Mari Rosa is an award winning singer, songwriter and pianist who blends bossa nova breeziness with a down-to-earth acoustic aesthetic. Multi-ethnic and multilingual, Mari was born and raised in New England to an American mother and an Italian-Argentine father.  Inspired by artists like Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Jeff Buckley, Caetano Veloso and Elis Regina, Mari sees music as a good conversation that cuts to the core and inspires freedom and imagination.

Mari’s teaching philosophy emphasizes good technique and individual expression. Mari works with each of her students to develop their goals and help them grow.  A patient and adaptive teacher, Mari enjoys bringing out the best potential in each of her students.

Mari is a graduate of Boston Latin School and Sarah Lawrence College in New York. While at Sarah Lawrence, Mari studied composition with Glenn Alexander, voice with Thomas Young and Wayne Sanders, classical piano with Martin Goldray and jazz and pop piano with Bruce Barth.  She double majored in Romance Languages and took significant coursework in the Alexander Technique and other body alignment modalities.

Mari was awarded a 2005 Billboard Songwriting Award and two 2007 Latin Jazz Awards for Best Vocalist and the Next Generation Award.  Mari has toured extensively and has performed at Arturo Sandoval’s Jazz Club, The Long Island Music Festival, Makor, Vassar College, Cornelia Street Cafe, CBGB’s, Ryles Jazz Club, The Bitter End and many more. She has recorded, performed and collaborated with Scott Healy (Max Weinburg Seven), Richie Morales (Spyro Gyra), Kermit Driscoll (Bill Frisell), Harvie S, Cuban legend Cachao and Don Friedman, among others.