Born and raised in Texas, Kristina Avila is a classical guitarist and composer with a BM in Classical Guitar from the University of Texas at Brownsville (now University of Texas Rio Grande Valley), under the direction of Dr. Michael Quantz and Dr. Jonathan Dotson (formerly of the Texas Guitar Quartet). Her classical guitar appearances include ensemble performances in the world-premiere of renowned Japanese composer Shingo Fujii's "Shiki" with the Grammy award-winning Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, the Guitar Foundation of America premiere of “Powerman” by film composer Graham Reynolds (Bernie, Where’d You Go Bernadette), and the world-premiere of "Austin Pictures" by Dr. Joe Williams II with the Miró String Quartet at Austin City Limits Moody Theater conducted by Austin Symphony Orchestra conductor Peter Bay.

It has since been broadcasted live on National Public Radio (NPR KUT 90.5 FM Austin and KMFA Classical 89.5 Austin), and has appeared on PBS KLRU Television. Other past ensemble performances include: the Texas State Capitol Rotunda in Austin, Texas, with the honorary presence of Texas Senator Eddie Lucio Jr.; the Mexican American Cultural Center of Austin, Texas; the Long Center for the Performing Arts in Austin, Texas, for the 2010 Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) convention; the 2014 Texas Music Educators Association Convention (TMEA) Showcase Performance, San Antonio, Texas; the Halligan-Ibbs Fine Arts Center at the University of Incarnate Word of San Antonio, Texas; and the Sam Houston State University Guitar Invitational in Huntsville, Texas.

As a solo performer, she has played for Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) International Competition winners, including Martha Masters (U.S.), Mary Akerman (U.S.), Goran Krivokapić (Belgrade), Florian Larousse (France), and Johannes Möller (Sweden); as well as for Jorge Caballero (Peru; First Guitarist to win the Naumburg International Competition Award), Jack Sanders (luthier and Soundboard Magazine columnist), Connie Sheu (GFA Board Member), and Dr. Enric Madriguera (Director of Guitar Studies at the University of Texas at Dallas).

Kristina’s composing style is influenced by both classical and jazz; having had the opportunity of jazz training with jazz guitarist Clay Moore while attending UTB. She has also received composition coaching lessons from GFA winner and composer Johannes Möller. Her piece for guitar quartet “Koi Out to Sea” was the 1st prize winner to the state-wide 2013 Austin Classical Guitar Society's Composition Competition for Texas-Based Composers, a competition open to composers of all levels, and was premiered in Austin, Texas, by a ninety piece guitar orchestra. Her work for solo guitar, “Vincent’s Night”, was premiered in concert and included on the forthcoming album by GFA’s 2006 International Competition Youth Division winner Thales Smith. "Vincent's Night" has also been featured on the nationally and internationally-broadcasted radio National Public Radio (NPR) show for classical guitar, Classical Guitar Alive! as performed by Kristen Waligora, as well as on the BBC Radio 3 show In Tune. In 2022, Kristina was also featured on the international bilingual music podcast Music in 2Flavors/Música en 2Sabores by Jaime Riera.

Kristina continues to compose and perform, and aspires to continue completing and further her graduate studies. She is a member of Austin Classical Guitar (ACG), Guitar Foundation of America (GFA), the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), and the American Society for Composers, Authors & Publishers (ASCAP). She has recently been listed in the Archiv Frau & Musik, an International Archive for Women in Music (Frankfurt, Germany), and the DONNE Big List of Women Composers (UK). Kristina is also currently a private student of nationwide competition winner and GFA International Competition finalist, Dr. Chad Ibison (Ibison Guitar Duo, Grammy-nominated Austin Guitar Quartet) . 

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