About Larissa Mapua
Larissa Mapua is a Filipino-American violin and viola teacher dedicated to sharing her passion for music. Selected by the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, she performed Debussy’s String Quartet, Op.10 at the U.S. Capitol for members of the 114th U.S. Congress. She was also invited to perform for Fidel V. Ramos, the 12th President of the Philippines, selections from J.S. Bach’s Cello Suites. In 2021, she was accepted to the Civic Orchestra of Chicago after performing with The Orchestra Now for the 2019/2020 seasons.
With The Orchestra Now, she performed regularly at Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She has performed at Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage and on live television for Georgia Public Broadcasting. The National Federation of Music Clubs recognized her achievements with the Rose Thomas Smith Award.
Additional honors include awards by the Asian/Pacific American Council of Georgia and Filipino-American Association of Greater Atlanta. She received her Bachelor of Music Performance degree at DePaul University, where she studied with Rami Solomonow. She graduated with her Master of Music Performance degree at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music from the studio of Edward Gazouleas. Additionally, she studied with Matthew Daline and Michael Larco.
Ms. Mapua has taught since 2012 as a private lesson and group class instructor, violin/viola sectional coach, quartet coach, and substitute string orchestra director. She has assisted string teachers at Bowling Green State University and the Georgia Cobb County School District System at public middle and high schools. She has also taught violin group classes at Centro Autonomo in Chicago and the Chicago School of Musical Arts for elementary and college preparatory schools. Her lessons are designed to develop the musical potential that every student has by guiding them to produce their most beautiful sound, feel a natural comfort with their instrument, and perform music they enjoy and love. Her music pedagogy teachers include Dr. Olga Kaler, Dr. Carla Trynchuk, Dr. Clifford Colnot, Dr. Frank Diaz, and Mimi Zweig.