Kara McCanna

Kara McCanna began playing violin at an early age alongside her sister, sparking a lifelong passion for music and craftsmanship. Over the years, she has performed with both the Bozeman Symphony and the Wisconsin Philharmonic, experiences that deepened her love for the instrument and the community of musicians around it. Kara studied at the Chicago School of Violin Making and the instrument repair program in Red Wing, Minnesota, where she honed her technical expertise and creative precision. She has crafted several violins of her own, including the one she most often plays in performance, and finds great joy in restoring beloved instruments to their former glory. In 2020, Kara joined the Heid Music team, where she serves as Head Luthier and values the camaraderie and shared commitment of her colleagues. Kara participated in the 2025 Women of NAMM (WoN) Leadership Summit, a yearly event designed to foster leadership development and expand participants’ professional networks.