As a soloist and a member of various ensembles and bands, Maria Banks has toured internationally and throughout the United States.

She gave the first harp performance on the continent of Antarctica and the first solo harp performance of the US national anthem at a major league baseball game (Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts).

Banks has played in venues such as the well-known Casals Hall in Tokyo, Japan, TD Garden, Wachovia Center, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Eastman Theater, Perth Concert Hall in Australia, Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, and the famous NYC jazz club Birdland, to name a few.

She has had the pleasure of performing a variety of musical styles while working with diverse artists such as Kanye West, Will Lee and The Fab Faux, Josh Groban, Johnny Mathis, John O’Hurley, John Davidson, Tom Jones, Lorenzo Lamas, and Aaron Carter.

In addition,Banks has appeared with ensembles such as the Arizona Opera Company, Rochester Philharmonic, Radio City Christmas Spectacular Orchestra, Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, and the West Australia Symphony Orchestra.

She is the winner of a 2018 Bistro Award for Best Tribute Show, along with Broadway stars Carole Demas and Sarah Rice, for performances in “Thank You For Your Love,” a celebration of the music of Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt.

Invited performances include concerts at the International Jazz and Pop Harpfest, The American Harp Society National Conference, and the Festival del Desierto in Mexico.

She performs locally in shows on and off Broadway and was the harpist, both full-time and part-time, for “The Fantasticks” for ten years.

Banks also records and tours as a vocalist and harpist with the Celtic group Four Celtic Voices and recently completed a series of performances across the country for Live On Stage.

Maria’s musical experience spans a wide variety of musical genres from rock, pop, Celtic, rap, classical, opera, country, cabaret, jazz standards, and folk, to show tunes, and includes original arrangements and compositions which have been featured in several recordings, television documentaries, and a music video.

She was also featured as a soloist on several cruise ships completing three World Cruises. Banks’ education includes undergraduate and graduate work in music performance at the University of Arizona and Eastman School of Music.

Banks is currently based out of New York City.