ARTISTIC STAFF
Michael Calabrese, Drum Instructor, is a native of the greater Philadelphia area. Originally a
guitarist, he switched over to drums on his ninth birthday and has focused his energy there ever since.
Michael has played in venues all over North America and elsewhere, including Boston, New York City,
Philadelphia, Chicago, Iowa, Minnesota, Texas, California, Oregon, and Washington, as well as Italy,
Germany, Austria and Switzerland. He also just recently represented his country and school,
New England Conservatory, at the fourth annual Panama City Jazz Festival, under the tutelage of
jazz pianist Danilo Perez. Michael looks forward to releasing the debut album of his band,
Lake Street Dive, this summer.
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 native of Manila and is a singer/ songwriter and pianist.
She studied at Berklee College, and leads several bands which play locally. Marlene began teaching piano
at ZUMIX in 1999, and co-facilitates our StreetWise and Warmth programs as well. In early 2001 Marlene
completed a Youth Worker Certificate program with the Medical Foundation Prevention Center.
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.
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.
Monica Soto-Gil, Voice Instructor, is an active performer in the Boston Area. She received her Bachelors of
Music in Vocal Performance from the New England Conservatory, as well as Music in Education Certification.
In 2005 she was awarded the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship to create and direct a preschool music program at the Hattie B. Cooper
Community Center in Roxbury. Monica toured Venezuela and Brazil with NEC's Preparatory School Orchestra as assistant to the director for their 2005 tour.
Monica currently serves as a volunteer on the Education Committee for Young Audiences of Massachussets.