Charley Winters

Charles actively gives back to the music community, creating opportunities for students, teaching and supporting music educators at both public and private institutions, and finding new innovative ways to invigorate with the hope of creating a better musical future for the next generation. As a former full-time teacher at a local Miami school, Charles was able to leverage his entrepreneurial talent and business skills to provide a better music program for the school community and students. As a teacher, he provided supplemental resources to parents, administrators, and teachers, donated his time with repairs and instrument maintenance, and found ways to bridge gaps in order to rapidly develop the music program. Now, he runs his music company full-time and offers a unique opportunity for students to be apprentices of a luthier.

Many public schools have limited funding opportunities, so Charles goes above and beyond to ensure that music repairs and services can be provided at an affordable price. Through consulting work, Charles has been able share his musical expertise by hosting a variety of educational workshops and demonstrations which have been held at local schools and universities throughout the county. It is his mission to ensure that educators and musicians have the easiest-to-play instruments available so that young learners can succeed and enjoy their music learning experience.

Charles consistently attends the annual FMEA Professional Development Conference along with national and international competitions to support his students in various orchestra performances. Since he began teaching privately in 2009, his students have been represented every year in the Florida All-State Orchestra concert(s). Many of his personal students have even earned first chair and oftentimes, his students are represented across all orchestra grade levels. Many of his students, continue onto participate in NAfME All-National Honor Ensembles at the national USA level.

Charles hopes that the future of South Florida's music and arts community will transcend into a future where high quality music education and performance is the norm.