And her dad? “He used to joke about how many violin lessons he had paid for.”