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Marissa Olegario was born on December 23, 1990 in San Jose, California, to parents Onofre and Faye Olegario and two older brothers Marlon and Geoffrey Olegario. The family moved to El Dorado Hills, California in 2001, where Marissa was introduced to music and played the clarinet for two years, before switching to the bassoon in sixth grade. For the past six years she has studied with Karen Gale in Sacramento, California.

Marissa has participated in numerous high school honor bands, the most recent being the Honor Band of America in Indianapolis, Indiana, in March, 2009. She has also attended many summer music camps including the National High School Music Institute at Northwestern University. Marissa is principal bassoonist of the Sacramento Youth Symphony Premiere Orchestra with whom she toured Eastern Europe during the summer of 2007. She has also been fortunate enough to attend the masterclasses of world renowned bassoonists John Miller and Frank Forst.

In addition to the John P. Paynter Memorial Scholarship, Marissa has received many full and partial scholarships to summer camps and workshops. Other honors include the 2007 Sacramento Valley Symphonic Band Association Youth Scholarship, Maestro Award at the San Francisco Heritage Festival in 2008, Dan Heistand Memorial Scholarship in 2009, and Honorable Mention for the Mondavi Center Young Artist Competition, 2009.

Marissa is a 2009 graduate of Oak Ridge High School, El Dorado Hills, California There she was a member of the marching band and wind ensemble under the direction of Paul Varoff. In addition to music, she enjoys outdoor activities, reading, and spending quality time with her friends and family. Next year, Marissa plans to attend a four-year college where she will pursue her passion for music and major in bassoon performance.