Karen Sharo

Piano, Woodwinds, Flute, Voice

A native Floridian, Karen Sharo grew up in the small town of Oakdale, Connecticut. She returned in 1994 to attend the University of South Florida, Tampa. Karen earned her Bachelor of Music, Cum Laude in 1998 followed by a Master of Music degree in 1999 - both from USF Tampa. Her teaching career began while still in college as the music theory tutor for the university's School of Music. Mrs. Sharo also started building her clarinet and piano studio at this time. The studio quickly expanded to 50 students weekly, as she worked with talented young people in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties. Karen's clarinet students typically earn top honors in their school ensembles, and also in various county and state competitions. Mrs. Sharo has performed with the U.S. Coast Guard Band & also enjoys collaborating with fellow woodwind musicians. Karen has performed with many symphonic orchestras throughout the state of Florida as well as numerous chamber ensembles. She recently enjoyed performing with the Fort Myers Symphonic Mastersingers.

Patricio Carrasco

Guitar, Piano, Bass, Ukulele, Drums

Patricio Carrasco is a South Florida based musician, producer and engineer. He studied Music Arranging and Production (CWP) at the prestigious school Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA and also Sound Engineering at Full Sail University in Winter Park, FL. He is currently working on his third major at FGCU in Music Education. Born in Lima, Peru, he started playing Peruvian instruments at age of 10. Later he playing the clarinet in maching band and began studying the guitar in music class. His passion for music made Patricio move to the US in the year 2003 to look for new horizons in a country with a huge music scene. While at the Berklee College of Music he had the opportunity to study with very known musicians like Jon Finn, Scott Johnson, David Fiuczynski and Bret Willmott. After graduating, Patricio worked with acclaimed professionals in the music industry, including Salaam Remi, Bill Hamel, Gary Vandy, Roberto Morales and Emilio Estefan.

Alice Hemdan

Piano

Alice Hemdan, a native Floridian from Milton, Florida, is a recent newcomer to the Ft Myers area and comes with 50 years experience as a pianist and 35 years experience as a piano instructor. Her degree is in piano performance from Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio. She also is currently the fulltime pianist/accompanist for First United Methodist Church in Ft Myers Florida. Having started playing piano at the age of 4 years old, she enthusiastically enjoys teaching ages 4 through adult in all ranges of ability. Alice Hemdan has successfully instructed several of her students in the past for MENC solo and ensemble competitions in the state of Ohio . She loves to tailor the lessons to include theory, technic, and piano literature ranging from classical to sacred to popular. Music is the expression of the soul so she tries to tailor her lessons to the goals and natural interests of her students while simultaneously stretching them and introducing them to new goals and interests as they grow and evolve. Her experience as accompanist has ranged from symphonic choir to church musician to musicals and brass choir. Alice Hemdan is anxious to meet and equip all your musical goals with enthusiasm, encouragement, and patience.

Joanne Correia

Trumpet, Low Brass

Joanne Correia has over 50 years of experience playing French Horn, Trumpet and other low brass instruments. She received a citation and was inducted into the State of Rhode Island Hall of Fame in 2012. She is currently a member of the Taps for Vets, Lee County Community Band and also plays in a local band. Joanne believes in working with people’s strengths with multi-sensory learning and at their level and pace. Her degrees include a BS in Social Science & Secondary Ed from Eastern Connecticut University and Master of Arts from Anna Maria College.

Mark Dupuy

Piano, Flute, Brass, Guitar

Mark has been a music industry veteran for over 30 years and has performed professionally throughout the United States as both a solo artist and as a valuable sideman for numerous well-known acts. As a teacher, he finds it natural to make people laugh and feel comfortable while at the same time learning their craft. Mark has taught at Southern College & City College in Orlando, as well as for the Orange County and Charlotte County Public Schools. He has been a long-time member of the Educators Music teaching staff and can also be seen performing throughout Southwest Florida.

Eduardo Parada

Drums and Percussion

Eduardo's musical journey began back in 2007 as an eleven year old drum student here at Educators Music. Throughout his lessons, he successfully learned the key fundamentals of drumming which included technique, timing, spacing of notes, groove, dynamics and articulation, melody and flow. As a teenager Eduardo continued his study of music at Cape Coral High School by joining multiple music programs, including the popular jazz and rock bands as well as being an accompanist for the choir, theatre and guitar programs. Eduardo maintained his passion for performing after graduating high school by creating many musical projects. He performs regularly with his band or duo and continues to expand his overall musical knowledge through his independent studies. He strives to inspire his students and sees an opportunity to connect with each student by supporting the music they love. Eduardo is fluent in multiple styles of music, so whether you like rock, funk, jazz, reggae, or metal he can help you achieve your goals for learning your favorite genre of music.

Steve Pawlowski

Guitar, Bass, Ukulele, Piano

Steven graduated from Monmouth University W.L.Br., NJ with a Bachelor’s degree in Music, Television and Radio with a focus on music composition. The proximity of Monmouth to the Jersey shore’s most prominent rock bar, “The Stone Pony” made famous by countless bands including Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, The Blues Travelers and Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes was not lost on him while growing up in northern New Jersey and the shore.
Steve comes from a musical family where every Sunday the family got together and spent the day eating, playing, singing and dancing at his grandmother’s house. Additionally, growing up with a piano staring him in the face allowed Steve to bang out music from an early age.
Steve focuses students on ‘their’ desired goals. For piano he uses a classical approach using methods such as ‘position playing,’ intervalic relationship between notes, using graphs, pictures, etc; ‘technique playing,’ proper hand position such as dropping to keys with rounded knuckles and arch high for strength all while embracing note-reading, melody relationship and pedal skills encouraging creativity and complete musical development for all ages.
For guitar, students are taught the CAGED system, a set of five simple open chords that don’t require complex finger movements, have relatively simple shapes that allow easy transitions and are easy to learn building student confidence. Additionally, technique is championed over theory employing ear training, warmup, rhythm, soloing, fretboard memorization, jamming, song learning and finally theory.

Dan Klimoski

Woodwinds, Piano, Voice

Dan began his music lessons at the age of 7 on the piano, clarinet lessons at age 9, and saxophone at 11 years old. At age 13 he began his professional performing career by playing in local bands. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Applied Music from Berklee College of Music in Boston, Ma., where he graduatedMagna Cum Laude and was given the Faculty Award. After teaching as a full time faculty member at Berklee, he went on tour with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra as Lead Alto Saxophonist/Clarinetist until 1980. After returning to the Boston area, Dan earned his Master's Degree in Jazz Studies at the New England Conservatory. Throughout his career, Dan has shared the stage with Barry Altzschul, Jackie Byard, Richie Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Dick Johnson, David Hildinger, Maureen MacGovern, George Russell, Little Anthony and many other notable composers and performers. Dan also regularly plays for the Naples Players pit orchestra and at Shell Point, Naples Philharmonic Hall, and Barbra B. Mann Performing Arts Hall with the Southwest Florida and the Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestras, as well as performing in many other solo and group gigs.

Veronica Romee

Voice, Piano, Guitar, Trombone

Veronica's musical career actually began almost two decades ago when she was eight years old and began taking guitar and voice lessons here at Educators Music. She is currently finishing her vocal performance major at Florida Gulf Coast University while continuing to work towards both an A.A. and B.A. Although classically trained in guitar, piano and voice, she has experience teaching various styles of music to students of all ages. Having watched Veronica grow through the years first-hand we have see her ability to inspire a true love and passion for music in anyone who is willing to learn.

Emer Olivarez

Violin, Cello

Emer began playing the violin in 1st grade at North Forth Myers Academy for the Arts using the Suzuki Method. She developed a natural proficiency on the instrument at an early age and started teaching violin at Educators Music while still in high school. She was also the youngest member of the Florida Gulf Coast Symphony. Emer's favorite composers are Mozart, Debussy, and Chopin. Her favorite violinists are Maxim Vengerov for his imaginative expressiveness, Hilary Hahn for her experimentation, and Itzhak Perlman for his hugely decorated style and advocacy for music education.
Emer has won two music scholarships: $35,000 a year to study Music Education at the prominent New York University, and was also the recipient of the Strings Magazine Edith Eisler Scholarship, published in the Strings Magazine website.