New York native Mariel Mayz is a sought-after composer, pianist, and educator. Her original works have been described as inventive, colorful, compelling, and well-crafted; and according to critics, “in Mayz’s very capable hands, pieces are illuminated with tremendous poise, warmth, and a talent that few will ever replicate” (Take Effect Reviews).
In September 2022, Mariel’s debut album Leo Brouwer: Cuban Sketches for Piano was released by the ZOHO music label, featuring premiere recordings of piano works by Leo Brouwer, as well as her own original compositions and arrangements. The album’s release concert was presented in conjunction with her debut performance at the Americas Society/Council of the Americas. In 2023, Mariel also made her debut at Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center as part of the NYC Sonic Festival, curated by Clarice Assad.
Mariel’s most recent works include commissions from the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center (Los Angeles, CA); Sarasa Ensemble (Cambridge, MA); two commissioned works for The Illustrated Pianist, celebrating the centennial of American author Ray Bradbury; the Higher Ground Festival (NYC); guitarist Nora Spielman; violist Elise Frawley; the Bloomingdale School of Music; Nyack College; soprano Lara Martins; and two-time Latin Grammy nominee João Luiz—whose dedicated piece Stifled was a finalist in the Portugal International Guitar Composition Competition.
Her first large-scale work for the stage—a one-act chamber opera—was commissioned by American Opera Projects and the Hunter Opera Theater. It was premiered by the Hunter Opera Theater and Talea Ensemble during the 2018 New York Opera Fest.
Mariel’s arrangements have also been performed by renowned artists such as Anthony Roth Costanzo, the Atlantic Collective, and Lara Downes—who recently recorded her arrangement of I’ll Be Seeing You on the album Love At Last, released by Pentatone.
Mariel’s principal teachers include pianists José Ramón Mendez, Seymour Bernstein, and Geoffrey Burleson; and composers Suzanne Farrin, Justin Dello Joio, Erin Gee, Yu-Hui Chang, and David Rakowski.
She is currently a Teaching Fellow at Harvard University while pursuing a PhD in Composition and Theory at Brandeis University. Her previous teaching positions include Adjunct Professor of Music Theory and Lecturer for the Arts Management & Leadership Certificate at CUNY Hunter College, as well as Program Coordinator for the Hunter Mellon Arts Fellowship—a pivotal program supporting diversity and inclusion in arts management and leadership.
Mariel is also the Co-Founder and Associate Director of Porto Pianofest, an international piano festival based in Porto, Portugal.