The musicians below rent private studios inside the Art Center, where they teach and rehearse year round. Most perform professionally across Houston, and most take students of all ages and skill levels. Lesson rates and schedules are set by each instructor, so reach out to them directly using the contact details on their card.
Emily Zelaya
STUDIO #20
Emily Zelaya Music Studio
Her Focus
- Music lessons, adults & children
- Violin
- Viola
- Piano
Meet Emily
Emily Zelaya has been playing the violin since age 3. In 2006 she earned her Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance at the renowned Eastman School of Music, where she studied with Mikhail Kopelman and Zvi Zeitlin.
In addition to teaching violin and viola lessons in Houston, Emily can be found performing with the Houston Grand Opera, the Houston Ballet, Divisi Strings, and countless other ensembles. She and her husband also perform together as Madonia Violins. Emily has shared the stage with many notable artists including Michael Bublé, Sarah Brightman, Lindsey Stirling, Evanescence, Il Divo, and Wilson Phillips.
Aside from being a musician, Emily is also studying acting at the Film Acting Academy and is an avid runner as well as a wife and mother to two.
For prices and more details
346-681-9017
emilyzelayamusic.com
Mario Zelaya
STUDIO #5
His Focus
- Music lessons, adults & children
- Violin
Meet Mario
Mario Zelaya began his violin studies at age 13 in his native Honduras at the National School of Music in Tegucigalpa. By age 15 he had won second prize and by 16 first prize in the National Competition in his hometown. He secured his first professional job as concertmaster of the Honduran Philharmonic shortly after.
Zelaya earned his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in Violin Performance from Lynn Conservatory, studying with the prestigious violinist and conductor Guillermo Figueroa. During his studies, he competed in the Cremona International String Competition in Italy, winning first prize as well as two special awards for Best Bach and Best Virtuoso Piece.
As a soloist, Zelaya has played numerous recitals in Italy, Central America and the United States, collaborating with renowned artists including Andres Cardenes, James Buswell, Elmar Oliveira, Guillermo Figueroa, Kathleen Battle, Glenn Dicterow and Leon Fleisher. He has played with the Palm Beach Symphony, Florida Grand Opera, South Florida Symphony, Symphony of the Americas, Southwest Symphony, Boca Symphonia, Venice Symphony, San Antonio Opera and Ballet, Fabian Almazan Jazz Ensemble, Endless Mountain Music Festival, Richard Brown Orchestra, and Lake Charles Symphony. He has also performed in concerts with Andrea Bocelli and the rock band Kansas.
Zelaya has been teaching private lessons for over a decade at the Vivace Music Academy and Parkland International Music Academy. In 2023 he moved to Houston, where he performs regularly in numerous ensembles playing classical and contemporary music.
For prices and more details
561-454-9469
mario-zelaya.com
Omar Escobedo & Luis Fonseca
STUDIO #10
Their Focus
- Omar — Cello
- Luis — Violin, viola & piano
Meet Omar
Native to Houston, Omar Escobedo began his musical journey at the age of ten when he started playing violin in his school orchestra. He then went on to play the cello in his freshman year of high school. Omar received a scholarship to pursue his musical studies at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music with Vagram Saradjian, a notable student of Mstislav Rostropovich. He was selected to be an orchestral fellow at the Immanuel and Helen Olshan Texas Music Festival in 2019.
Omar performs in the cello section with the Baytown Symphony and the Houston Latin Philharmonic, and has appeared as an extra musician with the Brazosport Symphony, Victoria Symphony, and Symphony of Southeast Texas. He has shared stages with Andrea Bocelli, Cece Winans, and Loren Allred. Omar also works as a Teaching Artist for the Houston Youth Symphony’s Coda Music Program, an El Sistema based program serving low-income families in Houston’s Near Northside, where he has taught since 2016.
Meet Luis
Luis Gutiérrez Fonseca is originally from Guadalajara, Mexico. He received his Bachelor of Music Performance from the University of Houston under Dr. Kirsten Yon, playing in masterclasses for renowned violinists Jeff Thayer, Sharman Plesner, the Modigliani String Quartet and others.
Luis has trained at the ARIA Summer Academy in Massachusetts, the Naolinco Chamber Music Festival in Mexico, the Cambridge International String Academy in England, and the Liberec International Violin Academy in the Czech Republic. He received Suzuki Violin Teacher Training at the Greater Austin Suzuki Institute. He performs year round with the Galveston Symphony Orchestra, Brazosport Symphony Orchestra, and the Symphony of Southeast Texas, and is also a teaching artist for the Coda Music Program. Patient and encouraging, Luis teaches violin, viola, and piano students of all ages and skill levels.
For prices and more details
Contact Omar and Luis in Studio #10.
Danette Warren
STUDIOS #1 & #12
Dolce Music Academy
Her Focus
- Music classes for children
- Violin & viola
- Suzuki group classes
- Fiddling classes
- Dolce Babies
Meet Danette
Dolce Music Academy is a non-profit music school built on the educational philosophy of Shinichi Suzuki. The academy is committed to sharing the joy of making music with the community through the education of students, parents and teachers alike.
For prices and more details
713-542-5428
dolcemusicacademy.org
William Cloninger
STUDIOS #21, #22 & #23
Echo Music Factory
His Focus
- Music lessons, adults & children
- Guitar
Meet William
William is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrument musician specializing in guitar. He has a contagious passion for all aspects of music: history, theory, performance, creation, instruction, and appreciation. He has been an instructor and recital program director in the Houston area for over 10 years.
William was born and raised in Houston, with a three-year stopover in the New York City area. He graduated from Dulles High School in Sugar Land and followed that with a BS in English from Sam Houston State University. He is thrilled to be among the lucky few who follow their heart’s desire to a career in music.
For prices and more details
516-864-3305
echomusicfactory.com
Rent a Private Music Studio in Sugar Land
The Art Center houses twenty-seven private studios, and several are set up for music instruction. If you teach lessons and are looking for a permanent room of your own rather than an hourly rental, call the Art Center to ask what is currently available.
Hear the Musicians at Work
104 Industrial Boulevard, Suite Q, Sugar Land, Texas 77478
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