Our Teachers

Dr. Keenan Boswell is a highly regarded keyboardist, vocal coach, music teacher and composer. Dr. Boswell received a Bachelors in Organ Performance from The Juilliard School, a Masters in Organ Performance from Westminster Choir College and a Doctorate in Opera Coaching from The University of Texas in Austin. As a keyboardist for the Carmel Bach Festival between 2014 and 2018, Dr. Boswell served as chorale accompanist, orchestral keyboardist and collaborative pianist for the festival’s main stage solo vocal concerts. Selections from his voice-piano song cycle Trinity were premiered to much acclaim during one of the featured main stage concerts during the 2018 festival. As a composer, Dr. Boswell’s works have been and continue to be performed across the United States in schools, churches and concert halls. Most recently, he has released several full length albums that can be found on all streaming platforms. Dr. Boswell is passionate about connecting people through music and desires to encourage and empower others to pursue their creative potential through musical expression.

Elias Ramirez Jr. is a music educator and instructor specializing in saxophone and piano lessons. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Stetson University and currently teaches elementary music in Hillsborough County Public Schools. Elias is passionate about helping students build confidence, develop strong musical skills, and foster a lifelong love of music through engaging and personalized instruction.

Patrick is a performer and composer from Tampa Bay with a varied skill set. He is a multi-instrumentalist that strives to make learning about music a fulfilling, lifelong journey. With over 10 years of experience teaching private lessons, group classes, and marching percussion clinics, Patrick uses a wide variety of tools to help students achieve their goals. A percussionist at heart, he's played with ensembles such as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Buc-Beat Line, the Tampa Bay Lightning Drumline, Infinity Percussion, Heatwave Drum and Bugle Corps, and the USF Herd of Thunder Marching Band. He is no stranger to the drumset and has performed with a pit orchestra for productions of Hairspray, The Drowsy Chaperone, Legally Blonde, and The Little Mermaid. As a vocalist, Patrick enjoys performing classical and contemporary choral music with the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, the principal choir of the Florida Orchestra. He also writes and performs songs with his beachy prog-pop group, That Idiot's Funeral, where he plays guitar, piano, and sings. He discovered a love for film at an early age and has composed notable scores for short films shot in Tampa Bay including "Doris" and "Phasing Fantomu". No matter the specific musical discipline, Patrick lets an infectious passion for music and art as a whole shine through, inspiring his students to build confidence in their technique and vision.

Blaine Dillinger has dedicated his life to the art of music, both as a performer and an educator. As a member of the internationally acclaimed band HIRIE, he brings passion and skill to every performance. As a session musician, Blaine showcases a diverse range of techniques and genres in his playing. With 20 years of experience teaching guitar and a music degree from The Ohio State University, Blaine has guided countless students on their musical journeys. His lessons blend technical expertise with a personal touch, creating an environment where students of all levels can thrive. Beyond the technical aspects of music, Blaine has a goal to inspire people to explore their musical passions in life. Beyond the classroom Blaine enjoys spending time with his loved ones and has a passion for nature, especially reptiles.

José Antonio Alabre Cabrera is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, record producer, and musical director whose career spans more than 25 years across Cuba, Europe, and the United States. Born in Guantánamo, Cuba, in 1978, he trained from an early age at the "Regino Eladio Boti" Vocational Art School and the "José María Ochoa" Music Conservatory before earning a Bachelor of Music in Percussion from the Higher Institute of Art (ISA) in Havana, one of Cuba's most prestigious conservatories. Alabre's early professional years placed him at the center of Cuba's Afro-Cuban and jazz scenes. As a co-founder of the ISA's Eterno Son Quartet, he represented Cuba at the Latin American Music Festival in Sweden in 2001 and recorded the soundtrack for the feature film *Mala Habana* alongside master Roberto Carcassés. His work as a festival composer and percussionist at the PerCuba International Festival brought him into rhythm collaborations with Brazilian samba schools, while a European tour with the "Santa Palabra" Orchestra took him through Belgium and the Netherlands. In 2003, he recorded percussion and drums on Chucho Valdés' album *New Conceptions*, which won a Grammy Award that year, and later that same year he performed as drummer and pianist in Tropicana's international show "Let's Be Wild" in Monte Carlo, Monaco, under the direction of master Santiago Alfonso. From 2002 to 2007, Alabre served as principal drummer and later lead pianist for the "Diákara" Orchestra, led by master Oscar Valdés, and performed with the Gala Mayor Jazz Quintet at the Cayman Islands International Jazz Festival. Between 2005 and 2011, he composed original scores for film and theater, including the short film *Domingo* and the Mexican feature *Del plomero me encargo yo*, the theatrical play *Derrota*, and a series of educational animated soundtracks for UNICEF broadcast across Cuba and Latin America. From 2008 to 2013, Alabre held the role of Musical Director, lead pianist, and record producer for the Leoni Torres Orchestra, overseeing orchestral arrangements and live performance for arena concerts, television broadcasts, and album releases. He produced the album *Latiendo* (2011, EGREM Label), which earned a Cubadisco nomination for Best Pop Music Production in 2013, and served as musical director for the live concert release *Bajo la piel* (2008, EGREM Label). During this period, he headlined international tours across Canada and the United States. He now resides in Spring Hill, Florida where he continues to teach and compose.

David is a Tampa based violinist and has enjoyed teaching for over 15 years. He has performed with the Lakeland symphony as a section violinist for several years along with various professional engagements throughout the bay area. He is the winner of the 2009 young artist competition at the University of North Florida, and studied at the University of South Florida under Carolyn Stuart. David has also studied with various violinists and professors within the Florida Orchestra, University of North Florida, Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival and currently enjoys a career as a violinist serving the needs of the musical community in the Tampa Bay area. As a teacher he is Suzuki Certified as well as a proud mentor to many violinists who have gone on to their own musical careers. David specializes in audition preparation as well as setting up new violinists with proper technique and clear direction to becoming a well trained musician. David has taught group classes at Lawton Chiles Elementary, Hunter’s Green Elementary, and Lutz Prep as well as teaching master classes at Wesley Chapel High School and Riverview High School.

Paul is a solo guitarist based out of Lakeland and started his musical journey in 2008. Being classically trained since age 10, his passion is deep for the art of the solo guitar as a concert instrument. Earning his Bachelors Degree in Classical Guitar performance, with a minor in Jazz studies from Frostburg State University, Paul has had the opportunity to study with many critically acclaimed concert musicians and Grammy Award winners. Originally from Maryland, Paul has experience teaching in both a classroom setting, as well as private one-on-one lessons with students of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels. In his free time, Paul enjoys arranging jazz standards for solo guitar and performing at local venues and events throughout the Tampa Bay region.