Violin Lessons
Michael Badillo – Violin
Michael Badillo is a dedicated private violin teacher and performer in San Antonio, Texas, motivated to teach kids and adults the art of violin playing. He is determined to build up a successful violin studio of outstanding musicians who are goal-driven, self-motivated, and disciplined. Similar to other musicians, Michael had to start somewhere. As a young boy, he had always had an ear for Classical Music and enjoyed listening to orchestral works on the radio. That lead him to start wanting to learn how to play an instrument. By age 12, Michael began to learn how to play the violin.
Throughout middle and high school, Michael participated in his school orchestra. He was involved in and placed in the top group in TMEA Region Orchestra every year and participated in TMEA All-State Orchestra. Michael was also involved in UIL All-State Solo and Ensemble Competition. Orchestra competitions and Summer Music Festivals had a vastly influenced Michael’s future. Advancing his music education, Michael attended Northwest Vista College and studied violin with Beth Johnson, a current member of the San Antonio Symphony, receiving an Associate of Arts Concentration in Music. Continuing his education, Michael spent some time at Texas State University School of Music, where he studied violin with Dr. Lynn Ledbetter. After, with the Concertmaster of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Steven Copes, through the Curtis Institute of Music Mentor Network in 2021.
Currently, Michael is teaching private violin lessons full-time at Antonio Strad Violin and in NISD, looking forward to teaching his student daily. His studio consists of students from the ages of 3 to 70+. Michael has helped many students win a chair in UIL Region Orchestra in both Middle School and High School Divisions locally in San Antonio, winning the first chair, first violin (Concertmaster) position. He has helped some hardworking and dedicated students win a chair in UIL Texas All-State Orchestra and win a chair in YOSA’s (Youth Orchestra of San Antonio) top orchestra, the Philharmonic Orchestra. Michael has also helped students earn 1’s (gold medal) in UIL Solo and Ensemble Competition in both Middle School and High School Divisions and win 1’s and 2’s (Gold and Silver) in UIL Texas All-State Solo and Ensemble Competitions. Many students from his studio have been accepted into the School of Music programs at the University of Texas in San Antonio, Texas State University, Lamar University, Saint Marys University, and Texas A&M University, majoring or minoring in Music. His students also got accepted into several competitive summer music programs such as the Interlochen Center of the Arts Orchestra Ensemble Summer Program, Sphinx Performance Academy, International Summer Institute of the University of North Texas, and Peabody Performance Academy for Strings. Michael is a certified Suzuki teacher but also has developed his pedagogy that led many students to their success. Because he enjoys his work so much, he lives by the quote, A man who loves his job never works a day in his life. In addition, Michael is also currently a YOSA MÁS 5th Grade Strings Mentor at Ed White Middle School and Krueger Middle School and has been a Violin Sectional Coach for the Youth Orchestra of San Antonio (YOSA). Alongside his teaching, Michael is currently an active contracted member of the Central Texas Philharmonic, Kingsville Symphony Orchestra, and the San Antonio Sinfonietta. Michael has also had the privilege to perform with the Round Rock Symphony, Mid Texas Symphony, Texas Hill Country Opera, and other South Texas Symphonies.
As a music educator and supporter, Michael is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), Suzuki Association of the Americas, and is in partnership with Steinway Piano Gallery, where he received the Top Music Teacher Award.
Michael is grateful for the support, discipline, and training from all his former teachers. And from his gorgeous wife, Karina Badillo, a professional Dog Groomer and Artist. In return, Michael will give his energy and knowledge to all his students and continue looking for ways to improve his playing and teaching.
For more information please visit michaelbadillo.weebly.com
Williams Naranjo – Violin
Williams Naranjo is Venezuelan violinist. He graduated from the chair of maestro José F. del Castillo and completed his complementary studies with teachers Maurice Hasson, Margaret Pardee, Yossy Siboni, Violeta Larez, Modesta Bor, Alvaro Fernaud, Rugiero Ricci, Alexander Snaider, Agustin Dumay and Rony Rogof, among others. Naranjo has performed in important halls, such as the Carnegie Recital Hall (New York), the Teatro Colón (Buenos Aires), UNESCO (France), Montpellier (France), Tournot (France), Prades (France), Aula Magna Bogotá, Cologne (Germany), among others.
Naranjo has been invited to different festivals such as: Internacional del Hatillo, Colonia Tovar, Amigos de la Música de Cámara, Prades, Monpellier. As concertmaster: Simón Bolívar Orchestra, National Philharmonic, Caracas Philharmonic, Symphony of the Americas, Soloists of Venezuela, Caracas Chamber Ensemble and the Miami Symphony Orchestra.
He was a member of the Padre Sojo Trio, of the Onkora Group, and founder and director of the Camerata Alma orchestra of Venezuela. In 1988 he premiered in Latin America the concerto for violin and orchestra, and the sonata No. 2 by the Danish composer Carl Nielsen. As a teacher he has been invited to give master classes at the “Latin American Violin Academy” and in the nuclei of the Orchestras of the National Youth System of Venezuela. He is founder and General Director of the Union of Arts Festival Course. From 1999 to 2009 he was concertmaster of the Municipal Symphony Orchestra of Caracas. He premiered the concerto for violin and orchestra by composer Raúl Jiménez with the Simón Bolivar Orchestra, under the direction of Eduardo Marturet.
He has been invited as a jury of the Symphony of Bogotá and the University of Medellín E.A.F.I.T. and as a professor at the University of Zulia. He has made digital recordings and for Venezuelan television, interpreting the great works of the violin repertoire and works of his authorship based on the structure of Venezuelan music. He is currently dedicated to teaching as a master’s professor in the music department of the EAFIT University, to the Union of Arts Festival Course and to his career as a violin player.
For more information please visit http://cuarteto5.blogspot.com/p/integrantes.html
Hector Vera – Violin
Hector Vera is a composer, violinist and educator with a B.A. in Music from Texas A&M University and a M.M. in Composition from Texas State University. Hector studied with Michael Ippolito, Richard Hall, Peter Lieuwen, and David F. Wilborn, and has performed with multiple mariachi ensembles and orchestras. Hector has been teaching violin, cello and piano since 2021, and is also an Adjunct Lecturer of Music at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas.
For more information please visit https://www.hectorvera.com/