OMA at Wheeler

... received a Bachelor's degree in Music Performance from the University of Idaho in 2011, where she studied flute with Leonard Garrison and classical guitar with James Reid. She has won prizes in guitar in the Idaho IMEA collegiate competition, MusicFest Northwest, and Northwest Guitar Festival. In 2013, she received her Master's degree in Flute Performance at the University of Arizona, where she performed in the Arizona Symphony, wind ensemble, and the Fred Fox Wind Quintet, the university's premier student ensemble. Since moving to Tucson, Diana has maintained a private flute and guitar teaching studio, and currently teaches as an OMA Teaching Artist and at various music academies in the Tucson area.

... was born in Nebraska. He began musical studies with his mother as teacher before he began to go to school. Over the years he studied piano and organ, trumpet, violin and viola, percussion instruments and finally harp. He has studied with famous teachers and performers in all of those instruments and has two degrees in harp performance. Currently he is a musician at St. Thomas the Apostle and St. Francis de Sales Catholic Churches, is accompanist for the Arizona Repertory Singers, and is a teaching artist with Opening Minds Through the Arts, all in Tucson, Arizona.

Ms. Chaffin (soprano), originally from Longmont, Colorado, graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance, and graduated with her Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Arizona. Mrs. Chaffin has performed solo and operatic roles in symphony and stage. Currently, Kimberly is singing in the Arizona Opera Chorus, and involved with the OMA Program (Opening Minds through the Arts), as a Teaching Artist, and Opera Team Coordinator, Trainer and Mentor. Mrs. Chaffin is also a member of the OMA Design Team which is developing professional development for teachers and artists, and helping OMA to expand to other school districts around the country.

... Originally from Mexico, Juan Aguirre earned his Masters Degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Arizona where he was the first- prize winner of two major Opera competitions. Juan has sung professionally since ’97 and has worked with world-renowned directors and performers. Equally versed in popular music, Juan is a regular on Arizona stages performing in musical theatre, country, big band, and latin music concerts. He has recorded two CDs and is the founder of The Presidio Boys, a country/gospel male quartet. He performs regularly in recitals /concerts throughout Mexico and was a featured bass soloist with the Liszt Academy orchestra in Budapest Hungary, as well as having the privilege to sing for president Maduro of Honduras. Juan can also be seen and heard on both local and national television and radio as a bilingual actor and voice over artist and has appeared on a few films. When not performing he enjoys stage directing, teaching private voice, and has worked in arts integration for 11 years and has helped children write and compose over 60 original operas with Opening Minds through the Arts (OMA).