Roberta dos Santos is a Brazilian cellist, teaching artist, and educator whose work bridges performance, higher education, and community engagement.

Originally from Brazil, she is currently based in Memphis, Tennessee, where she serves as a second-year Artist Fellow with the Iris Collective and is pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts in Cello Performance at the University of Memphis. Her artistic practice centers on creating meaningful musical experiences grounded in relationship-building, cultural context, and accessibility, working across concert stages, classrooms, healthcare environments, and community spaces in both the United States and Brazil.

Roberta’s artistic story is rooted in a commitment to connection and representation.

Growing up in Brazil and building her career across two countries, she has intentionally shaped a path that integrates performance excellence with service and cultural dialogue. Deeply committed to contemporary music and interdisciplinary collaboration, she seeks to amplify underrepresented voices in classical music while making the art form more accessible and relevant to diverse communities. Whether on stage, in the classroom, or in community-centered spaces, her work reflects a belief that music can foster belonging, spark curiosity, and strengthen human connection.

Among her most significant accomplishments is her work as an Iris Artist Fellow.

In this role, she designs and facilitates music-centered programs that connect performance with community engagement, leading participatory sessions in schools, hospitals, museums, and community organizations. As an active chamber musician, she collaborates across classical, contemporary, and cross-genre settings, performing with artists such as Don Bryant and The Bo-Keys, jazz pianist Shai Maestro, and participating in a DVD recording project with Brazilian artist Zé Ramalho. Her chamber collaborations include ensembles such as Blueshift Ensemble and Kaizen Piano Trio, through which she champions contemporary repertoire and new music. As an educator with over a decade of experience, she has served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and instructor for Introduction to Music at the University of Memphis, holds Suzuki Pedagogy certification through multiple course units, and has earned a Level 1 Endorsement in Paul Rolland String Pedagogy. She also holds a Master of Music from Bowling Green State University, an Artist Diploma from Nicholls State University, and a Master of Music from the Federal University of Brazil.