Tamara Freida

Tamara was raised near Rochester, NY where she enjoyed the musical influence of her parents and the Hochstein and Eastman Schools of Music. After completing degrees in Violin Performance at Ithaca College and Arizona State University she successfully auditioned for the Arizona Opera Orchestra, where she has played with the passionate and hardworking musicians of Phoenix and Tucson since 2008. Tamara also regularly performs with the San Juan Symphony in Durango, Colorado. 

Tamara joins the talented gentleman of Quicksand Soup to play high energy bluegrass at the Backyard Theatre in Moab. They recorded 4 diverse albums in 2018 which include Miss You Darling, Country Sweetgrass, Colorado Trail, and Western Gospel. Selections from their albums can be heard on the the soundtrack to 2020 film, The Unfinished Fight of Seldom Seen Sleight. Quicksand Soup’s sometimes old timey sound combined with their modern musical interests make it a fun project that continues to evolve. Come see us live at the Backyard Theatre Wednesday and Thursday nights from March through October, weather permitting. All albums can be bought on iTunes, Spotify, cd baby, and Amazon and of course at the Backyard Theater’s merchandise table where you can say hello to the lovely, Tammy. www.QuicksandSoup.com

With a different vibe, Tamara’s electronic gypsy cowboy group, The Nanites, play in local outdoor venues with pristine vistas of red rock and the La Sal Mountains.

Tamara has played at the Prescott Bluegrass Festival, Building Man 2023, Moab Arts Festival, A Bluegrass Saturday Night in Salt Lake City’s Gallivan Plaza, The 150th Anniversary celebration of John Wesley Powell’s 1869 expedition in Vernal, UT, a boisterous private high school celebration on the windy banks of the Colorado River, The Uranium Miners Annual Luncheon, La Boheme with Arizona Opera, as well as numerous concerts in and around Graz, Austria with the AIMS Festival Orchestra. Tamara has also played many weddings, and special events for the Moab Chamber of Commerce.

Tamara also runs the Beacon String Program and teaches private lessons to students of all ages. She is in her 4th year of teaching general music at the Moab Charter School. Tamara is amazed by the diverse group of musicians in the Moab area and is inspired by their creative music making. She is so grateful for the education she has received in academic settings and summer festivals, as well as the inspiring people she continues to meet along her musical journey.