I learned to play the piano when I was 8 years old.  But like most kids I quickly gave it up.  In my late teens, a friend introduced me to Chopin’s music and I have been working diligently at the piano ever since. While my college training was in engineering and mathematics, I had the good fortune to study the piano for a couple of years with Professor Robert Helps at the University of South Florida. Professor Helps was a world-class pianist and composer who had  studied with Roger Sessions, a Princeton professor of composition, and Abby Whiteside a well-known piano teacher.  Professor Helps was a big proponent of Whiteside’s ideas of efficient piano technique.    I try to bring these ideas to my students.

For me, teaching the piano is about giving my students a tool to explore music.  It is not surprising that most great composers are piano players.  The piano is the best human interface ever invented.  It was invented to generate music.

I take a very broad approach to teaching the piano involving learning good technique, harmony, aural theory, how to improvise, and how to perform.

Shauntelle Holbrook was so young at her first performance that she didn’t know the audience often clapped after songs. (Apologies to those audience members on the receiving end of her glare.) Despite this obvious dramatic flair and having several stage credits to her name (including Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof and Maria Von Trapp in Sound of Music), Shauntelle has spent most of the past 15 years working on the technical side.

She has served as Musical Director and Sound Engineer at East Bay High School on 25+ shows (credits including Legally Blonde, Addams Family, and Little Mermaid.) Her passion as a teacher is most evident here at Music Showcase, where she guides students from first breathing lesson to college auditions and everything in between. It has been her joy for over a decade to see students thrive and discover their voice. Now, she is thrilled to once again step out and use her own. She is so grateful to everyone who has encouraged her and provided opportunities through the years.

Natalie DePergola (b.1999) is a drummer, multi-instrumentalist, and music instructor based in Tampa, Florida. Natalie currently teaches private drum set lessons at Tampa Music School and Brandon Music Showcase, inspiring young drummers to express themselves and find their passion.

Invited annually to speak and play for The Great American Teach In, Natalie has recurrent speaking engagements and organizes workshops and drum clinics within her local community. Natalie is a full-time freelance musician in Central Florida. With deep roots in funk, rock, and jazz fusion her strengths include a magnetic approach towards collaboration with musicians and songwriters, actively performing and recording with local and national artists.

Natalie can be heard on her most recent single called “Like The Players Do” and with her band ‘Katara’ on all streaming platforms. She started playing drums at 6 years old and performing at age 9. Growing up on the West Coast of Florida Nat caught the attention of John Blackwell, known widely as the drummer for Prince, Justin Timberlake, & Pattie LaBelle. He quickly pulled her under his wing. Natalie studied with John from the age of 11-17 years old. John’s influence and mentorship has had a profound effect on how Nat plays today. At just 14 with the advice of many including Blackwell, Natalie entered and placed in the top 3 two years in a row in the global all female drum competition “Hit like a Girl” (HLAG ) in the under 18 category. It was at that time she got published in Drum Magazine and a few years later featured on “Gospel Chops” YouTube channel and “Modern Drummer’s” Blog. When John Blackwell passed away Drum Magazine published an article citing her as his final and last prodigy student. She is proud to endorse Ddrum, Zildjian, and Vic Firth.

Russell L. Salazar is an all American Singer/Songwriter. His background includes Musical Theater.  Starting at the age of 8 years old, he embarked on his constantly learning journey of his love for piano and music. He musical influences come from John Mayer, FKJ, Brandon Lake, Elevation Worship, Maverick City Music. He currently serves on the Worship Team at The Crossing Church (Tampa Campus) and loves to spend his free time working on writing his own worship music.

Mindset Music Co. 
Worshiper/Believer
Wedding Vocalist/Pianist
Singer/Songwriter

Hailing from Bradenton Florida, Isaac is a classically trained violinist with a passion to share his love for music. Isaac also has studied piano, guitar, electric bass, and the ukulele

He obtained a Bachelor’s of the Arts in Music Studies from the University of South Florida. Isaac has gone on to perform at Busch Gardens, and teach general music to private schools. He has been teaching for 4 years alongside doing some production work with his YouTube channel.

Isaac has also traveled to Brazil, and Thailand. His dream is to travel around the world and see the beautiful world we live in.

Hi, I’m Tarah Thompson. I am a current student at Liberty University. I have been involved in music my whole life. I started with music and vocal lessons in the first grade. Along the way I picked up Guitar, ukulele, and song writing which really fueled my love of music. I started leading worship throughout different campuses of Bell Shoals Baptist Church in my junior year of high school.

Willie Lawson has been a Teacher at Music Showcase for 23 years.  His specialities are Saxophone, Flute, and Clarinet.  He is 59 years young from Newark New Jersey.

He is a graduate of Brandon Senior High School c/o 1978 and attended both Hillsborough Community College and Florida State University.

Willie performed professionally with numerous bands in central Florida. He also is a sought after studio musician.

Will has been married 32 years to Deborah and they have one son, William Alexander.

ABOUT ME
I have played violin since 1990 and guitar since 1996. I also do professional videography and audio recording, mixing, & mastering.  From Florida to California, I have worked in recording studios and on TV/Film productions as talent and behind the scenes.  I am always writing, performing, and recording music whenever I am not teaching.  I also volunteer with church music ministries either playing guitar, bass, drums, and/or singing.

ABOUT YOU
Yes, anyone can play!  After years and years of teaching all different types of people with different levels of experience and learning styles, I have figured out the fastest and easiest way to understand and play violin & guitar.  Whether you are just starting out or have been playing for a little while, I’ll create a lesson plan that will meet you where you are at.  I love playing and creating music.  I want to get as many people as I can to enjoy it as much as I do!

José Cochez started playing drums at the age of 15 with Metal bands in his home country of Panama. During his early years as a musician, he started playing violin and viola, started composing music using MIDI, and became obsessed with the music of Frank Zappa. He soon turned his attention to Jazz, Fusion, and Modern Classical Music.

Pursuing musical studies, he enrolled in the University of South Florida, in Tampa. He studied Jazz Drums with Steve Davis, and Composition & Electronic Music with Paul Reller, earning a triple degree in 2009. Since then, José has been very active musician in the Tampa Bay Area, playing a range of musical styles as well as writing and arranging music for the projects he is involved with. He currently arranges and plays for “Credit: 0”, a band that performs live renditions of Video Game Music.

Besides music, José ’s other hobbies include: Video Games, Chess, and Yoga. He has been very involved in Tampa’s Retro Gaming community, and has been running a chess club for over 5 years.

Miguel has been a part of Music Showcase for over 20 years. In his time at Music Showcase he has worked in the store, taught private voice and piano lessons and directs the the high school theatre group, Showcase Players.

Miguel is also the Chorus Director at Barrington Middle School where he has been for 6 years. Miguel loves to teach; teaching is his passion in life and sharing the love of music with his students.