Meet Us

Adult Education
Adult Education Instructors
Youth Camps & Programs
- Jazz Camp
- Roots of Jazz
Empowerment Through Music
- Digital Technology Project
- South Valley Band Project

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Heidi Alina

Heidi Alina is distinguished as one of the few prominent female African drummers in the country, bringing a powerful feminine energy to a male dominated art form. With a background in classical music and studies in rhythm since the age of five, Heidi has been enriching the lives of children and adults alike through the art of African Drumming for more than fifteen years. She brings a unique ability to integrate Western classical knowledge with innovative teaching techniques and aspects of African culture. Having traveled to Africa several times and studied extensively with master drummers from all over Africa, Heidi loves sharing her knowledge of this rich music and culture.

Brendan Brejcha

Brenden Brejcha is a private piano and ukulele instructor and a piano performance major at the University of New Mexico. This is his third year teaching for the NMJazz Workshop's summer camp.

Tom Brejcha

Tom Brejcha From 2009-2012, Tom taught art and music with Project SEAL (Social, Emotional, Academic Learning) with at risk students. Throughout this time, he was also an art and music instructor at the NM Jazz Workshop summer camp. Tom has a B.A. in fine art and a B.A. in animation. As a professional artist, Tom has sold many paintings to New Mexico Art In Public Places, and his paintings are exhibited in public buildings throughout the state.

Blake Himm

Blake Himm is a graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston. He specializes in the music of Africa, Japan, Brazil, the Middle East and Australia. He is a professional percussionist as well as an accomplished drum maker. Blake is an APS Fine Arts Music teacher and has been teaching drumming for 20 years.

Jessie Hudson

Jessie Hudson has recently received her Bachelors from the University of New Mexico in the field of studio art. She has worked on many creative projects around Albuquerque, including the Alley Art Youth Mural with 516 Arts. She has experience in painting, printmaking, paper making, clay, sculpture, drawing,
collage, glitter, and Art History. She has two cats and a dog, and is an avid bicyclist.

Kir Kipness

Kir Kipness recently received a B.A. in Theater Education from UNM. A trained vocalist originally from Santa Fe, she is passionate about the power theater has to help youth find self-actualization and expression Theater was Kir's creative outlet as a child, and she remains an active artist in the local theater community. She has been a long time teacher at Saturday Theater Classes at UNM for over 5 years (starting the Musical Theater program 3 years ago), with training in teaching ages 5-16 in many different theater styles. Kir is so exited to now also be a part of the amazing program the NM Jazz Workshop offers. "It's not about the show, it's about what the kids got out of it!"

Nicole Larsen

Nicole Larsen is a recent graduate of UNM, receiving her Bachelor’s of Music in 2012. Her education included opera, jazz, musical theater, art song, classical trombone, and music education. She is currently the Education Coordinator at the NM Jazz Workshop, music teacher at Montessori Rio Grande, and lead singer with the Pink Flamingos. Having been a part of Creative Arts Camp since 2006, Nicole is thrilled to return this summer! Along with being the camp’s coordinator, she also teaches the mallet and singing classes at Creative Arts Camp.

Julio Cesar Souza

Julio Cesar Souza, recognized internationally as Mestre Virgulino, and is the head and founder of Capoeira Cangaço, directed under the auspices of his Mestre, Mestre Suassuna, head and founder of the international Capoeira organization Cordão de Ouro.When he is not teaching regular classes at his academy, Mestre Virgulinois teaching workshops around the world.

Karen Price

Karen Price has been a well known dance educator in the Albuquerque Community for many years. Ms. Price is known for her work with the Public Academy for Performing Arts teaching Hip Hop Dance. While she is presently teaches at the University of New Mexico,, she formerly worked with Lana’s School of Dance, Bill Evans Institute, New Mexico Youth Camp and many other venues. She was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pa, where she studied many dance styles. She performed with Jean Laws Dancers touring throughout the East Coast as well as performed as the opening act in concerts for Tyrese, Bone Thugs N Harmony and Roger Troutman and Zapp. As a faculty member at the University of New Mexico she has choreographed for Faculty Dance Concerts from 1998-2008.

Sarita Streng

Sarita Streng has a M.A. in Dance from the University of California at Los Angeles's World Arts and Cultures program. She has studied Latin American dance in California, New Mexico, and Cuba. She is one of the producer/directors of the documentary film "La Salsa Cubana" and is the director of Albuquerque's dance group Rueda505. In addition to teaching dance, Sarita is an occupational therapy student and teaches yoga.

2013 Creative Arts Camp Counselors

Marianne Brown
Liz Brejcha
Sarah Meeker
Claire Brown
David Hobbs

2013 Creative Arts Camp On-site Coordinator

Leanne Mennin

Leanne has been with Creative Arts Camp since 2005. She plays percussion and sings with Goddess of Arno, a Balkan Gypsy Band. Leanne is also a Member of Kubatana - an African Marimba Band. She has been the Director of Senior Arts, Inc. since 1987, and was the Director of the Svirka Women's Balkan Chorus for 27 years.

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