Rising Stars: Meet Miriana Giardina of Norwalk

Today we’d like to introduce you to Miriana Giardina.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Hello, I am Miriana Giardina originally from Caltanissetta Italy, a little city in the centre of Sicily and for the past four months, I have proudly called Norwalk, California, home. I am a violist and music educator, but my story is, above all, about a person who found in sound her most authentic voice. Being neurodivergent, music has never just been a profession; it has been the bridge that allowed me to connect with the world when words weren’t enough.
My journey began in 2010 at age 11, when I first touched the bow to the strings and felt a spark that has never faded. That led me through the rigorous 13-year path of the Italian Conservatory—a journey of exams, sacrifices, and the challenge of balancing traditional schooling with high-level musical training. It wasn’t always easy. Midway through, the joy of playing began to fade, and I stepped away for two years. I rediscovered myself—and my music—through the raw power of System of a Down. That realization led me to transition from violin to viola, opening up a soundscape that finally felt like my own.
My life took an international turn through a shared love for metal music, which led me to Jesse, who is now my husband. Our story was an eight-year odyssey, living between Sicily and Texas/Florida, made even more complex by the pandemic and countless transoceanic flights while balancing degrees, concerts, and the grueling bureaucracy of the Green Card process. Today, after driving across the United States in a minivan to start our new life in California, I have launched my own studio in Norwalk, Strings with Miriana. I teach violin and viola by blending the discipline of the traditional Italian Conservatory with the personal depth I have cultivated through years of discovery. I am thrilled to bring my experience to the Los Angeles area and help my students find their own unique way to express themselves through music.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t been a downhill path at all; it has been more of a labyrinth of climbs and falls, from which, however, one step at a time, I found my way out. Pursuing a dream is a true revolution: it forces you to come to terms with the unexpected and to find the strength to believe in your own path even when, in the dark, you begin to doubt yourself.
There have been moments that changed me deeply, teaching me the value of humility: nights spent sleeping on airport floors during endless journeys, or waking up in the middle of the night to teach and take classes or speak with my husband, battling time zones and jet lag. I remember exams and performances held after hours of flying, trying to maintain focus despite the extreme fatigue. And then there were the most invisible wounds: having to say goodbye to those who were no longer there while remaining far away, only to return to Italy and continue playing as if nothing had happened, silencing my own grief to honor the rigor of art.
The moments of greatest bewilderment were those marked by uncertainty and bureaucratic ambiguity during the pandemic, when reuniting with the person you love was never a certainty. Having to say ‘goodbye’ to my husband without knowing exactly when we would see each other again was the hardest trial. In all of this, music was our lifeline: the glue that held our pieces together, making me feel less alone and giving me the strength to believe in what we were building.
I have learned that kindness and mercy are incredibly powerful forces. You never know what the person next to you is going through: I believe it is a moral obligation to treat everyone with dignity, regardless of their social context or past.
Today, I find myself standing before a new space, one that is almost infinite: that of a life in California. Moving through a place that does not yet feel like your own, without a predefined direction, can be frightening. But I have understood that, when you do not know where to go, the only thing that matters is taking the first step. Then, one movement after another, the road begins to reveal itself. This is the most precious lesson I have carried with me from my moments of uncertainty.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a California-based violist and educator, bringing 13 years of rigorous Italian conservatory training to the Los Angeles area. I specialize in advanced viola technique and guiding violinists through the transition to the viola, but my work goes beyond traditional pedagogy. What sets my studio apart is my unique methodology: I bridge the ‘Old World’ bel canto tradition—where the strings are treated as an extension of the human voice—with a modern, inclusive, and student-focused approach.

My teaching philosophy is built on five pillars: Alignment & Flow, Vocal Musicality, Performance as a Gift, Student Independence, and Empathy. Whether I am coaching a beginner on rhythmic consistency or helping an advanced player break through a plateau, my goal is to foster a ‘generosity mindset,’ helping students move past self-judgment to connect authentically with their audience. Having performed for five years with Italy’s Orchestra Vincenzo Bellini and researched the nuances of U.S. music education for my 2023 thesis, I offer a perspective that is both deeply rooted in history and highly adaptive to the contemporary needs of my students. I don’t just teach the mechanics of an instrument; I help my students discover their own voice and the resilience to sustain it for a lifetime

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
What I love most about Los Angeles is that it is a true melting pot. I feel completely at ease living in a city where so many different cultures intertwine; it is an environment where, even as someone coming from far away, you feel part of a whole. The climate, the air, and certain scents of Southern California remind me of home, and finding this sense of familiarity in a place so distant is a gift I don’t take for granted. I have met wonderful people who have welcomed me with open arms, and I must confess that Mexican cuisine—especially California burritos—has become one of my almost daily joys!
However, there is an aspect I find challenging. The U.S. has a very different conception of space compared to Italy and Europe. Cities here are often designed with a purely efficient, practical, and productive purpose in mind, which tends to leave architecture, aesthetics, and, above all, spontaneous social life as an afterthought. In Italy, even in the smallest town, there is always a central hub—a piazza—where people naturally gather for a walk or a coffee. I miss those moments of urban sociality where the city is built to be lived in, rather than just navigated.

Pricing:

• single lesson /60 minutes /$75
• Artistry package/ 8 lessons/ $300 monthly/limited spots
• First Consultation Free

Contact Info:

• Website: https://stringswithmiriana.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirianagia/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Strings-with-Miriana/61588159403590/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mirianagiardina2291
• Other: https://share.google/9z5l9fRlolCzMHceI

Image Credits
Nikita at JC Penney in Downey portraits