Liza Austria

Founder, Co-Executive Director, Board Member

Liza Austria was born and raised in a household filled with music in New York City. Both her parents were musicians: her father was a professional bass player and her mother taught music at NYC public schools. Liza studied piano from age 4-20 and as a young adult, performed regularly in and around New York City as a modern dancer and jazz/Brazilian vocalist. She holds a bachelor’s degree in “Dance, Community and Social Change” from the Gallatin School at New York University. In 2009, Liza co-founded UpBeat NYC with her husband, Richard Miller.

As director of UpBeat NYC, Liza has worn many hats–from piano teacher to grant writer, family choir director to parent coordinator–all with the belief in the power of music to build community. During her tenure as Co-Executive Director, UpBeat NYC has grown from serving a dozen students once per week to a program operating 6 days per week providing year round instrumental classes to hundreds of South Bronx children, with multiple string and wind ensembles, a youth orchestra and an Afro Latin jazz band. Liza and Rich live in the South Bronx with their 2 daughters.