Preparatory School Faculty

Rosa María Sierra González (Suzuki viola and violin)
– Coordinator of the Symphonic Strings area
and director of the elementary orchestra of the EP

Professor Sierra has been part of the Preparatory School faculty since 2010 offering viola and violin classes. Additionally, she is the director of the Elementary String Orchestra. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Viola Performance and a Master's Degree from the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music. On the other hand, he acquired the Suzuki Method certification.
Rosa is the creator of Cantarines, a musical program for infants and children. Additionally, she is executive director of the non-profit Foundation, Festival Cellistiko PR INC. On the other hand, in 2017, together with 27 participating students from the Elementary School Orchestra, they won first place in the “Orlando Heritage Festival the WoldStrides on Stages”.

Rosa's favorite composers:
JS Bach, L. van Beethoven, B. Bartok, H. Villalobos, R. Clarke, R. Hernández, P. Flores, T. Curet, among others.

Ramonita Leandry – violin and Suzuki fiddle

Enid Leandry – violin and Suzuki fiddle

Lourdes Negron – violin and viola

Veronica Quevedo -violin, Suzuki violin and Suzuki area coordinator

John Rivera - double bass

Reinaldo Robles - Double bass

Brenda Tirado – Suzuki cello and cello

Magda Torres – Suzuki cello and cello

Mayra Urdaz – violin and Suzuki fiddle

Alexis Velazquez – violin, director of the EP Advanced Orchestra

Magda Torres Pérez – cello

Magda began teaching classes at the Preparatory School since 2020. Offering Kindermusik, traditional Cello and Suzuki Method classes. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Instrumental Music Education with a concentration in Cello from the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music and a Master's Degree in Education from Cambridge College. On the other hand, he has Certifications in Kindermusik, Suzuki in Cello and Kodaly. Additionally, she has been a teacher in the Puerto Rico Department of Education for 27 years.

Diego Irizarry Ríos (Suzuki violin and piano)

José Álvarez Esquilín (violin)

Hector Mercado Chapman (violin, viola, cello)

Danira Rodríguez (violin)

Paula Lastra (violin)

Gabriela Rodríguez (violin)

Yelisa Alemán (cello)

Javier Tirado (cello)

Diana Figueroa (piano)- Piano area coordinator

Kirine Baez – Suzuki piano

Diana Figueroa Brañuelas – piano and Suzuki piano
Professor Figueroa Brañuelas has been an outstanding Piano teacher at the Elementary and Pre-University Levels of the Preparatory School for more than 20 years. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Piano from Peabody Institute University and a Master's Degree from Cambridge College. In addition, he has the Suzuki Method Piano Certification and is a member of the Music Teachers National Association.
Diana is a Piano teacher at the Ernesto Ramos Antonini Free School of Music and at the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music. In addition, he is a pianist of the Sanromá Trio and a member of the Gil-Figueroa Piano Duo. On the other hand, he won the First Prize in the Jesús María Sanromá Piano Competition in 1980.
She has participated as a pianist in the Casals Festival, the Inter-American Festival of the Arts, Pro-Arte Musical, the Inaugural Concert Series of the Fine Arts Center in Santurce and the Jesús María Sanromá Hall of the Bertita and Guillermo Martinez Theater of the Conservatory of Music in Puerto Rico. And he has participated in the recordings of compact discs such as: Art Song for Children and Adults with a Child's Heart with the mezzo soprano Ilca López, El Paisaje y Su Sombra: Puerto Rican Art Song with Ilca López, Caribe Clarinete with the clarinetist Kathleen Jones and Contemporary Puerto Rican Works with Camerata Caribe.

Liza Freire – Suzuki piano

Evelyn Melendez – piano

Mercedes Mercado – piano

Jorge Ramos - Accompanying pianist

Rafael Rodriguez – piano and accompanying pianist

Joshua Gonzalez – piano

Tatiana Velez – piano and Suzuki piano

Javier Verardi – piano

Evelyn Melendez Dohnert – piano
Evelyn has excelled as a piano teacher at the Preparatory School since 1996. She has a Bachelor of Music with a concentration in Piano from the “New England Conservatory” and a Master of Music with a Concentration in Piano from Indiana University.
She has offered classes at the University of Indiana, Elementary School of the University of Puerto Rico, Leonardo Egúrbida Music Academy, among other places. In addition, he has been an accompanying pianist for Ballet and Szuzuki method schools. On the other hand, he has presented Piano recitals at the Ateneo Puertorriqueño, Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, at the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, Boston, Indiana, among others.
Evelyn's Favorite Composers:
Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Frédéric Chopin, Sergei Rachmaninoff, among others.

Javier Verardi Matos -piano

Professor Verardi has been offering the Fundamentals of Music and Piano Courses in the Pre-university Program at the CMPR Preparatory School since 2017. He began his piano studies as a child, with Professor Luz N. Hutchinson being one of his teachers. He studied in the then CMPR Children's Strings Program until he finished high school. Graduated in Chemical Engineering from the Mayagüez University Campus in 1997. In 2000 he entered the Piano Department of the CMPR under the tutelage of Cecilia Talavera. He was the winner of the interdepartmental piano competition, which earned him the opportunity to play Mozart's Concerto in A Major K.414, with the CMPR Symphony Orchestra in 2002. He graduated First Average of the Graduating Class of 2005. In addition, He was an accompanying pianist for the UPR Lyric Theater choir. He has participated in multiple recitals including the Multipiano Fest.

Adriel Montañez Medina

Emilio Otero Maldonado

Ramon Caballero Moreno

Jesús Díaz (piano, Suzuki piano)

Giselle Moraga (piano)

Ruben Santiago (Classical and electric guitar)
– Coordinator of the Plucked Strings area

Ileana Colon Oliveras - harp

Luis Enrique Juliá - guitar

Orlando Laureano – four Puerto Rican

Gil Bryan Morales – four Puerto Rican

Angel of the River - classic guitar

Adamarys Quiles Vélez – Suzuki guitar
Professor Quiles Vélez has been teaching Suzuki guitar classes at the Preparatory School since 2013. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Music with a Concentration in Guitar Performance. He is currently studying a Master's Degree in Music Therapy at the University of La Rioja. In addition, it has Suzuki Certifications for Guitar.
She has Certifications in Musical Awakening at the Infant and Preschool Levels and has been a Musical Awakening Mentor and Trainer since 2014. On the other hand, she is a Suzuki Guitar teacher at the Puerto Rican School for Music since 2011.

Ernesto Ramos – classical and electric guitar

Enrique Alvarez - electric guitar

John Rivera - electric bass

Reinaldo Robles - electric bass

Gian Carlo Rodríguez Cumba – classical and Suzuki guitar
Rodríguez Cumba has been a Guitar teacher at the Preparatory School since 2019. He has a Bachelor's Degree in General Musical Education from the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music and has a Suzuki Method Certification in Guitar.
He is part of the teaching profession at the Puerto Rico Department of Education and is also a guitar teacher in the 100×35 Music Program. In addition, he is the founder of the musical group Ordinarios and is a music producer for different talents from various musical genres. He has performed at the Cardinal Festival, the Claridad Festival, among others.
Composers and Favorite Works of Gian Carlo:
Some of his favorite composers are: Antonio Carlos Jobim, Claude Debussy, Erik Satie, Bill Evans, Sergio Assad, JS Bach, King Krule, Luis Alberto Spinnetta, Phoenix, Thundercat, Jorge Drexler, Brakence, Sen Senra, Bandalos Chinos, The Marias , Alizzz, Still Woozy, among others.

Hector Vazquez – classical, electric and Suzuki guitar

Since 2016, Héctor has been a Guitar Teacher and director of the Guitar Ensemble at the Preparatory School. He has a Bachelor of Arts-Performance in Classical Guitar from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In addition, he has a master's degree from the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, is a Certified Suzuki Guitar teacher and is a Master of the Austin Guitar Curriculum.

Héctor is also active in the music scene in Puerto Rico, performing as a soloist at various events around the island. He has placed as a finalist and semi-finalist in prestigious guitar competitions such as: “Memphis Guitar Competition”, “Wilson Center Guitar Competition”, “Columbus Guitar Competition”. He has played in various places within Puerto Rico, Spain and several states in the US, such as: Wisconsin, North Carolina, Florida, New York, Tennessee among others. On the other hand, he has had the opportunity to study with renowned guitarists such as: Manuel Barrueco, Alvaro Pierri, Scott Tennant, Judicael Perroy, Pablo Garibay, Jorge Caballero, Xu-Fei Yang, Rovshan Mamedkuliev, Jeffrey McFadden, Dale Kavanagh, among others.

Héctor's Favorite Composers and Works:
Chaconna in D Minor BWV 1004 by JS Bach, Sueño en la Floresta by Agustín Barrios Mangoré, Concerto de Aranjuez by Joaquín Rodrigo, For the Love of God by Steve Vai, Windows to the Soul by Steve Vai, Scarified by Racer X, among others .

Enrique Alvarez Negron – classical, electric and Suzuki guitar

Enrique has been part of the faculty of the Preparatory School since 2023. He has stood out as a teacher of Classical Guitar and Electric Guitar. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Guitar Performance from the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, obtaining the Jerry Caudill Scholarship.
He worked as musical director of the Tuna los Bardos of the UPR, is a founding member of the progressive rock band Los Olmos and is part of the Orfeón San Juan Bautista Choir, standing out in the bass section. Additionally, he works as a recording engineer and is currently producing for the rock band Zarandajo.

Emmanuel Lugo Texidor (Suzuki guitar, classical and electric)

Manuel Charres (guitar)

Lemuel Luyando (Puerto Rican cuatro)

Julio Carrión– saxophone

Jorge Morales Quiñones –latin percussion
Since 2018, Jorge has been a percussion teacher, both Latin and Orchestral, he also teaches Fundamentals of Music classes at the Preparatory School and directs the St. John School Band (a collaborative project between the school and the Preparatory School). Jorge has a bachelor's degree in Orchestral Percussion Instrument Performance from the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music.
He has been a member of the Brenda Hopkins Quartet, William Cepeda Afro-Rican Jazz Ensemble, Fusión Jonda, Banda Municipal de Bayamón and collaborated as an additional musician with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, among others.

Joshua Pantoja - trunk

Julio Pena -trombone

Nathalia Pérez – Suzuki flute and flute

Genesio Riboldi – clarinet

Jose Javier Santiago – classical drums and percussion
José has been a Drum and Percussion teacher at the Preparatory School since 2015. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Music Performance with a Concentration in Percussion from the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music. In addition, he has a Master's degree from the University of Miami.
This has been performed in such distinguished venues as Carnegie Hall in New York, the Grand Ole Opry and Rayman Auditorium, both in Tennessee, among other theaters in the United States. He has been a professor at different entities such as the Inter-American University of San German, “Fine Arts Summer Academy” in North Carolina and Tennessee. On the other hand, he has also belonged to the following groups: Latin Continental Singers and Orchestra, TRUTH, Annie Moses Band, among others. And he is an endorsed artist of the “Innovative Percussion” and “Logo Custom Drums” brands.

Diana Valdes– drums and classical percussion, director of EP percussion ensembles

Diana is a teacher of Percussion, Drums and director of the Percussion Ensemble at the Preparatory School since 1990. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Performance with a concentration in Orchestral Percussion from the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music and a Master's Degree in Percussion from Indiana University. Bloomington.

She was a Percussion Professor at the Inter-American University of San Germán where she received a distinction as Outstanding Professor in 1995. She is currently a percussion professor at the Ernesto Ramos Antonini Free School of Music of the Department of Education of Puerto Rico. He has been a member of different groups such as Conjunto Fiesta under the direction of Juan Correo -Lago and the State Band of Puerto Rico under the direction of Lito Peña.

Diana's Favorite Composers and Works are:
Rafael Hernández (El Cumbanchero), Pedro Flores, Lito Peña (his arrangements), Sylvia Rexach (Caravan of Memories), Nathan Daughtrey (Lost Souls for Percussion Ensemble), Michel Camilo (On Fire), among others.

Jorge Luis Morales Quiñones – percussion

Since 2018, Jorge has been a percussion teacher, both Latin and Orchestral, he also teaches Fundamentals of Music classes at the Preparatory School and directs the St. John School Band (a collaborative project between the school and the Preparatory School). Jorge has a bachelor's degree in Orchestral Percussion Instrument Performance from the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music.
In addition to being a teacher, he has stood out as a percussionist and has been a member of different groups such as the Brenda Hopkins Quartet, William Cepeda Afro-Rican Jazz Ensemble, Fusión Jonda, Banda Municipal de Bayamón and collaborated as an additional musician with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, among others. others.

Joseph Gutierrez Serrano (percussion)

Gerson de la Rosa – Wind and Percussion Coordinator

Gabriela Acevedo (saxophone, flute and clarinet)

Mario Ángel Marulanda (trombone)

Darío Tabales (trumpet)

Jesús Ramos (oboe)

Nathalia Pérez– Music Fundamentals Coordinator

Heidi Acevedo

Nathalia Pérez

Julio Pena

Odra Velez
Odra is part of the faculty that offers the Fundamentals of Music courses and has been doing so since 1998. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Puerto Rico, a Bachelor's Degree in Musical Education from the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music and a Master's Degree in Special Education from Cambridge College.

Professor Velez-Chetrangolo is part of the Department of Education of Puerto Rico, where she has worked as a teacher since 1998. In addition, she has worked as a choralist in different choral institutions such as Ars Vocalis, Camerata Coral, Ensamble Aponwao, among others.

Odra's Favorite Composers and Works:
He loves the music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and musical genres such as Opera and Zarzuela.

Javier Verardi

Rubén Ríos

Bartolo Vargas

Marcelino Alcala – Coordinator of the Dance and Musical Theater area

Kimberly Garcia – Singing area coordinator

Marcelino Alcala– dance and Musical Theater

Sylvia Aponte

Jaylinn Casiano

Jo-Anne Herrero – Director of the Elementary and Youth Choirs

Kimberly Garcia

Carlos Ortiz

Carlos has been a Popular and Classical Singing teacher at the Preparatory School since January 2023. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Singing Performance (Tenor) from the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico and also has a Master's Degree from the Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu de Barcelona.

In his short career, he has played roles such as: Jenik from The Sold Bride (B. Smetana), Schmidt from Werther (J. Massenet), the title role in Thamos (WA Mozart), and also gave life to the role of Tamino from The Magic Flute (WA Mozart), which he has performed at the CMPR, the New York Lyric Opera and the Palau de la Música Catalana. In 2020 he played the role of Gastone in the production of Traviata (G. Verdi) with Amics de L'Ópera de Sabadell, with whom he also plays the role of Malcolm in the Opera Macbeth (G. Verdi).

In 2021 he debuts as Tenor Soloist of WA Mozart's Requiem, at the Palau de la Música Catalana and Casa de la Cultura Auditorium in Almuñécar. In 2021, he also participates with the Barcelona Chamber Opera in La Ópera de 4 Notas, by Tom Johnson, produced by Paco Mir. In 2022 he participated in Mozart's Requiem with the Vallès Symphony Orchestra, around Barcelona, including at La Sagrada Familia as part of the Inaugural Concert of Holy Week 2022.

Composers and Favorite Works of Carlos:
The Requiem by WA Mozart and The Magic Flute by WA Mozart.

Elizabeth Rodriguez

Luz Santana

Nicole Sepulveda

Sylvia Aponte Rivera

Graduated first average of Baccalaureate in Modern Languages from the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) in 2001. The same year she entered the Department of Singing at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico (CMPR) under the tutelage of Zoraida López and finishes the degree with soprano Elizabeth Pacheco Rose. During his bachelor's degree in music he receives classes and is part of the baritone Justino Díaz's seminar. In 2003, as part of the Centennial celebration of the University of Puerto Rico, she was invited to sing a recital at the Luis Muñoz Marín Foundation. She obtained her Baccalaureate degree, graduating Second Average in the Class of 2005, being the first blind person to graduate from said institution. In 2005 he entered the University of South Carolina with Dr. Tina Milhorn Stallard, completing his master's degree in music in 2007. At that institution he starred in the opera L'Italiana in Algeri by Rossini and Le docteur Miracle by Bizet. He has also performed with figures such as the harpist Lizary Rodríguez and the pianist and composer Víctor Meléndez Donhërt. He has participated in several concert tours with Pro-Arte Lírico. She has been a singing teacher at the Preparatory School of the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music since 2007. On the other hand, in 2019 she obtained a Ph.D. in Linguistics from the English Department of the UPR.

Carla De Jesús Reyes (singing)

Laura Pabón (classical singing)

Camila Otero (popular song)

Xaymara Guzman– Early Training Coordinator

Heidi Acevedo

Yeliza Alemán

Xaymara Guzman

Bryant Nieves

Magda Torres

Elizabeth Berrios – Lyrical Singing Seminar

Rosa Sierra –Elementary Orchestra

Keren Torres Díaz – Elementary and Intermediate Orchestra assistant

Hector Mercado –Intermediate Orchestra

Alexis Velazquez –Advanced Orchestra

Nelson Corchado – Concert Band

Julio Carrión – Concert Band assistant

Jo-Anne Herrero–Elementary Choir and Youth Choir

Angel Del Rio –Guitar orchestra

Hector Vazquez – Guitar ensemble

Ruben Santiago – Rondalla

Nathalia Pérez– Flute ensemble

Angel D. Mattos– Big Band, Jazz Ensemble

Joshua Pantoja– Improvisation, French Horn Seminar

Kimberly Garcia – Singing Seminar – Musical Theater Repertoire

Diana Figueroa – Pre-University Piano Seminar

Jose J. Santiago– Battery Seminar

Bartolo Vargas– Flex Band