AMEENA MARIA KHAWAJA

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Ameena is a dedicated advocate for providing music education to underserved youth. With a strong passion for educating and mentoring young musicians, she has taught both cello and voice for two decades. Ameena spent 10 years as a Teaching Artist for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Harmony Project and the cello and chamber music instructor for YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles) at EXPO whom she coached for their performance with Coldplay at the Super Bowl 50 Halftime Show. She has given master classes at the Grammy Museum in Hollywood, coached for the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra, was a staff member at the Pacific Crest Music Festival, and is happy to have the opportunity to help further the education of the students at YOSAL.

As a cellist and mezzo-soprano, Ameena has worked on numerous studio recordings and live performances, and recently joined Alison Wonderland for two sold-out shows at the famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado. Live shows include supporting Kamasi Washington at Walt Disney Concert Hall & Jeff Lynne’s ELO in New York and Los Angeles, as well as headlining acts Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, and Khalid at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

Other artists with whom she has collaborated include: Sia, Coldplay, Jessie J., Mandy Moore, Mary J. Blige, Spacehog, Marc Anthony, Linda Perry, daKah Hip-Hop Orchestra, Switchfoot, Delta Goodrem, Rain Phoenix, Marco Antonio Solís, Trans Siberian Orchestra and many more. Ameena has had the opportunity to perform live at the Grammy Awards, as well as on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, NBC’s The Voice, American Idol, and The Jimmy Kimmel Show. 

Ameena studied and performed musical theatre in San Francisco, improv comedy in Los Angeles, and opera throughout the United States and Europe.

For more information, please visit www.ameenamaria.com