Amanda Reyes-Rist started playing the violin in 1997 while residing in Kansas. She continued playing throughout her high school career, receiving top scores at regional and state level competitions. 
    In 2003, she attended New Mexico State University, holding a contract with the professional Las Cruces Symphony. During her time in New Mexico, she was also a member of Mariachi Cuerdas De Oro, lead by Maestro Guillermo Quezada.     
    She shortly thereafter returned back to her home state of California. She gained concert-mistress standing in Rio Hondo’s Industrial Orchestra while studying with Adrian Rudnyk. She received her Associates in Liberal Arts in 2006. In the summer of 2005 she was accepted to participate in the Starling-DeLay Violin Symposium at the prestigious Julliard School of Music in Manhattan. For the fall semester of 2007, she attended Stony Brook University in New York to further her studies in violin performance. She played in the Stony Brook University symphony while studying under Julliard graduates and assisting David Barg in the production on his conducting manual.     
    Amanda is now back at New Mexico State University, and once again, playing under contract with the professional Las Cruces Symphony. She also plays for the university orchestra and Mariachi Cuerdas de Oro. She is currently majoring in English with an emphasis in creative writing and minoring in music. 
    Over her 11 years of playing, Amanda has studied under numerous famous conductors and violinists such as: David Barg, Juan La Manna, Itzhak Perlman, Brian Lewis, and Scott Conklin. She has participated in the music program entitled Sound Encounters in Ottawa, KS for two years, studying conducting under Maestro David Barg while simultaneously playing in the orchestra. She has also been a “guest” in the Azusa Pacific University’s symphony under David Barg’s baton. She has played the masterpieces of orchestral literature, including Mahler, Tchaikovsky, and Shostakovich in previous encounters with David Barg and Lonnie Klein, conductor of the Las Cruces Symphony. 
    Solo, Amanda has played in California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Her gigs have varied from weddings, to Christmas parties, to the Holocaust Survivor Memorial Day, Yom HaShoah. She is a frequent guest artist for the Holiday Corporation residencies. Although Amanda is a classically trained violinist, she has explored many different genres, including: American-Standards, Klezmer, Jazz, Bluegrass, Americana, Irish, Doo-wop, Western, Rock and Roll, Folk, Blues, Ragtime, Holiday, Pop, Broadway and Contemporary Standards. In addition to regular gigs, Amanda has donated over 200 hours at various festivals. She often gives free concerts at senior citizen communities and convalescent homes. For children who want to learn the violin but unable to afford private lessons, Amanda has also given free weekly lessons.