Zaira Castillo is a passionate pianist with a profound commitment to contemporary music and collaboration with living composers. Over recent years, she has commissioned and premiered numerous solo and chamber piano works, showcasing her passion for pushing musical boundaries. As an active performer, she has premiered works at several venues in the Chicago area including, Constellation Chicago (Frequency Series), the Epiphany Center for the Arts (Impromptu Fest), Northwestern University, Roosevelt University (Faculty Concert), Experimental Sound Studios, and Clara Chicago.

Her programming style reflects thoughtful curation, seamlessly blending traditional repertoire with contemporary works. This approach has earned her recognition through multiple grants, affirming her impact on the musical landscape.

Based in Chicago, Zaira balances her career as a freelance pianist and private instructor with her roles as the pianist for Duo Riso and a founding member and publicity director of the Locus Ensemble. Her multifaceted interests also include film photography and yoga instruction as a registered yoga teacher (RYT 200).