UPBEAT NYC - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Program Coordinator, Bass / Cello Instructor

Carlos began his own musical studies as a child at El Sistema, the Venezuelan National Youth Orchestra that preaches a message of social action through music and provides free musical instruction to students throughout the country. At the age of 11, Carlos began attending the José Luis Paz Conservatory of Music in Maracaibo, Venezuela before becoming the youngest musician ever accepted into the Maracaibo Symphony Orchestra at the age of 15. At age 18, he earned a spot in the Teresa Carreño Youth Orchestra. In 2012, he joined the Simon Bolivar Orchestra, the highest-level orchestra in the country. There, he was conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. Carlos has played at iconic venues around the world including Carnegie Hall, Berliner Philharmonie, Royal Albert Hall, and Musikverein Hall in Vienna. Carlos joined UpBeat as a bass and cello instructor in 2020. He quickly became a cherished member of the staff and a beloved role model to his students, infusing each lesson with playfulness and joy. Carlos was hired as Program Coordinator while continuing to teach bass and cello. As Program Coordinator, he developed close relationships with his students and their caregivers to support them beyond their musical talents. Carlos was a child who found his home in a music program, and he works each day to ensure that his students have that same safe and supportive place in which to grow as musicians and as people.

Job Titles:

• Chairman

Francesca Laguardia is the Chair of UpBeat NYC. Francesca received a J.D. from NYU School of Law and has successfully defended her Ph.D. dissertation in Law and Society at NYU. Prior to completing her dissertation, Francesca worked as Director of Research at the Center on Law and Security at NYU School of Law. Francesca has studied music throughout her life, performing with the New York City Opera Children's Chorus as a child and continuing to study voice through her college years. She began as a music theory major at the University of Chicago before switching to a major in Law, Letters, and Society.

Isabel Serrano, Mexican-American flutist, is from Southern California and currently in New York City pursuing her Masters at Manhattan School of Music studying with Marya Martin. During her undergraduate studies at La Sierra University, she won the Promising Young Artist competition and two department All-Stars Competitions. Most recently, she placed 2nd in the Puerto Rico Flute Symposium 2022. Isabel's experiences range from performing as a soloist with orchestra to playing in a jazz combo and conducting wind ensembles. With ensembles she has performed in Walt Disney Concert Hall, Carnegie Hall, and various halls/cathedrals across Czech Republic, Austria, and Italy. Over the last several years of her teaching experience, she taught privately and was faculty of La Sierra University's Academy of Visual and Performing Arts. Isabel currently is a freelancer in NYC and plans to continue business and performance endeavors in advocacy for first-generation/underrepresented groups in higher education and the music industry.

John Austria is a jazz pianist who has been performing and teaching professionally in New York City for over ten years. He performs regularly with the Sonny Simmons Quintet, Michael Marcus Quintet, and Makane Kouyate's West African/Jazz fusion ensemble "Denbaya." John is a long time student of Dizzy Gillespie's pianist Mike Longo and received his Bachelor's degree in music from The City College of New York with a focus in music theory.

Born in Tucson, AZ and raised in Hermosillo, Mexico, Julian Pardo is a Percussionist, Composer and Producer based out of Brooklyn, NY. Julian attended Berklee College of Music and has performed with a wide array of musicians from Ralph Peterson jr., Jason Palmer, Donald Harrison jr. to Toto la Momposina and Alexander Acha among others. He currently is based out of Brooklyn, NY where he works as a music educator and freelance musician. As an Army Reservist SGT Pardo currently serves as the band leader for the New York detachment of the 78th Army Band.

Laura Hutton is a NYC based teacher and performer. You can catch her on the latest season of "Mozart in the Jungle" playing in the fictional New York Symphony. Outside of fake tv orchestras, Laura has performed at Disney Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, David Geffen Hall, and all over the NY Metropolitan area in various orchestras and chamber groups. As a teacher, Laura has over 10 years of studio teaching, film coaching, group, and school-based program experience. Growing up in the mountains of Appalachia, she loves playing and teaching traditional folk and bluegrass music along with the Suzuki method. Laura holds a master's degree in violin performance from the Aaron Copland School of Music. She also has done studies in musicology at the University of Oxford, and continuing education at Carnegie Hall.

Job Titles:

• Director
• Founder, Co - Executive Director

Liza Austria was born and raised in New York City and co-founded UpBeat NYC, with her husband, in 2009. She grew up in a household filled with music as both her parents were musicians. Liza studied piano from age 4-20 and as a young adult, performed regularly in and around New York City as a modern dancer and Jazz/Brazilian vocalist. She holds a bachelor's degree in "Dance, Community and Social Change" from the Gallatin School at New York University. As director of UpBeat NYC, Liza has worn many hats- from piano teacher to grant writer, family choir director to parent coordinator - all with the belief in the power of music to build community. During her tenure as co-Director, UpBeat NYC has grown from serving a dozen students once per week to a program operating 6 days per week providing year round instrumental classes to 170 South Bronx children, with multiple string and wind ensembles, a youth orchestra and an Afro Latin Jazz band. Liza lives in the South Bronx with her husband and their 2 daughters.

Job Titles:

• Treasurer
• Associate Professor of History at Wake Forest University

Penny Sinanoglou is the Treasurer of UpBeat NYC. Penny is currently an Associate Professor of History at Wake Forest University and received her Ph.D. from Harvard University. As a child Penny studied piano and sang in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine's professional children's choir, and continued to study music through high school and college.

Mr. Carrero-Martínez was a member of the celebrated Venezuelan National System of Youth Orchestras "El Sistema" and previously studied economics in Venezuela. He holds a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music where he studied with American String Quartet violist Daniel Avshalomov.

Job Titles:

• Founder, Co - Executive Director

Richard Miller worked as a public school music teacher in New York City from 2009-2013. In 2007, he began working with NYC public school students as a teaching artist for Music and the Brain where he discovered the transformative role music can play in children's lives. Richard holds a degree in Jazz Performance from William Paterson University and is an active jazz saxophonist in NYC. He currently studies composition with Paul Caputo and his music has been performed at venues around the city including Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. In the Spring of 2009, Richard founded UpBeat NYC with his wife, Liza Austria, where he is working to develop UpBeat NYC into a robust, El Sistema inspired nucleo serving the Mott Haven neighborhood of the South Bronx.

Job Titles:

• Secretary
• Executive Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights

Vince Warren is the Secretary of UpBeat NYC. Mr. Warren is the Executive Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), a national legal and educational organization dedicated to advancing and defending constitutional and human rights. Prior to his tenure at CCR, Mr. Warren held the position of national senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), where he led constitutional and impact litigation to advance civil rights and liberties. In addition to his other pursuits, Vince has been a professional musician for over 20 years, specializing in Jazz, Blues, Rock, Reggae and Funk drumming. Currently, Vince plays with the Blue Soul Jazz Quintet and the afro-pop band, Denbaya with Makane Kouyate.