About Us

History

Artistas y Músicos Latinoamericanos (AMLA) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) arts and artist’s organization founded in 2006 in North Philadelphia. It is a subsidiary corporation of Esperanza Inc. The mission of AMLA is to promote the development, dissemination and understanding of Latin America music and culture in the Philadelphia/Delaware Valley Region with a strong emphasis on youth.

AMLA draws on the history and programming of Asociación de Músicos Latinoamericanos (Asociación also formerly known as AMLA). This agency was founded by 125 Latino musicians in 1982 to counter the misrepresentation of Latino culture and to advocate for better working conditions for Latino musicians in the community. Asociación formed the Latin School for the Performing Arts (LSPA) for the development of artists and musicians, provided presentations and festivals for the community and became known for its specialized “Roots of Puerto Rican Music” workshops. This local success earned the organization national recognition including the national “Growing Up Taller” award (1997) for providing top level programming to at-risk youth, as well as Latin Beat magazine’s Siempre Salsa Special Recognition Award (2005) for extraordinary work in the field of Latin music education.

In 2006, founder Jesse Bermudez reached out to the Reverend Luis Cortés Jr, President of Esperanza to forge a strategic partnership. This relationship resulted in the creation of a new organization that draws upon the history and services of the former—and so AMLA (Artistas y Musicos Latino Americanos) was born in the Hunting Park neighborhood of Philadelphia.

Mission Statement

“AMLA promotes the development, dissemination, and understanding of Latin music and culture in the Philadelphia/Delaware Valley region with an emphasis on Youth.”

Leadership

Board of Directors

Rev. Danny Cortés, Chair

Angel Ortiz, Vice Chair

Israel Colon, Treasurer

Michael Garcia

Juan Laureda

Natalia Alvarez-Figueroa

Daniel de Jesús – Director of Music Education

Daniel de Jesús is an artist and educator based in Philadelphia, PA. Access to the arts for underserved communities is at the core of their work as a curator, educator, and practicing artist in Philadelphia. They were the Visual Arts Manager from 2007 – 2011 and Youth Artist Program manager from 2015 – 2021 at the Taller Puertorriqueño. They are now the Music Education & Community Relations Director for AMLA at Esperanza, a Latin Music School in the heart of North Philadelphia.

They are a practicing multidisciplinary artist who works as a painter, composer, and songwriter versed in the worlds of visual & sonic tapestries. The themes of their work are often based on Latin American baroque stylings with a penchant for Electronic Beats and siren-like vocals.

As an educator and administrator, de Jesús works to give youth access to experiences and opportunities to participate in the creative arts through inclusive programs in Philadelphia. As teaching artists, they work with organizations dedicated to uplifting our community’s youth to provide high-quality arts education.

www.danieldejesus.art

Meet Our Teaching Artists

At AMLA, our students learn from active performers who bring their real-world artistry into the classroom. Each teaching artist is committed to nurturing young musicians while sharing the cultural richness of Latin American and global traditions.

Mariano Medina – Percussion & Drums
Mariano is a versatile percussionist and drummer who has performed with icons such as Ray Sepúlveda, Andy Montañez, and Grammy winner Ray De La Paz; as both a performer and teaching artist, he brings expertise across Latin, jazz, rock, and R&B.

Stephen Lorek – Piano, Guitar, Bass, Vocals, & Rock Band
Stephen is a Philadelphia-based singer-songwriter and co-owner of Doff and Tulip Studio, known for his national touring band Shark Tape and award-winning songwriting; as a teaching artist, he blends performance with mentorship in multiple instruments and rock ensemble work.

Chris Smirnov – Violin, Viola, Cello Chris is a Temple University–trained violinist and active studio musician in Philadelphia; as a teaching artist, he inspires young string players with his performance experience and collaborative artistry.

Zyra M. González-Monterrey – Piano & Choir Accompanist
Zyra, a Havana-born pianist and accompanist with international performance credits, is both an experienced performer and teaching artist, bringing her conservatory training and opera background to AMLA’s piano and choir classes.

Richard Tucker – Guitar & Bass Guitar
Richard is a lifelong Philadelphia guitarist who began performing professionally at age 15; as a teaching artist, he combines decades of stage experience with his commitment to mentoring youth in guitar, bass, and music theory.

Malinda Lisette Voelle – Flute
Malinda is a freelance flutist and educator, a Sphinx Fellowship recipient and Marian Anderson Grant winner; as a teaching artist, she combines her performance background with a passion for diverse musical traditions and community engagement.

Valentina Sierra – Choir
Valentina is a Colombian-American soprano and Opera Philadelphia Residency Program Manager, whose operatic and teaching career focuses on cultivating expressive, inclusive vocal artistry; as AMLA’s choir teaching artist, they foster community through song.

Frankie De Rosa – Ukulele, Brass, Piano, Woodwinds
Frankie is a Miami-born multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and educator who bridges diverse traditions, from Caribbean heritage to Indian classical training; as a teaching artist, he inspires students through flute, recorder, piano, ukulele, guitar, saxophone, brass, and voice, blending technical mastery with cultural awareness.

Miriam Arbelo – Recorder, Teaching Artist
Miriam Arbelo is a New Jersey–based musician and educator dedicated to inspiring young learners through music. She is a teaching artist with Piffaro, The Renaissance Band, where she leads recorder education programs and community initiatives, including Piffaro’s annual Recorder Festival. In New Jersey, Miriam has taught general music, chorus, and recorder ensembles, creating opportunities for students to perform and connect with early music traditions. At AMLA, she brings her expertise in recorder and music education to engage middle school students in ensemble playing, cultural learning, and creative expression.