Mahani is a Steinway artist and cultural ambassador for Easter Island. She is the winner of numerous international piano competitions and the most renown pianist of her generation in Chile. A native of the legendary Easter Island (a UNESCO archaeological site), Mahani is her island’s only professional classical musician. She debuted as a pianist at the age of nine when she accompanied the Chilean pianist Roberto Bravo on a series of concert tours.
At the age of eighteen Mahani earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Austral University in Valdivia, Chile, with highest honors while studying with Ximena Cabello. She received a Master of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, USA, in 2005, under the tutelage of Sergei Babayan and completed her post-graduate studies in Berlin, Germany, in 2011 studying with Fabio Bidini at the Hanns Eisler Musik Hochschule obtaining the Konzertexam.
Mahani has performed in all continents except Africa, including Antartica. She has performed in important halls of Europe, America and Asia as well as in unconventional places such as hospitals, schools, jails and slums in a need to share the profound and healing power of music with all. She has played for the past five presidents of Chile, for the Chilean Congress, Embassies in various countries and in symbolic places such as the facade of Brandemburger Tor.
In 2008 Mahani was awarded the Apes Prize in Chile for best classical performance for her Rachmaninov Concerto No. 1. That same year as well as in 2016 she was distinguished as one of the 100 Women Leaders of her country. Since than many other prizes and recognitions have followed.
In 2012 she was co- founder of the non-profit organization Toki Rapanui creating the first School of Music and the Arts of Easter Island. The school offers lessons in various instruments (classical and traditional Polynesian) to more than 70 children. NGO Toki Rapa Nui seeks to give opportunities to children as well as attending to the social and cultural rescue. Toki built the Music school- a completely self-sustainable construction unique in Latin America and Polynesia- using recyclable materials, solar energy and water collectors as well as developing a big organic agro-ecological project, focused on a more sustainable island.
Mahani currently lives on Easter Island, combining concert tours, with work at the Music School and motherhood.