Sladjana Saric
Piano , Voice and Flute Teacher
Sladjana Saric is the founder and director of Bel Canto Music Academy with both master's and bachelor's degrees in Flute Performance from the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, Serbia. She is an accomplished opera singer and concert performer in both Europe and the United States, and is currently a member of the Grammy-winning Chicago Symphony Chorus and the Lakeside Singers. Sladjana earned her Master’s in Vocal Performance from the Faculty of Music in Belgrade, Serbia, and she earned a specialization degree in Vocal Performance from the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, Hungary in the class of opera star Eva Marton.
Jorge Alvarez
Guitar/Cello/Violin/Piano Teacher
Jorge Alvarez's music journey began at the age of 7, igniting a
lifelong passion that continues to inspire and shape his career today. With over 23 years of
dedicated experience, he exudes an unwavering enthusiasm for sharing his love of music
with others.
Throughout his musical journey, Jorge has cultivated a diverse skill set, ranging from
orchestral performances to jazz ensembles and the creation of his own rock bands. This
breadth of experience not only showcases his versatility but also underscores his deep-
seated commitment to musical excellence.
Jorge’s true strengths lie in his patient and empathetic approach to teaching, understanding
the nuanced and gradual learning process that accompanies mastering an instrument. With
a profound understanding of music and an ability to convey complex concepts with clarity,
he serves as a beacon of guidance for aspiring musicians.
Nicolas Muñoz
Guitar/Drum Teacher
Nicolas Muñoz is a multi-instrumentalist from Chile who is based in Chicago, IL. He has performed professionally since the age of 16, and since then he has toured across the United States.
Nico is a long-time fixture of Alma Andina, a band that fuses traditional and native Latin American instruments with world rhythms and electronic sounds. Nico has made his career on his ability to play a wide range of instruments, including world percussion, drum kit, charango, pan flutes, guitar, and more. Not only does he play them solo -- he can play them all at the same time, a talent he features in his solo project “Nico’s One Man Band.”
Nico began his journey with Chile Sin Fronteras, and now in his 30s, he has graced the stage freelancing with several groups back in MN (his home state). In addition to his core projects, Nico has been hired to compose and play for multiple live radio dramas, and he regularly tours, performs, and leads workshops with choral ensemble Border CrosSing among others.
Ricardo Jimenez
Piano/Voice/Trumpet and Saxophone Teacher
“A musician in the truest sense”, internationally recognized trumpet player, and vocalist, Ricardo Jimenez captures “the essence of humanity in his art” ~Sean Roldan. A storyteller, communicator, and innovator, he defies boundaries through mission, music, and education. A recipient of the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, Ricardo traveled the world looking at the intersectionality of self and society through music. He has been welcomed as an artist on five continents, having shared music in Austria, England, Germany, India, Italy, Senegal, Spain, Brazil, and Japan. Some highlights of his travels are performing in Coca-Cola Studio Tamil’s Season One debut, studio recording for Bollywood productions, and working with children teaching music throughout Senegal, helping to found the non-profit “Langusik”.
Born and based in Chicago, Ricardo performed with the stage band in Porchlight Theater's award-winning production of "Blues In The Night", featuring legends such as Felicia P. Fields, Maulty Jewell IV, and Donica Lynn. Most recently, he worked as an on-stage musician in Ron O.J. Parson’s and Felicia P. Fields’ original and award-winning production “Pearls: Rollin’ with the Blues.” Ricardo has also worked and performed with many groups and artists at home and abroad such as “Cosimo and the Hot Coals,” “Paganin Soatnquartett,” “Afrika Groove,” Joe Locke, Tim Garland, Geoffrey Keezer, John Harmon, Gene Bertoncini, Hermann Haertel, Simon Wascher, Julia Siedl, Khatija Rahman, Arivu, and Sean Roldan.
Ricardo received his Bachelor of Arts in Biology and a Bachelor of Music in Trumpet Performance from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. During his tenure as lead trumpet and vocalist, the Lawrence University Jazz Ensemble won four consecutive DownBeat awards for “Best Undergraduate Ensemble.” He was also lead vocalist and bongocero of the Lawrence University Jazz Band when they won DownBeat “Best Undergraduate Latin Ensemble.” At Lawrence, he studied trumpet with Prof. John Daniel, author of "Special Trumpet Studies", and voice with WAMI award-winning vocalist, Janet Planet.
As a global educator, Ricardo strives to enable his students to become whole artists, with a focus on decolonizing the mind, liberating the spirit, and becoming at ease in multiple genres and unafraid to tap into their creative potential. Ricardo currently works throughout Chicago teaching a variety of music programs in Chicago’s public schools, as well as teaching online lessons to students of all ages across the globe.