Antonio was drawn to music at an early age with his father being his first music teacher. The first instruments he learned to play were the accordion and the mandolin but his real passion was for the guitar. He went on to study with the great musician Frank Pagliuco in Boston, MA. And he also continued to take lessons from various great guitarists from Spain. Antonio then attended the New England Conservatory of Music to study with Gill De Jesus where he also gave a classical guitar recital. This was followed by many years of teaching and playing six nights a week around the Boston area until an accident to his hand limited his ability to play. It was many years later when he was able to start playing again.