Maria Dance Clayton enjoys a love for performing, recording and teaching. She has recorded for or performed with Andrea Bocelli, Itzhak Perlman, David Foster, James Taylor, Michael Buble, Josh Groban, Kurt Bestor, Alfie Boe, Lindsey Stirling, Jackie Evancho, David Archuleta, Fernando Varela, Aerosmith, Kaskade, and the Transiberian Orchestra, among others. She has toured for several years with pianist, William Joseph.
Maria has performed with orchestras nationally, including soloing with the Seattle Symphony, Seattle Philharmonic and Coeur d’Alene Symphony, and performing with the Utah Symphony-Utah Opera, Ballet West, Hawaii Opera Theater, Austin Symphony, and Austin Opera.
The philosophy that every child is a genius and has a gift to share to the world is one of Maria’s core beliefs in teaching. She believes there is a magical window in the pre-teen years where children are as capable as adults and as fearless as children. Her passion for teaching stems from formative musical experiences in her youth — including a summer in Milan as a 13 year old at “Oberlin in Italy”, two months in the Adirondacks studying at the Meadowmount School of Music, and a month studying in Montreal overlooking the St. Lawrence at Domain Forget.
Maria recently moved back to Utah with her husband, Matt, and their two daughters, Eden and Emma. Her hobbies include reading, trail running, skiing, and soccer. She recently checked the Coeur d’Alene Ironman off her bucket list.
Maria earned a Bachelor of Music Degree from Rice University in Houston, Texas and a Master of Music Degree from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.