Our Educators

HAPCO’s arts and music programs connect young people with professionals who they can relate to, identify with and learn from. The majority of our instructors have overcome economic and social challenges to forge a path of success for their lives. Our educators focus upon practical advice, from the business side of the arts and music industries, to best practices for using the arts and music to fund secondary education.

Click on the images or names to learn more about each educator.

Dr. Julian Earl White
Retired Director of Bands & Music Dept. Chair, FAMU
Wycliffe Gordon
Professional Musician
Scott Wilson
Director of Jazz Studies, University of Florida
Erik Abernathy
Guitarist and Upright Bassist
Robert Acevedo, Jr.
Musician, Producer, DJ
Jeff Rupert
Director of Jazz Studies, University of Central Florida
Nana Kwaku Sakyi
Fine Artist, Realist Painter
Per Danielsson
Asst. Professor of Jazz Piano and Composition, UCF
Richard Drexler
Adjunct, UCF
Dr. Otto Gomez
Professor, Orlando School of Music
Kelvin Hair
Florida Highwaymen Artist
Isaac Knight
Florida Highwaymen Artist
Bobby Koelble
Adjunct, UCF
RL Lewis, Jr.
Florida Highwaymen Artist
Marty Morell
Adjunct, UCF
Richmond Punch
Professional Musician
Suzanne Wieland
Music Educator
Dana Rice
Singer/Songwriter
José Valentino
Head of Music Business & Entrepreneurship, Univ. of FL
Bernard Hendricks Jr.
Director of Bands, Ocoee High School
Marguerite Wilder
Music Educator
Michele Denlinger
Music Educator
Brandon L. Robertson
Director of Jazz Studies, Florida Gulf Coast University
Richard DeRosa
Director of Jazz Composition, University of North Texas
Dr. Melody Duckins
Voice Coach/Singer
LeNard Rutledge
Jazz Vocalist
Derrick Harris
Trombonist
Nathan Mitchell
Contemporary jazz/soul composer, producer, and vocalist
Giampietro Trifonov
Expert piano pedagogue, concert pianist and entrepreneur
Dr. Todd Williams
Saxophonist, clarinetist, flautist and clinician
Mickey Smith, Jr.
Music Educator
Derris Lee
Music Business & Entrepreneurship Professor
Zachary Bartholomew
pianist, composer, and music educator
Joël Johnson
college educator and music artist
Brian Hall
bassist and composer
Dr. Alexander Pershounin
double bass, bass guitar, jazz studies

Alumni

Mary Ann Carroll
Florida Highwaymen Artist
Dan Miller
Artist-in-Residence and Jazz Trumpet Instructor, University of Central Florida
Justin Mendez
Jazz Saxophonist
Ricky Jackson
Professional Musician & Educator