teaching



Teaching has always been a very important part of my life and my career. I love teaching as much I love performing. I do believe that through teaching a performer can truly understand most aspect of playing and instrument and vise versa.




I have a great and diverse piano studio raging from graduate students at UTEP to the most precious 7 y.o beginners, and adults aficionados . My students have won competitions, been accepted at reputable music programs, and developed healthy music careers. My teaching is based in mutual respect. Students are first human beings, then pianists, so for me the human aspect is crucial for the development of a great musician.

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In 2015 I received the University of Texas Regents' Outstanding Teaching Award. "In honor of exemplary commitment to positively affecting the lives of undergraduate students through teaching excellence and instruction innovations, and in recognition of a promising future of continue distinctions".​

In 2019 I was inducted in the Academy of Distinguished Teachers at UTEP.




I strongly believe in engaging with the community, sharing my art with the underserved population. I have received, for the past six years, grants from the City of El Paso Museum and Cultural Affairs Department, through the Texas Commission on the Arts, to perform at schools, shelters, libraries, senior centers, etc. In 2018 I received the Juvenile Justice Center Coin Award for my service to the community.



I am very proud of the $250.000 Digital Keyboard Lab (DKL) I envisioned and installed at UTEP through a grant from the Brown Foundation Inc., of Houston. This state-of-the-art facility is unmatched by any other piano lab in the world. It incorporates the latest technology and teaching aid including wireless connectivity, SmartBoard, imaging processors and cameras. The DKL was upgraded in the Spring of 2019.

New DKL
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I have presented master classes and clinics in Argentina, Spain, Italy, Mexico, Serbia, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Thailand, and through the United States.



I have been invited to adjudicate at national and international piano competitions and festivals.



leadership



There are different approaches to leadership. While some see leadership as a position of power, I see it as an opportunity to motivate, learn, collaborate, guide, and celebrate the accomplishments of our units including faculty, staff, and students.



Assistant Chair



In 2014, I was asked by the Chairman to consider the role of Assistant Chair of the Department of Music at UTEP. Since then, my career has taken an unexpected path, and I find very rewarding to be in a leadership role in higher education. Effective and empathetic decisions can positively change the course of an institution. In a short period of time, I was able to bring over $1,000.0000 in grants and private donations to the department. Among them are the $250,000 grant from the Brown Foundation of Houston, Inc., and the $250,000 Bonnie Brooks Endowment in Piano Pedagogy.



Keyboard Area Coordinator



In 2018, I was appointed Keyboard Area Coordinator. immediately, I started working on upgrading a fleet of decrepit pianos I inherit, including the purchasing of a new Steinway Spirio Model B and six new instruments for the piano majors' practice rooms. I was able to triple the Keyboard Area's base funding, which remained unchanged for 17 year, resulting in more scholarships and students' traveling support. I worked on regaining donors and as a result, in 2020, I secured a $250,000 endowment in Piano Pedagogy with an additional increment of $50,000 per year.



Service




I actively participate in academic citizenship at the University, College and Department level, as well as community and outside organizations. I have served in university hiring committees at the executive level (Dean and Chair), and for several faculty hirings. I was a member of the Graduate Council, Teaching Effectiveness and Development Committee (TEDC), ROTA and NEA selection committee. I have served as a tenure and promotion external peer reviewer for several institutions. I continue to serve as an outside consultant for many universities requesting information about designing and acquiring a state-of-the-art piano lab, similar to the one I designed at UTEP.



Community Engagement & Entrepreneurship




Leadership comes with responsibilities. A good leader must be able to interact and give back to the community he/she serves. Since 2011, I have received grants from the City of El Paso to present programs of classical music at underserved communities. In 2018 I received the Juvenile Justice Center Coin Award for my service to the community. I am the Funder and Artistic Director of Talenti International Piano Academy, which each year takes place in different countries providing, not just musical training, but a diverse cultural experience.