ARIELLA                                                                                                                                              
ELECTRIC CELLO

ARIELLA CAIRA (24) has been playing piano since the age of 5, and later studied cello under distinguished cellist Anmari van der Westhuizen. Torn between a love of music and drama, Ariella chose to follow her passion for Theatre by studying a degree in Theatre and Performance after matriculating in 2004. 

Studies & degrees: BA honours degree in Theatre and Performance, and Piano, Cello and Percussion Grade 8, all with distinction.  

Awards & Distinctions:  First place for English Acting @ UCT Theatre & Performance 2008; Herschel Girls' High School music scholarship in 2004

Other activities & skills: Over and above her acting skills, Ariella is a also freelance writer, and she is currently doing a course in Basic Italian.  She has previously completed a Magazine Journalism Course (SAWC) and Basics of Creative Writing Course (SAWC) 

Other ensembles / performances (before Sterling EQ): Over the years she has played in numerous orchestras and ensembles, including the National Youth Orchestra, and participated in several competitions including the Sanlam music competition while in Junior School and in the Absa Competition while in High School.  A chamber musician at heart, Ariella has performed with various quartets and other ensembles, including the ACE Quartet, Wired and Pizzazz.  Her diversity as a cellist as well as her wide interest in musical genres has lead her to partake in interesting projects, such as The Ten Tenors South Africa Tour and session recordings for animation.

Hobbies: Running, traveling, writing, reading and cooking

Family: Ariella was born in Port Elizabeth but has lived in Cape Town for most of her life.  Her father is Italian and her mother Zimbabwean.  Ariella got married to well-known Jazz pianist Jason Reolon in 2010.

Birthday:  27 February (Pisces)

What you may not know:   When she was younger, Ariella was certain she’d grow up to be an astronaut.  She has a woolies marshmallow addiction and can never get enough rooibos tea.  Despite her achievements, she insists her one great talent is Boggle (word game), and she admits that her motivation for taking up the cello was because her teachers said that her hands were too small to play it