Alma Lisa Fernandez, Violist, is from Solana Beach, California. She attended the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and UCLA, where she recieved a Master's Degree in Viola Performance. Her primary teachers include Mary Gerard, Jeffrey Irvine, Evan Wilson, and Ralph Fielding. While attending UCLA, she was a member of the Alma String Quartet, which received the Russell Award at the Coleman Chamber Music Competition (2000). Since 2003, she has been a member of the Denali String Quartet, which performs regularly at the Jacaranda Chamber Music Series in Santa Monica. The quartet has been featured in Strad Magazine (November, 2006), and has been described as offering "...all-out intrigue,..."(City Beat).

In April, 2007 Alma performed the U.S. premier of Tigran Mansurian? Duo for Percussion and Viola as part of the Synergy Ensemble Chamber Music Series. She also performed in a string quartet by the same composer as part of the Dilijan Chamber Music Series, reviewed as a "...gripping, expert performance..." (Mark Swed, LA Times).

Alma has performed with the Capitol Ensemble as part of the Sundays Live Radio Broadcast Series at LACMA--she has performed numerous concerts for this series with Mladi. She has also been a part of Mladi performances at the UCLA Bruman Chamber Music Series.

Alma teaches viola privately and at the Oakwood Elementary School. She is a member of the Quimby String Trio--an ensemble devoted to performing for children at various schools in the Los Angeles area.

Alma is also active in the Los Angeles recording industry, having played for numerous record albums and motion picture soundtracks. In 2007 she was a part of the orchestra that played for the Academy Awards. Alma has performed on the Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Show, and Ellen DeGeneres Show with various groups. She is a member of the New West Symphony and Pasadena Pops Orchestra, and is a previous member of Opera Pacific and the San Bernardino Symphony. She performs regularly with the L.A. Opera Orchestra, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, and Long Beach Symphony.

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