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ARTISTIC STAFF

Michael Carey, Brass & Woodwinds Instructor, toured with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra under the direction of Buddy Morrow. He then played on several cruise ships backing up Phil Woods, the Platters and the Crystals. He debuted at the Regatta Bar in 2006 with New York bases Bjorkestra. Michael is currently the Band Director at the Ryan school in Tewksbury. Additionally, he teaches at the Brookline Public Schools and privately in Boston. Michael earned his Bachelor's Degree inMjsic from the Universtiy of Massachusetts, Amhers with a minor in Music Theory. Michael also attended teh University of North Texas where he studied classical and jazz saxophone. He has studied with Yusef Lateef, Jeff Holmes, Chris Mertz, Adam Kolker, Ravi Coltrane and George Garzone.

Jeremy David Cohen, African Drumming Instructor, is a composer, educator and percussionist. He holds a B.A. from U.C. Berkeley and a master’s from New England Conservatory and studied traditional drumming in Ghana under the Agbeli brothers. Through his organization ThisWorldMusic, he has led professional development workshops for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, New England Conservatory and school districts around the country, including Providence, RI; Oakland, CA; Worcester, MA; and Memphis, TN. Mr. Cohen works with incarcerated youth through the non-profit Unlocking the Light and is an Adjunct Professor at Westfield State College, University of Southern Maine, Central Connecticut State University and UMass Amherst, where he leads field study courses in Ghana. He sits on the Young Audiences of Massachusetts Board of Directors.

Leonardo Colon, Guitar & Bass Instructor/Small Ensemble Leader, born in the Dominican Republic, Leo attended the Conservatorio Nacional de Santo Domingo and moved to Boston in 1995 where he studied jazz improvisation with Charlie Banacos, Jay Weik and Steve Neil. In 1998, Leo led a jazz quartet featuring Martin Dalmasi on sax, and has been a member of the R&B/Funk/Raggae band "In the House" since 1999. In 2001, Leo joined the Christ Episcopal church in Hyde Park, as the musical director Leo has been teaching privately since 1990 and began teaching at ZUMIX in 1998. A multi instrumentalist, (Guitar, Bass, Piano) Leo founded the Divercity Band in 2001 along with Mario Aranda.

Marlene Del Rosario, Piano Instructor, is a composer, vocalist and pianist. She leads The Marlene Jazz Ensemble and is a regular in the New England jazz circuit. Opening for world-renowned Cuban pianist, Omar Sosa at the 2008 Philippine International Jazz Festival, Marlene has also performed and appeared on television in the Philippines, Peru and in Boston.  She has entertained Princess Chulabhorn of Thailand as well as Filipino Presidents, Fidel Ramos and Cory Aquino, and recently, Massachusetts governor, Deval Patrick, Mayor Menino and local senators.  She is also Musical Director for the Citi Performing Arts Center's Celebrate Musical Theater Sing Out Loud Workshops. Other credits include representing her country and winning 2nd place at an international competition in Japan for her peace-themed composition, which was also performed for Pope John Paul II for an audience of over a million. Marlene was also musical director for several school musicals (Umana Barnes and the Park School), as well as ZUMIX’s Warmth program. Her discography includes a children’s Ballet album and two US-released CDs, including the latest, “Marlene LIVE with a Little Help from Her Friends”, which has garnered critical praise and is played in jazz stations nationally and in Canada. Marlene is a native of Manila, Philippines and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Management Economics.  She moved to the US to pursue musical studies at the Berklee College of Music and has studied under Lazlo Gardony, Cheryl Bentyn, Livingston Taylor and Bob Gullotti.

Nick Grondin, Guitar Instructor, an experienced performer and award-winning composer, Nick has presented his music to audiences throughout the U.S. and Europe. As a guitarist, he leads the Nick Grondin Group, a cutting-edge jazz quinmtet. As a composer, Nick creates works for both small and alrge jazz ensembles. His pieces for jazz orchestra have received awards such as the 2008 ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award and 2007 DownBeat Magazine Student Music Award for Best Extended Jazz Composition. They have been performed by groups from Paris, France to Boston, MA. He leads and conducts the Nick Grondin Jazz Orchestra. Nick received a Master of Music in Jazz Composition from the New England Conservatory, where he studied with greats such as Jerry Bergonzi and Frank Carlberg. He has participated in master classes with Bob Brooklmeyer, Dave Holland, Jim McNeedy and Ben Moner. Before coming to Boston, Nick attende th eEdim School of Maodern Music in Paris ,France adn earned his Bachelros Degree from Macalester College in St. Paul, MN.

Laura Macias, Piano Instructor, received her Bachelors in Music Composition and Theory from the Petrie School of Music and her Masters in Music Composition from the Longy School of Music. The recipient of numerous music awards, Laura taught keyboard harmony at the Longy School, Music Theory at the YWCA Summer Music Camp for Young Pianists (El Paso, TX), and was a Children's Spanish Choir Director and Composer in Residence for the St. Paul Catholic Church in Spartanburg, SC. Laura is trilingual (English, Spanish and French). She was recently accepted into the New England Conservatory's Kodály Music Institute where she will receive a Kodály Teacher Certificate.

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Ed Meradith, Piano Instructor, is a long-time Boston area musician who's been teaching piano at ZUMIX for three years running. Mr. Ed's other musical activities at ZUMIX include working with the DiverCity band and the UB's. Also a composer, songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist, Ed has just released a full length CD entitled SWIM (which features some of the other ZUMIX Staff as well as co-producer Daniel Fox). His past credits include choral conducting, and writing and arranging music for plays and a movie. Ed currently can be seen and heard at the Boston Harbor Hotel Thursdays through Saturdays in the 'Intrigue' Lounge.

Ben Paulding, Drumset & Percussion Instructor, is a Boston-based musician who plays drumset, traditional Ghanaian drums, concert percussion, steel drums, and an assortment of other percussion instruments from around the globe. Ben is a current member of Jerry Leake’s Cubist band, David Locke’s Agbekor Drum and Dance Society, Marcus Santos’ Bloco AfroBrazil, and royal hartigan's Kekeli West African Drum and Dance Ensemble. He has performed throughout the northeastern US at venues such as Ryles Jazz Club, the Zeiterion Theater, the New England Folk Festival, and Sounds of Brazil in New York City. As a member of the Vic Firth Education Team, he currently teaches at Zumix and Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School. Ben graduated from UMASS Dartmouth Summa Cum Laude with a BA in Music and an option in World/African American Music. While at UMASS, Ben was sponsored to travel to Ghana, West Africa, three separate times to study traditional drumming, dancing, singing, and culture. His study of traditional world percussion has revolutionized his perspective on drumset, and has led him to believe that the essence of music - regardless of genre or culture - is in the joy of playing, singing, and dancing.

John Reynolds, Voice and Choir Instructor, is an active performer and educator throughout Greater New England. As an educator, he has taught in various public schools and after school choral programs, focusing on music literacy, ensemble, performance, and presentation skills. In addition to ZUMIX, John is on the artistic staff of the Boston Children’s Chorus and the Boston Children’s Museum. A versatile performer, John has performed with Opera Cleveland, Opera Providence, and Boston Opera Collaborative. He holds a Master’s degree in Vocal Performance from New England Conservatory and a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Baldwin-Wallace College, Conservatory of Music. He received additional performance training from the American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS), Janiec Opera Company at Brevard Music Center, and the Franco-American Vocal Academy (FAVA).

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