Tala is the founder and Executive Director of the Centre for Musical Arts (CMA). Born and educated in Dubai, Tala studied music at Royal Holloway, University of London. What makes her all the more special is that she was the first female Emirati…  Read more

Born in Scotland; Brian has been working at Centre for Musical Arts since 2008. He started playing the clarinet at the age of 11 at school. Through his experiences at school he was given the opportunity to perform with various ensembles throughout the…  Read more

Born in India Sheba first came to Dubai in 2003. She has a degree in Economics, Sociology & Political Science and a PG Diploma in Entrepreneurship. An Operations & General management professional with over 30 years of experience heading Administration…  Read more

Sara was born in the UK and at the age of 10 auditioned for Elmhurst Ballet School in Camberley, Surrey to study Classical Ballet. She trained there for 6 intensive years, but unfortunately she had to give up dance, due to injury. After gaining qualifications…  Read more

Tim was born in the North West of England (UK). He has held various managerial roles in both the UK and Dubai. He has worked in the Security Industry as an area manager and eventually went on to set up up his own security company. He has supplied security…  Read more

Ozren joined CMA in 2012. In his early role, he was responsible for managing all aspects of exam registrations for ABRSM, Trinity, and Rockschool, ensuring smooth communication between students, parents, and examination boards. In addition to his administrative…  Read more

Born in the Philippines, Joanna holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accountancy. She has more than 18 years of experience most of which was from a retail and leasing background in the Philippines.  In her spare time she likes singing, reading…  Read more

Born in France to a family of musicians, Amy was immersed in the world of orchestras from an early age. She began her professional music career in 2005 as a timpanist, later becoming head of the percussion section and then drummer for the Lyon Symphony…  Read more

Dinara, a native of Kyrgyzstan, is a pianist and a piano pedagogue. She has degrees both from the Faculty of Philology of Kyrgyz Osh National University as well as the Faculty of Music, majoring in piano, from the National Conservatory of Music, Bishkek,…  Read more

Simon Lam was born in Hong Kong and he started his musical education at the age of four. In 2000 he moved to the UK and studied at Eastbourne College. He graduated with an honours degree at the University of Manchester in 2005 and continued his studies…  Read more

Paul Germain Gaston is a graduate of the University of Santo Tomas - Conservatory of Music with a Bachelor of Music degree, major in Piano under Prof. Mary Anne Espina. He is also a member of the Piano Teachers’ Guild of the Philippines Foundation,…  Read more

  Tatiana is a dedicated piano teacher with over 12 years of experience in Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Dubai (since 2021). Her passion for music education extends to working with individuals of all ages and backgrounds, fostering a personalised approach…  Read more

Maya Katabi is a Syrian pianist and music theory instructor with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Theory from the Higher Institute of Music in Damascus. With over eight years of experience, she specializes in piano performance, harmony, counterpoint,…  Read more

Nineesha is a dedicated and accomplished music educator holding a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from The Bangalore Conservatory. Her core specialization lies in vocal instruction, complemented by a strong foundation in music theory. Demonstrating…  Read more

Teodora is a passionate and versatile music educator, vocalist, and pianist with over seven years of experience in both performance and teaching. She holds a degree in Music Pedagogy and Performing Arts from a conservatory of music in Vienna, Austria.…  Read more

Originally from Hong Kong, Carmen studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London with James Baillieu and Michael Dussek. She was awarded the Professional Diploma specialising as a Repetiteur and went on further to complete a Master of Arts in Chamber…  Read more

Jeanra graduated from the University of Santo Tomas, Conservatory of Music Philippines with the Degree of Bachelor of Music - Music Education, Major in Singing, Minor in Piano. She was a member and soloist of the University of Santo Tomas Singers, the…  Read more

Isidora hails from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and comes from a family of artists but discovered her love of music from a very young age inspired by her mother who is a composer. She started her musical education at age five learning piano. At the same time…  Read more

Liliko Korkotashvili is a dedicated educator and versatile musician hailing from the vibrant city of Tbilisi, Georgia. Her deep-seated passion lies in nurturing young talent and fostering a profound appreciation for music, making her a guiding light…  Read more

Gorka Capel is a guitarist whose musical career is marked by his constant search for new sound horizons.   Trained in the tradition of classical music and flamenco and with a deep respect for the roots of this genre, Capel has been able to expand…  Read more

Originally from Germany, Rhonnie's musical journey began at the age of five with the violin, establishing a strong foundation as an active Suzuki method student. Her passion for music led her to the Philippines, where she earned a Bachelor of Music degree…  Read more

Cesar is a seasoned music instructor with more than a decade of experience teaching guitar and drums. His musical journey has taken him beyond the borders of the Philippines, performing in countries like Brunei, Malaysia, and Singapore.   Passionate…  Read more

Alex is a vastly experienced musician and teacher. Since making music his career after leaving college in 2009, he’s performed in various acts throughout the UK and internationally. Along this journey he has always strived to pass on his passion…  Read more

John Gabriel Centeno is a dedicated musician and recent graduate of the AMTB Level 4 Performance Diploma from The Music Teacher's Board. Specialising in drums as his primary instrument, he infuses every performance with energy and precision. In addition…  Read more

Nikolai graduated from the Institute of Culture and Arts in the Ukraine majoring in "Music Arts" also gaining a qualification of Ensemble Artist, Teacher. Although classical guitar is his primary instrument,  Nikolai also plays and in…  Read more

Having lived in Dubai since 2012, Roland is a well known Drum and Guitar teacher. A specialist in the ‘Rockschool’ programme, Roland has a wealth of experience in inspiring excellence in young musicians. He was the music Director at the Benedict…  Read more

With a distinguished career spanning over 30 years, Mark Gibson has established himself as a leading figure in brass performance, music education, and orchestral direction—both in the Middle East and internationally. Now based in Abu Dhabi, Mark…  Read more

Renna Zetha graduated with a Bachelor of Music, major in Composition from Silliman University, Philippines, and later in Music Production and Sound Engineering from Berklee College of Music, USA. She is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist on Clarinet,…  Read more

Woodwind Instrumentalist Michael Rex Bacarra studied Clarinet Performance at the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music where he became the principal clarinetist of the UST Symphony Orchestra from 1999 to 2002. He joined the Manila Philharmonic…  Read more

Thivanthi is Sri Lankan and comes from a musical family. She began learning the piano at the age of two. After completing a series of exams in both the ABRSM and Trinity Guildhall as well as from a locally based examination board (the IWMS), Thivanthi…  Read more

Zhanyl was born and raised in the Kyrgyz Republic. She started her music journey at the National Music Boarding School at the age of 7 and in 2019 she graduated from the National Conservatory as a Violin Teacher and Orchestra Performer.  During…  Read more

Ghada Ben Mna is a passionate music educator with a strong background in classical violin, piano, and vocal training. She holds a Master’s degree in Music and Musicology from the Higher Institute of Music in Sousse, Tunisia, and has extensive experience…  Read more

Kate Heneghan is a violinist, pianist and harpist from Castlebar, Co. Mayo, Ireland. Kate graduated with a Master’s in Music Composition & Performance with distinction from Ulster University. In 2018, she completed her BA in Performing Arts…  Read more

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Born in the Philippines, Ralph has lived in the Middle East since 2012 working both in Qatar and the UAE in various administrative and procurement roles.   Ralph is also a keen, self-taught musician who plays guitar, bass guitar, and cajon drum.…  Read more

Daylene Celada is an experienced early childhood educator with a background in science and customer service. She was born and raised in the Philippines and holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She started her career working in a pharmaceutical laboratory,…  Read more

Jeisselle was born in Manila, Philippines. After completing her studies, she worked as Customer Service Representative for UPS (United Parcel Service)    Jeiselle got her first job here in Dubai as an Office Administrator at Omniyat - Real…  Read more

Born in the UK, Karen has been part of the Dubai community since 2008. With a background working in administration, project management and customer engagement, Karen joined the CMA in 2025 as Education and Community Engagement Coordinator to support…  Read more

Kimberley is an instrumentalist from London, UK, specialising in the violin and piano. Her musical journey started at the age of 6, when she started taking instrumental lessons.  At 9 years old, Kimberley signed up for a beginner string orchestra,…  Read more

Lyn Rominque was born in Manila, Philippines, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy and an Associate degree in Computer Secretarial. She began her career in the health industry, serving as the Head of the Billing Department for 7 years…  Read more

Born in born in Kerala, India, Sukumar originally came to Dubai in 1998 to work at Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre. He has a Degree in Art and Commerce.  He has been with us at CMA for over 16 years now as the Operations Team Assistant &…  Read more

Zahra Mohamed is a dedicated Emirati professional with wide ranging work experience in Dubai. Having completed her education locally, she is now contributing to the vibrant arts scene at the Centre for Musical Arts in an administrative capacity. A curious…  Read more

  Meg Gutierrez, was born in Manila, Philippines, and grew up in a family where music played an important role. With a natural passion for the arts, Meg  enjoys singing and occasionally playing the drums. Before joining CMA ,Meg  worked…  Read more

Prior to joining CMA, Sam was part of the administration team at Dubai College. For four years, she was the ABRSM representative in Dubai and responsible for organising ABRSM music exams for some 3200 candidates annually.   Sam is a passionate advocate…  Read more