| The Dia DiCristino Website |
Biography
Dia DiCristino was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. From a young age she was
interested in music -- at 14 she was accepted into the Girard Academic Music Program and
graduated in 1998 with her high school diploma. While there she participated in a multitude of
choirs, one of which traveled to Italy in 1998. The trip culminated in an impromptu
performance inside the Vatican.
After GAMP, Dia moved on to Immaculata University where she received her BA degrees in
both Music and Theology in 2004. In 2002 she began her senior year at university , but
unfortunately was diagnosed with an Arachnoid Cyst on the brain -- it covered more than 1/4 of
her brain including the occipital lobes and cerebellum. This caused Dia to have over 15 surgeries, 11 of which were in the brain,in the next 14 months.
She suffers from hydrocephalus and has failed every single adult VP
shunt system available in Philadelphia. Dia was fitted with half pediatric shunt, half adult in
2004.
In 2003 Dia founded the Arachnoid Cyst Awareness organization, which brings support and encouragement to all Arachnoid Cyst patients and their loved ones. She has worked tirelessly to educate those newly diagnosed (and even doctors), about the real dangers of an Arachnoid Cyst, and to abolish the awful stigma,"It's all in your head", associated with the symptoms of Arachnoid Cysts.
Because of her health problems, music had to take a back seat for a while, but in 2004, just 3
months after her last surgery, Dia recorded a live album, entitled Five Songs, in St. Peter's
Church, Staines, London under the direction of Wynford Evans. She studied with Wynford for almost a decade and was devastated when he past away in September 2009.
In 2007 Dia released her debut jazz album, After the Storm, and made her first music video for
the song Moon River.
Dia currently resides in the UK with her small dogs Figaro, Pinocchio and Desdemona -- she makes frequent trips to the US when her health permits. Dia enjoys cooking and created "Cooking With Dia" in 2004. What used to be a series of cooking tutorial videos, has now become a successful cooking blog. She specializes in comfort food for those with dietary restrictions. Dia herself is vegan and her musical inspirations range from Maria Callas to Philippe Entremont.
interested in music -- at 14 she was accepted into the Girard Academic Music Program and
graduated in 1998 with her high school diploma. While there she participated in a multitude of
choirs, one of which traveled to Italy in 1998. The trip culminated in an impromptu
performance inside the Vatican.
After GAMP, Dia moved on to Immaculata University where she received her BA degrees in
both Music and Theology in 2004. In 2002 she began her senior year at university , but
unfortunately was diagnosed with an Arachnoid Cyst on the brain -- it covered more than 1/4 of
her brain including the occipital lobes and cerebellum. This caused Dia to have over 15 surgeries, 11 of which were in the brain,in the next 14 months.
She suffers from hydrocephalus and has failed every single adult VP
shunt system available in Philadelphia. Dia was fitted with half pediatric shunt, half adult in
2004.
In 2003 Dia founded the Arachnoid Cyst Awareness organization, which brings support and encouragement to all Arachnoid Cyst patients and their loved ones. She has worked tirelessly to educate those newly diagnosed (and even doctors), about the real dangers of an Arachnoid Cyst, and to abolish the awful stigma,"It's all in your head", associated with the symptoms of Arachnoid Cysts.
Because of her health problems, music had to take a back seat for a while, but in 2004, just 3
months after her last surgery, Dia recorded a live album, entitled Five Songs, in St. Peter's
Church, Staines, London under the direction of Wynford Evans. She studied with Wynford for almost a decade and was devastated when he past away in September 2009.
In 2007 Dia released her debut jazz album, After the Storm, and made her first music video for
the song Moon River.
Dia currently resides in the UK with her small dogs Figaro, Pinocchio and Desdemona -- she makes frequent trips to the US when her health permits. Dia enjoys cooking and created "Cooking With Dia" in 2004. What used to be a series of cooking tutorial videos, has now become a successful cooking blog. She specializes in comfort food for those with dietary restrictions. Dia herself is vegan and her musical inspirations range from Maria Callas to Philippe Entremont.