The Infinite Inspiration of Marissa Licata: A Harmony of Fashion and Music

Marissa Licata, a renowned violinist from New York and Boston, has made a significant mark in the world of classical music and is a rising star in the fashion world. A Honduran American artist, Marissa’s vibrant performances and passion for her craft have captivated audiences globally. With intelligence, compassion, and beauty in bounds, she holds both a Bachelor and a Master of Music degree from the prestigious New England Conservatory in Boston.

Marissa’s career is distinguished by her dynamic collaborations with a plethora of celebrated artists across various genres. She has toured and recorded with icons such as H.E.R., Alicia Keys, Jethro Tull, Wyclef Jean, Ben Harper, Ringo Starr, K. Michelle, Dave Stewart of Eurythmics, Gloria Estefan, and Pras of The Fugees. Her major television appearances include ‘Good Morning America,’ ‘The View,’ ‘The Latin Grammys,’ ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!,’ and the BET Awards.

In addition to her work with popular musicians, Marissa is a notable figure in the orchestral and chamber music scenes and has made significant contributions to the Boston Ballet. Her versatility extends to Broadway, where she has performed in productions such as ‘Jagged Little Pill’ and ‘Moby-Dick: The Musical.’ Most recently, she was part of the 2022 Broadway revival of ‘1776.’

For the 2023 holiday season, Licata embraced a new challenge as the featured on-stage violinist in the ‘Hip Hop Nutcracker’ North American Tour, directed by the Emmy Award-winning choreographer Jennifer Webber. This role allowed her to showcase her talents in an innovative context, further cementing her reputation as a versatile and dynamic performer.

Recently, Marissa graced the cover of Glamour, marking her growing influence in the fashion world. Much like the symbolism for this shoot, Her foray into fashion underscores her multifaceted talent and expanding presence beyond the music scene. The symbolism of the shoot, the circle is endless. Much like Marissa’s success, she continues infinitely towards a bright future. 

In this exclusive Grazia interview, we explore her journey, delving into the experiences and influences that have shaped her illustrious career and propelled her to the forefront of the classical music and fashion scenes.

Grazia: Can you share with us how your journey with the violin began? What sparked your initial interest in music? 

Marissa: I started playing violin at age 3. My father is a musician, a saxophonist, and composer, and he wanted me to be a musician. The string instruments are the easiest to begin at a very early age. They make very, very tiny sizes that little kids can hold and learn the basics.

Grazia: Growing up as a Honduran American, how has your cultural background influenced your music and career?

Marissa: I believe my story is unique in that regard. I was actually adopted, from Honduras, as an infant. I’ve always known where I was born, and known the fortunate life and opportunity I’ve had as an American.

Musically, I instinctively gravitate toward Latin music. I love the rhythms and the complexity of the percussion and grooves. I grew up being exposed to all sorts of music—jazz, classical, Klezmer, Latin and pop music styles. I feel that the energetic Latin music and dance cultures that I have always loved, made my ears more open and willing to hear all of the drive and rhythm in any style of music. 

In my own playing and the music I choose to perform, I look for the rhythmic voice first. In everything I do, there is that element that I believe is my attachment to Honduras and the culture I come from. I do my best to share that part of my story, through the music, with audiences. It is important to me. 

Grazia: How did your experiences at the New England Conservatory shape your approach to music and performance?

Marissa: For 16 years, I was strictly a classical violinist. New England Conservatory is the highest level education for a classical player, arguably in the world. There, I learned technique and musical phrasing from some of the best musicians, teachers, and friends. I also learned that confining myself to one style of music, limited me as a complete musician. While still in my undergraduate years, I branched out at New England Conservatory, delving into improvising and world music, like Eastern European folk music, from similar countries as the great classical composers, just with a more inviting casual approach, but no less technical or complex. I enjoyed that inviting, aural approach to music because there was joy and dancing involved. That is my approach to music. It should be making you and others dance and feel and smile. 

Grazia: What has been your favorite performance or tour experience so far?

Marissa: My favorite tour experience was my very first rock tour with the band Jethro Tull. I was so young, 19 or 20. It was my favorite because I found my identity as a performer. I was no longer just a violinist. Something took over, almost instantaneously and unconsciously. No fear, no nerves; I knew exactly what to do, how to move, and how to engage to make the crowd go wild, and I’ll never forget that feeling. 

I always knew I had that presence, and to show it off on some of the biggest and best amphitheater stages, for thousands night after night, featured with the legendary Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull —- That tops the list!

Grazia: Your work spans classical music, popular music, Broadway, and beyond. How do you adapt to such diverse musical styles?

Marissa: Hours and hours of tedious, boring, sometimes very discouraging, practice! If you have done the work, there is no music that you’ll be unable to play from a technical perspective. The other essential part I think, is having put yourself in many different, often times, uncomfortable, performance situations. Prepare yourself to be ready for anything. Have the guts to walk into a jam session and try to improvise. My first time doing that did not go well. And I learned from that. I learned that I never wanted to feel so exposed and unsure again. So I made it my business to come back and do better and better each time. Over time, going from a Broadway show to the Boston Ballet, to a klezmer band —- it’s all just great music!

I love the music that I play and making it my own. I tend not to think about adapting—it just doesn’t come to mind, because I’m excited about the challenges each project brings. If it’s music and I’m being asked to play it, I fill with excitement to share my voice. What does take some adapting to, perhaps, and time, is how to internalize different styles of music. Because I listened to such diverse music all my life, before I could even remember, music just became part of me. I am able to very quickly hear the elements of a style, and find where I fit best to add to it convincingly. That comes from years of listening with an open ear and mind, and loving the potential in the music or any art for that matter. 

Grazia: Can you tell us about your experience performing in Broadway productions like ‘Jagged Little Pill’ and ‘Moby-Dick: The Musical’?

Marissa: Both of these musicals were especially fun because the band was on stage and in costume for these productions. I love the feeling of being a part with the cast. We were characters that helped tell a story visually as well as musically. Not all Broadway shows incorporate the musicians like that. Everybody becomes very close and I think the audience feels that energy. 

Grazia: In 2023, you took on a new role in the ‘Hip Hop Nutcracker’ North American Tour. What was it like combining classical violin with hip hop dance?

Marissa: I loved being challenged as a composer and improviser, while featuring my virtuosity live every night. I recomposed my own “score” from themes from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite. Some parts stayed constant for dancer cues and timing, but I recomposed and arranged solo violin interludes throughout the show and my improvisations were different every night. My role was to set the scenes, so the audience had a through line connecting the parts of the story musically with a somewhat different telling of the original story. 

The dancers and each of their personal styles gave me musical ideas each night. I would act and react with certain characters when we had the freedom. The dancers were my conductor, rather than having just one person that everyone follows in an orchestral setting. I would notice and take aspects from the dancers’ movements to create a different musical mood and character. All of us could have fun exploring that each night with one another.

Grazia: How did working with Jennifer Webber and the cast of ‘Hip Hop Nutcracker’ influence your perspective on performance and collaboration?

Marissa: It expanded my vision of artistic possibilities. Jennifer Webber is so open minded and trusting. She allowed me the space to try some different extremes, and together we were able to really focus in on how to make the pieces and my character most effective. Once the cast became more comfortable with the show, the dancers and I felt that we could follow a similar process and make some fun decisions with how our characters interact.


Grazia: Looking back at your journey, what have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced, and how have you overcome them?

Marissa: The first challenge that comes to mind, is having had some very poor violin teachers for arguably the most important years of a young person’s development. Some weren’t very competent, some were lazy, one was very discouraging and didn’t really like me. Another was only interested in making money, but not teaching, and so I was left to figure out how to play violin by myself. I developed many bad habits that hindered me and could have caused very serious injuries. 

I overcame this by being determined—determined that I was great and I loved to play and no one can take that joy from my heart. I could see that I knew how to move people emotionally with my playing and that was what was truly important to me. Years later, I found a wonderful teacher who showed me all of the technique I had missed, and I caught right up. It all worked out.

The biggest obstacle that I’m still faced with on a daily basis, true in any field sadly, is people being hired based on everything but merit and skill. You have fine players who are robbed of opportunities because the boss hiring has a crush on someone else, for example. The only way I have found to overcome this, is to work relentlessly, create opportunities for yourself to shine on your terms. Hard work and consistency will be noticed and rewarded in due time. 


Grazia: Who have been your biggest influences and mentors throughout your career?

Marissa: My mother is my biggest influence. She is the hardest worker I know. She doesn’t complain or make excuses; She just finds a way to get the job done. I’m sure she’d never take credit for it, but she has taught me how to be a pro and a leader, through her strength and encouragement. 

Grazia: As you continue to evolve as an artist, what new challenges or projects are you looking forward to?

Marissa: Already, I’ve branched out on independent collaborations with dancers and actors this year. Currently, I’m part of the on-stage band for the new musical and world premiere of Gatsby! Tony Award winning director, Rachel Chavkin leads the creative team, in collaboration with music and lyrics by Florence Welsch of Florence + The Machine. I’m honored to be a part of this extraordinary show with such icons. 

Grazia: What advice would you give to young musicians aspiring to follow in your footsteps?

Marissa: Work as hard as you can. Cutting corners is never the answer. If you concentrate on yourself and how to be better, you will succeed. There will be many disappointments and negativity put in your path. You cannot be afraid to fail. Practice being uncomfortable, because there will be many times that you’ll have to be great even when circumstances are not ideal. And lastly, when you get turned down, or you fail or you face an obstacle or discouragement, think creatively about how you can learn and move past to achieve what you want. Remember, no one can take your joy from whatever it is that you love to do.

Grazia: Along with your recent Glamour cover and now Grazia, this marks a new chapter in your career. How does it feel to transition from the concert stage to the cover of a major fashion magazine?

Marissa: I am very proud being a cover girl of a major fashion magazine. I truly feel like this is something all my own, made possible by my hard work and amazingly generous friends who believe in me. I view this as addition—another aspect of my performance career, art, and creativity. 

Grazia: What message do you hope to convey to readers through this interview?

Marissa: I hope that readers are inspired to see endless possibilities for themselves. My story is successful because I never stop working. I enjoy the determination I know I have. I enjoy that that is all mine. I’ve wanted to be a model since I was a teenager. “You’re a violinist, Marissa. You can’t be both. You have to choose. You’re too short. You don’t know anything about modeling.”, are some of the things that people told me. It has been 20 years since I was a teenager, and I’m doing what teenage Marissa and current Marissa wanted to do. The time it takes is the time it takes. I found a way.

Credits: 

Talent: Marissa Licata @marissalicata
Photographer: Inga Makeyeva @ingamakeeva_ph 
MUA: Annette Bragas @annettebragasmua 
HMUA: Tanya Milord @tenaciousmakeup tenaciousmakeup.com
Stylist: Looks By Lunden @looksbylunden
Retoucher: Valeria Strygina @lerika_retouch
Photography assistant: Elvira Amirova @eamirova 
A Skye Entertainment Production @skyeentertainmentgroup

Designs:
Cinq A Sept 
L’AGENCE 
Courreges
Reiss 
Alice and Olivia
Showrooms:
Flying Solo @flyingsolo_pr
Poison New York @poison_newyork
The Confessional Showroom @theconfessionalshowroomnyc