Violin with Marisa I.

Dr. Marisa is an avid performer, educator, and entrepreneur based in Houston, TX. As a teacher, she is passionate about cultivating a love for music in her students. As a performer in the internationally renowned Carpe Diem String Quartet and co-founder of the arts non-profit Austin Camerata, she is devoted to curating and presenting inclusive and engaging performances that showcase diverse composers and styles of music. When not performing or teaching, Dr. Marisa enjoys cooking and practicing yoga! Dr. Marisa earned her Doctor of Musical Arts in Violin Performance at the University of Colorado, where she served as a Teaching Assistant to undergraduate violin majors. Her degrees also include a MM in Violin Performance from the University of Texas Austin under Brian Lewis, a BM in Violin Performance from CU Boulder, and a BS in Business Administration from CU Boulder, Leeds School of Business. As a performer, she serves as the second violinist of the internationally recognized Carpe Diem String Quartet, boundary-breaking ensemble that has earned widespread critical and audience acclaim for its innovative programming and electrifying performances. With the Quartet, she has performed in Carnegie Hall and Jordan Hall, as well as throughout Europe and China. Recently, the quartet completed the recording "Dances of the Yogurt Maker" featuring the string chamber works of Turkish composer Erberk Eryilmaz. The recording is scheduled to be released in 2021 on the MSR Label. As a soloist, Dr. Marisa has performed with the National Repertory Orchestra, the Austin Civic Orchestra, and the Greater Boulder Youth Orchestra. Additionally, she has participated in the National Repertory Orchestra and the Aspen Music Festival. As an entrepreneur, Dr. Marisa co-founded a nonprofit chamber music organization. Its mission is to enrich the city of Austin, TX by introducing new audiences to the world of chamber music through creative concerts, artistic collaborations, and community outreach. Dedicated to broadening the audience for chamber music, the nonprofit performs an array of repertoire, from the most revered classical masterpieces to newly written, genre-defying works. he ensemble is known for creative artistic collaborations that augment the music’s emotional power, and performances frequently feature collaborations with visual art, creative writing, and dance ranging in style from flamenco, to hip-hop, to ballet.