Zaira Castillo is a dynamic pianist dedicated to contemporary music and collaboration with living composers. She has commissioned and premiered numerous solo and chamber works over the past years. As an active performer, she has appeared in venues in and out of Chicago, including Constellation, the Epiphany Center for the Arts, Experimental Sound Studio, Clara Chicago, Toledo Club Ohio, Northwestern University, Roosevelt University, Western Oregon University, and Western Michigan University. She has also performed as part of festivals such as New Music Chicago's Impromptu Festival, the Summer Institute for Contemporary Performance, Frequency Series, and Splice Festival.

An active educator, she is a Steinway Teacher and Educational Partner and serves as Piano Faculty at the Music Conservatory of Illinois. Her programming encompasses both traditional and contemporary repertoire, aiming to create engaging and accessible experiences for all audiences, whether they come from a musical background or not. This artistic vision has earned her recognition through multiple grants, affirming her impact on the community.