Carissa Soares

Carissa Soares is a percussionist and educator from Perth, Western Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (1st Class Honours) and a Master of Music degree from the University of Western Australia. During her studies, Carissa was awarded many accolades including the Tunley Scholarship, Ewen Prize for Music, and Edith Cowan Prize in Music.

In 2017, Carissa performed as a vibraphone soloist at the Perth Concert Hall as part of the Performing Arts Perspectives concert, showcasing the highest-achieving Music, Drama, and Dance students based on their WACE performance exams. In 2019, she was awarded first prize and the People’s Choice Award at the inaugural Marimbafest Australia competition.

Carissa has also had the opportunity to participate in a short course with Steven Schick at the Australian National Academy of Music, travel to China with the WASO Chorus playing timpani in Orff’s ‘Carmina Burana’, attend the 2019 and 2021 Australian Youth Orchestra National Music Camps, and participate in the 2023 Sō Percussion Summer Institute at Princeton University.

As a freelance musician, Carissa performs with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Kaboom Percussion, WA Philharmonic Orchestra, Perth D2Drumline, and Mosca Duo. As an educator, Carissa teaches percussion to students from K-12 at Presbyterian Ladies’ College, Christ Church Grammar School, and Iona Presentation College. She also teaches group music classes for 5-6 year-olds at the University of Western Australia’s Junior Music School.