Teaching Artists

Bass-baritone Abraham Isai Cruz Ramirez, a San Francisco native, earned his Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance on full scholarship at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee and is currently completing his Master of Music in Vocal Pedagogy and Performance at Texas State University, where he holds two teaching assistantships. A dynamic and versatile performer, Abraham has appeared with the Aspen Opera Theater and VocalARTS Festival, Seagle Festival, and OPERA San Antonio. He recently made his Aspen debut as Benoît and Alcindoro in La bohème, a performance The Aspen Times praised for “hitting all the right notes” in these comic roles.

Equally committed to service, Abraham is the founder and president of Music for All Hearts (musicforallhearts.org), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing free, high-quality music lessons to children under 19 who lack access to professional instruction. He also directs Cruz Music Studio LLC (cruzmusicstudio.com), where he has provided private instruction to hundreds of adults and children. By joining Austin Opera as a Teaching Artist, Abraham continues his mission to ensure that everyone, regardless of background, has the opportunity to discover their voice, experience the transformative power of music, and connect to the arts.

Winner of both the Arkansas and the New Orleans District in The Metropolitan Opera’s 2022 and 2023 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, mezzo-soprano Janine Dworin is making her way onto operatic stages across the country. This season, Ms. Dworin sang in both the chorus and as Mrs. Berezovo in Austin Opera's fall production of The Manchurian Candidate. In January, Ms. Dworin took part in the world premiere of Texas composer Jared Schwartz's new opera, Egon Schiele in Prison in New York City. Ms. Dworin is thrilled to return to Tri-Cities Opera in the spring of 2025 to debut the role of Maddalena in Verdi's Rigoletto. As a 2022-24 Resident Artist with Tri-Cities Opera in Binghamton, New York, Ms. Dworin covered the role of Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia with both Tri-Cities and Syracuse Opera. In her first year of residency with the company, Ms. Dworin debuted the roles of Mrs. Nolan (The Medium) and Marcellina (Le nozze di Figaro). Recent roles include Lucretia (The Rape of Lucretia), Mme. de la Haltière (Cendrillon), Estelle Oglethorpe (Later the Same Evening), and Orfeo (Ofeo ed Euridice). An advocate for arts education, Ms. Dworin has served as a teaching artist and touring performer for Tri-Cities Opera, The Dallas Opera, Houston Grand Opera, and Austin Opera. A Texas native, Dworin holds her Bachelor of Music degree from The University of Houston Moores School of Music and her Master of Music from The University of North Texas.

Afsoneh Esfandiari is a soprano and educator whose artistry bridges performance, teaching, and research. Possessing a love for both ensemble work and featured solos, she has performed extensively in her native state of Texas as well as during her residencies in Milan, Italy and Innsbruck, Austria. Equally passionate about pedagogy, she has maintained an active teaching studio for over a decade fostering a nurturing technique and health focused environment.

Afsoneh is currently pursuing her DMA in Vocal Pedagogy at the University of Texas at Austin under the mentorship of Dr. Guerrero with whom she founded the university’s first Student NATS Chapter. She has expanded her interests to include research at the intersection of endocrinology and vocal performance and is pioneering a new understanding of the impact of PCOS on the vocal athlete. Her multifaceted career reflects her belief that singing is a means for interpersonal connection and a powerful tool for self-discovery.

Teddi Pinson Iley is an Austin-based soprano, performer, and educator. She has been most recently seen performing with Austin Opera in Pagliacci, The Pearl Fishers, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. She is an active performer throughout the Austin area and maintains a thriving voice studio in North Austin. Some of her favorite operatic roles include Adele (Die Fledermaus), Serpetta (La finta giardiniera), and Giannetta (L’elisir d’amore). 
 
Teddi holds a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Music from Baylor University. She is also a full member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. As both an educator and performer, Teddi is deeply passionate about nurturing the next generation of artists so she is thrilled to serve as a Teaching Artist with Austin Opera this season!