Ayra appears on Show 474.

Ayra Karlin (violin), 17, is from Miami, Florida, and was born in Santiago, Chile. She began playing the violin at age 7 and is currently a senior at Coral Reef Senior High School, where she serves as concertmaster of both the Chamber and Symphony Orchestras. She has studied privately with Laura Wilcox for the past eight years and is a member of the New World Symphony College Track Mentorship Program, studying with Morgan Bennett.

Ayra has performed in the New World Symphony Side-by-Side Orchestra for the past three seasons, working under Stéphane Denève, Molly Turner, Michael Tilson Thomas, Stephanie Childress, and Chad Goodman. She has also performed with the National Pathways Fellowship Orchestra, playing side-by-side with the Nashville Symphony under Giancarlo Guerrero in 2024 and the Chicago Symphony under Kyle Dickson in 2025.

Additional accolades include performing in the Florida All-State FMEA Orchestra from 2021-2025, winning first place in the Carmen Seepersad Memorial Scholarship Competition and the Ocala Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition, Junior Division, and being selected as a 2025 Fortissima Fellow at the Colburn School. Recently she was a semifinalist in the 29th annual Sphinx Competition Junior Division. Ayra has also enjoyed taking part in summer programs, including the Sphinx Performance Academy at the Cleveland Institute of Music and the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, the Miami Youth for Chamber Music (MyCM), and the VIA Music Academy.

Outside of music, Ayra enjoys going to the beach, writing, and spending time with her family and friends.

Receiving the Award will support Ayra by covering the extensive travel and lodging costs associated with college auditions. The funds will also cover the cost of a new, professional level case for her instrument.