Passionate performer and teacher.

Heide Riggs, a classically trained violinist, enjoys a diverse performance career and currently holds the position of Adjunct Faculty: Strings at Grand Canyon University’s College of Arts and Media in Phoenix, Arizona. She performs for many symphonies, stage orchestras, bands, corporate events, and solo performances. Some of her favorite creative work is collaborating with other artists in the recording studio. Heide holds a Masters of Music Performance and Pedagogy from ASU Herberger Institute School of Music where her most influential teachers included Danwen Jiang, Katie McLin, and the late William Magers. Her other studies inlcude Meadowmount Conservatory with Charles Avsharian and Skye Carmen, and in Minneapolis with Sally O’Reilly.

Heide had the honor of being a member of LAFCI’s Studio Intensive Orchestra and recording at Warner Bros Studio Eastwood Scoring Stage for the innagural season album to be released in 2025 celebrating the magic of cinema and featuring soprano Maria de Los Angeles Reynaud and a special centennial celebration release of Tito Puente’s famed “Ran Kan Kan” with Tito Puente, Jr. under the baton of Angel Valez and the engineering of Dennis Sands. Highlight performances include for Michael Bublé and David Foster, KYGO, GENTRI, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, MPG Live’s “Batman” Live in Concert and “Sonic Symphony”, Josh Groban, Mark Anthony, Michael W. Smith, West Coast Music’s Impulse Band and jazz violinist Regina Carter. Heide’s country fiddle performances include performing with DaisyTrain at Super Bowl XLIX Pepsi Hyped for Halftime Concert Series and as the VIP band for Alan Jackson, and at Country Thunder. As a Celtic fiddler, Heide has been featured on tour with Blaggards and at the 2023 Guiness Cork Jazz Festival in Ireland along with several festivals and iconic music venues across the United States.

A passion for Celtic music led her to study the traditional style of Irish fiddling with Randal Bay. Heide authored a book, “Fiddler’s Full Circle” in 2020 about her fiddling journey, offered by SHAR Music and has presented Irish fiddling masterclasses for universities, schools, youth orchestras and festivals.

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