Mariana Akolt is an Argentine-American composer, pianist and sound designer.  She composes descriptive and evocative music which is influenced by her upbringing in Buenos Aires.  Her interests in South American rhythmic patterns and music instruments are infused in her compositions.  Her compositions have been featured in conferences and festivals around the country as well as abroad. Mariana holds a master's degree in Music Composition from Roosevelt University's Chicago College of Performing Arts and a Bachelor in Science degree from University of Colorado at Denver.  In addition, she holds an Associate’s degree in Piano Performance from Harold Washington College and Kodaly certifications from the Argentinian Kodaly Association.