Carla Kihlstedt, born in 1971 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is an American violinist, singer, and composer. She studied at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Kihlstedt's career began with her involvement in various musical projects, including Tin Hat Trio (later renamed Tin Hat), Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, The Book of Knots, and Causing a Tiger. Her debut album Sonarchy was released in 1998. Subsequent albums include 2 Foot Yard (2003), Flying Low (2004), Ravish and Other Tales for the Stage (2008), Causing a Tiger (2010), and Necessary Monsters (2021). In 2012, she founded Rabbit Rabbit Radio with her husband Matthias Bossi. She has collaborated with notable artists such as Tom Waits, John Zorn, and Fred Frith. Kihlstedt has also performed with the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE).
