Mario Rivera is a Honduran-born first-year Viola Fellow at the New World Symphony. Prior to joining NWS, he was a founding member of the Ajax Quartet, which held a residency at the University of Colorado Boulder to study extensively with the Grammy Award-winning Takacs Quartet. Mr. Rivera has collaborated with renown musicians such as Alexander Kobrin, George Li, William Preucil, Sergiu Schwartz, Wendy Warner, Klaus Stoll, and has worked with the Jupiter, Escher, American and Pacifica string quartets.

Mr. Rivera has performed with several orchestras including the Honduras Philharmonic Orchestra, Costa Rica National Symphony and Columbus Symphony. He has participated in many festivals including the Aspen Music Festival and School, Pacific Music Festival and Brevard Music Festival. Has appeared as soloist with the San Pedro Sula Chamber Orchestra, Valdosta Symphony and the Virtuosi String Ensemble. Mr. Rivera has toured more than 30 countries including the U.S., Canada, Finland, Italy, Germany, Poland, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. Conductors he has worked with include Michael Tilson Thomas, Stephane Deneve, Marin Alsop, Gemma New, Helmuth Rilling and JoAnn Falletta. He has performed in esteemed venues such as Carnegie Hall (Perelman Stage and Weil Recital Hall), Sapporo Concert Hall Kitara, New World Center, and the Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City.

Mr. Rivera holds a bachelor’s degree from Columbus State University, Georgia, Artist Diploma in String Quartet Performance from the University of Colorado Boulder and a Professional Performance Certificate from Lynn University. In his free time, he enjoys watching and playing soccer and traveling to new places.