Marisa began her musical journey at a fairly young age, first by mimicking her mother on the piano, and then enrolling in "real" piano lessons as soon as she was able to read. Having a knack for self-driven learning, she progressed quickly once she entered beginning band classes at 12 years old. After originally choosing the baritone as her first brass instrument, she quickly found herself drawn to the beautiful timbre of the trumpet. From there, she was introduced into jazz band that same year (6th grade) as the rhythm section was in need of a pianist. As Marisa's understanding of music theory grew and developed, she soon picked up another instrument beloved by her: the bass. In the following years, Marisa would go on to take advantage of every learning and performance opportunity that came her way- which would include close study under Juilliard Jazz Faculty at Snow College in Ephraim, UT and eventually lead her to perform at Carnegie Hall with Caleb Chapman's Latin jazz band La Onda Caribena in 2013. Her endeavors did not stop there, as performance opportunities only expanded. From devotional accompaniment to studio recording sessions to formal gigs and events, Marisa has become a well-tailored and sought after musician. Teaching music is another one of her passions, as Marisa values the sharing of knowledge and giving support. Technically trained on many instruments and many genres and styles, Marisa hopes to make special connections with each student- whether they are 6 or 65!
