About

I started playing violin at age four, before I learned to read. I have spent my life studying how artists engage in their process and practice.

I believe music is a common language, and as artists, our responsibility is to how our work makes people feel. As Maya Angelou wrote, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

SAMANTHA BOUNKEUA | ARTIST/PRODUCER (she/they)

Samantha Bounkeua (RogueViolin) is a queer artist/producer whose work blurs perceptions of acoustic performance. Specializing in cross-media collaborations that amplify queer/femme voices and explore themes of vulnerability and identity, she is a recipient of the 2023 California Arts Council Emerging Artist Fellow and former artist at Stanford’s Re-Presence Residency. Samantha is a graduate of Oberlin Conservatory, and recorded the award-winning score for the 2025 Sundance film, Sunfish. She has been commissioned by Binational Encuentro, ChamberLab, LuftBassoon, Hawkins Dance Company and her work has featured in the International Meg Quigley Vivaldi Bassoon Symposium, Kerala Short Film Festival, and Breaking Ground Contemporary Dance Festival. Her string recordings and arrangements appear on songs from artists internationally that have garnered multi-millions of streams. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Santa Cruz Chamber Players and is a founder/general manager for the Marea Ensemble.

Link to full CV

Here are some of my core values and qualifications as a performing artist and string producer:

TECHNIQUE & EXPRESSION

  • 30+ years classical and non-classical performing internationally

  • Deans Scholarship Graduate from Oberlin Conservatory of Music

  • Technical violin skills to hear and execute extremely detailed intonation, phrasing, and articulation decisions

  • Music theory knowledge to compose meaningful arrangements in multiple genres

  • Passion for new music and extended techniques to create non-traditional textural and atmospheric gestures

  • Listen to samples of past work

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

  • 10+ years professional project management experience

  • Previous clients include Susan Stryker (Emmy-award film director and trans historian) and Tim Collins (former manager of the rock band Aerosmith)

  • Clean and efficient file organization, naming and exporting practices

  • Seamless and compassionate communication and organization from start to finish

TEAM & TALENT

  • Ability to quickly contract and schedule additional talent for different ensemble arrangements

  • Access to many of the principal and solo performers of the Bay Area

  • Prioritize working with femme, minority and ally artists

  • Offer all contracted artists fair industry recording rates

  • Talent is versed in multi-genre performing, studio recording and multi-layer string production practices

SAFE SPACE & DIVERSITY

  • As a queer POC producer, I’m aware that less than 2% of the audio industry identifies as non-male. That statistic doesn’t reflect the richness of our creative community, and it drives my commitment to building inclusive, safe, artist-first collaboration spaces.

  • I’m dedicated to supporting minority artists with flexibility around budget, complimentary project feedback (regardless of whether we are currently working together), and offering access to resources.