Leah Zeger

Born and raised in Houston, Texas, violinist and vocalist LEAH ZEGER comes from a family of classical musicians. Having played the violin since the age of six, she has won numerous awards and soloed with orchestras in and around Texas. At 15, she made her solo debut playing the first movement of the Wiieniawski Violin Concerto with the Clear Lake Symphony Orchestra. That same year, Zeger began studying voice with leading American mezzo-soprano, stage director, and professor, Katherine Ciesinski. Zeger attended the High School for Performing and Visual Arts from 1999-2001, and was the concert-master of the Lamar High School Orchestra from 2001-02 with which she performed the Bach Double at Carnegie Hall that spring. In 2002, Leah won a scholarship to attend the University of Texas at Austin. She has a a Bachelor of Arts in Opera Performance from the University of Texas. At 19 years of age, whilst studying voice and jazz improvisation, she won a tenured position in the 1st violin section of the Austin Symphony Orchestra becoming the youngest member on staff. Leah’s eclectic range on the violin covers many musical styles including bluegrass, flamenco, jazz, and blues. She demonstrates tremendous versatility outside of classical music with numerous groups. From 2006-07, she performed as the lead singer/violinist/dancer with the international world-touring fiddle concert sensation Barrage across Europe, Asia, and North America. In Houston Zeger performed with Rom Ryan and his world beat group Moodafaruka. Ryan has used her voice and violin playing on music that has been featured on MTV and VH1 TV shows. Also while in Houston Leah joined blues guitarist Aaron Loesch at the Eric Clapton Crossroads Blues Festival in Chicago in July 2007 alongside prominent artists such as Alison Krauss, John Mayer and B.B. King. She worked with Loesch on his new studio album of classically-infused blues originals with Pete Anderson (Dwight Yoakam) heading the project. Zeger has performed with Will Taylor of WILL TAYLOR AND STRINGS ATTACHED, former member of Turtle Island String Quartet, and appears as a guest vocalist/violinist with the AUSTIN POPS ORCHESTRA . She has worked with the likes of Indie Rock band, Voxtrot and Austin's own Bob Schneider. She recently recorded with the Americana group, AARON AND THE POLYNOMIALS and sings/plays for Austin group, Leah and the Moonlighters (leahandthemoonlighters.com) While in the Austin Symphony, Zeger has played with soloists including Pinchas Zukerman, Leila Josefowitz, Yo Yo Ma, Elvis Costello, and bands such as Air Supply, Pink Martini, Asleep at the Wheel, The 4 Tops, the Big Bad Voodoo Daddies, and Charlie Daniels, with whom she was selected to duel on the tune Devil Went Down to Georgia. Zeger performed and recorded a concerto composed by Austin film composer, Graham Reynolds, under Gabriel Prokofiev's record label, NonClassical . She has performed in numerous SXSW showcases and recently performed with Pearl Jam on their live filming of Austin City Limits. Her international touring band "The Hudsons" won Best Folk Band of 2009 in the Austin Chronicle Awards. Leah recently opened for American Idol finalist, Jason Castro, at an event in Austin. She has also toured with the Trans-siberian Orchestra on their Texas tour and performs at various corporate events in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Zeger currently resides in Austin and Los Angeles. http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/leah-and-the-moonlighters/id376573897 http://www.cdbaby.com/leahatm