Tampa Bay Music Academy is excited to welcome Nancy Medina as the newest member of our string faculty! Nancy has been teaching violin, viola, and music theory to students of all ages for over twenty years. Born in Bogotá, Colombia, she speaks both English and Spanish and enjoys providing a multicultural perspective in a variety of learning environments for her students.
Tampa Bay Music Academy is thrilled to welcome Brian Array to our string faculty! Brian believes that starting lessons early is the best way to develop skill with string instruments, and that’s why he has devoted the majority of his musical career to teaching music in schools. Brian received both his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music from the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio, and while there, volunteered with Proyecto Raices, an after-school program where he tutored Hispanic children who were struggling in school due to language barriers. He then went on to teach string classes and orchestra at Carolina School for the Arts in Carolina, Puerto Rico.
In 2007, Brian accepted a faculty position in Edinburg, Texas where he taught orchestra and private music lessons to 6th – 12th graders. He also served as an Upper String Consultant for the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo school district for two years. In 2011, Brian transitioned to the McAllen school district in McAllen, Texas, where he served as Orchestra Director for seven years.
During each chapter of his professional career, Brian has continued to place a high priority on sharpening his own skills. He has served as a member of the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra in Mansfield, Ohio, the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra in Laredo, Texas, and the Rio Grande Valley Symphony Orchestra in Edinburg, Texas. He has also participated in a variety of chamber music concerts in Mexico, the British Virgin Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
To help our students and their families get to know Brian, we asked him a few questions about his musical goals and experiences:
TBMA: What is your favorite musical memory?
Brian: My favorite music memory was going to see a performance of the Goldmark Violin concerto performed by Henry Hutchinson, former concertmaster of the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, with a fellow violinist when I was 12 years old. That orchestra is one of the best in the Americas, and it was an incredibly memorable experience for me.
TBMA: What is your favorite musical work that you have performed?
Brian: For violin, my favorite is Bach’s partita in E major. For viola, it would be the Arpeggione Sonata by Schubert, and as an orchestra member Brahms Symphony No. 4.
TBMA: What do you love about teaching?
Brian: I love teaching because I have the opportunity to pass on this great tradition of string music that I received from my beloved teachers to a new generation. I really enjoy seeing students grow in their love for music.
TBMA: What is your favorite teaching method?
Brian: My favorite teaching method for both violin and viola is to prescribe students with a good and well-balanced diet of technique, repertoire, and musical theory, thus giving them all the necessary tools to become a successful violinist or violist.
TBMA: When do you recommend starting private music lessons?
Brian: When I was at conservatory, the great French flute player Jean-Pierre Rampal told us in a master class that to begin playing string instruments such as the violin, viola, and cello “one must start as young as possible.” I recommend that young students start music lessons as soon as they know letters and numbers and have beginner training in reading. The younger the better.
TBMA: What do you enjoy doing outside the music studio?
Brian: Apart from music, I collect coins and stamps. I travel to Central America for volunteer work and I love to read non-fiction books on Theology, History, and Geography.
TBMA: What brought you to TBMA?
Brian: I was looking for a place to teach, and the professionalism and organization of TBMA stood out to me.
We’re excited to welcome Brian as our newest violin and viola teacher as we seek to provide the best in quality music instruction to each of our students.
Welcome to TBMA, Brian!
This is a TBMA original article written for our Tampa Bay Music Academy readership by Susan McClure. If you find it to be helpful, we would love for you to re-post it on your blog. Please contact us first for permission. Visit our website home for information on finding a music teacher in Tampa, Odessa, Land O’ Lakes, Citrus Park, Westchase, New Port Richey, Lutz, Trinity, Keystone, or Tarpon Springs Florida who offers private piano lessons, guitar lessons, saxophone lessons, voice lessons, drum lessons, violin lessons, cello lessons, flute lessons, or music lessons in any other instrument proficiency category. TBMA teachers (piano, guitar, voice, flute, cello, violin, woodwinds, brass, strings, drums, percussion) pride themselves in a reputation for an uncompromising commitment to excellence and special care taken for every student. We remain absolutely committed to providing an outstanding enrollment experience beyond any other in the region. Call us today. We look forward to hearing from you!