Faculty

Kevin R. Burke teaches courses in music theory, music literature, and world music. Since arriving at Florida Tech, he has sought new channels for music to interact with the STEM fields. Dr. Burke’s emerging research and teaching interests involve classic video game music, particularly the compositional trends and culture developing around the sound chips for 8- and 16-bit systems. He has presented research on distinct sound drivers for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Sega Genesis, and TurboGrafx 16 at meetings of the North American Conference for Video Game Music and the Ludomusicology Conference and has several forthcoming articles on this initial work. Dr. Burke remains active in the study of music pedagogy, recently serving as the Secretary-Treasurer for the American Musicological Society’s Pedagogy Study Group. An Eli Lilly education grant in 2010 allowed him to pioneer the use of iPads as tools in the music classroom and his work with instructional technology and the “Reacting to the Past” (RTTP) platform appear in Hybrid Pedagogy, Engaging Students, Journal of Music History Pedagogy, and the forthcoming Norton Guide to Teaching Music History. Dr. Burke received a Ph.D. In Musicology from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music, where his dissertation, "Propagating a National Genre: German Writers on German Opera, 1798-1830," received the Helen T. Ehlers award. He maintains an extensive database of German-language opera reviews from 1798-1830, which he compiled during his Fulbright Fellowship at the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek.

As a commercial artist he has worked with Billy Joel, Tony Bennett, Charlie Daniels, Amy Grant, The Irish Tenors, Don Menza, Bob Mintzer, Ruben Studdard, Mandisa, Kim Choo-ja, Julie Andrews, Nathan Lane, Lou Diamond Phillips, Ian Fraser, Ed Strauss, Laura Bell Bundy, Lea Michelle, Bart Shatto, Steve Tewksbury, Eden Espinosa, and many others. He is the music director for "Bartley in Concert" a jazz concert experience featuring singer Adam Bartley (star of the television show Longmire). Montelione can be heard on major-motion picture soundtracks to the “Post Grad Survival Guide”, “Live Evil”, “Unearthed,” the documentary "U-Street Sounds", and the video game “Metropolis.”

As an orchestral trumpeter, he has performed with the Florida Orchestra, Opera Tampa, Jacksonville Symphony, Coastal Symphony of Georgia, Ocala Symphony, Opera Memphis, Memphis Symphony, Alabama Symphony, Moscow State Radio Symphony, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Erie Symphony, Washington Symphony Orchestra, Jackson Symphony and the Carnegie Hall performance of the United Nations Orchestra.

He has been seen in the Broadway pits for the shows “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum” starring Nathan Lane, “Victor/Victoria” starring Julie Andrews, “The King and I” starring Lou Diamond Phillips and “Big: The Musical” a musical adaptation of the 1988 Tom Hanks film. He spent many summers as music director of the CRT Orchestra, a high-energy show band that is in residence at the Creede Repertory Theatre. He currently performs as the feature trumpet soloist for “Concert With Words”, a live concert experience that blends instrumental performance and acting.

He is a 2016 Henry Award Nominee for Best Music Director and Best Musical for his work with Guys and Dolls. His arrangements and orchestrations can be heard on Broadway Star Steve Tewksbury’s Album “The Luckiest”, with Adam Bartley (current star of the television show “Longmire”) and for the musical "The Presidents" and a new orchestration for Franks Loesser's "Guys and Dolls."

As a composer he wrote the music for the national touring musicals "Viva Agua" (Book by John DiAntonio) and "Mathstronaut" (Book by John DiAntonio) and the comedy "Pants on Fire" (Book by Jessica Jackson). He also composed the music for the plays Harry the Great (book by John DiAntonio) and Tamin of the Shrew (Book by Nagle Jackson), as well as a jingle for a TCBY commercial.

Equally skilled on the podium, Dr. Montelione was a semi-finalist in the Concours International pour Jeunes Chefs d’orchestres in Chenove, France and has conducted a wide variety of groups including the Memphis Chamber Players, New Ballet Ensemble, West Point Military Academy Band, Falls Church Orchestra, UF Trumpet Ensemble, University of Southern California Chamber Winds, USC Brass Choir, USC Trumpet Ensemble, Jacksonville Civic Orchestra and the Capistrano Performing Arts Center Orchestra.

Dr. Montelione is currently a Professor of Music at Florida Tech University where he teaches trumpet and directs the band program. He has been on the faculty of the University of Florida as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Trumpet and a member of the artist faculty for the National Trumpet Competition since 2007. Montelione has served as a teaching-artist for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, a performing artist-educator for Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp and the New England Music Camp, as the Director of Instrumental Performance at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN and trumpet faculty for Music Academy International in Italy.

Erik Cole teaches applied woodwinds at Florida Tech and also serves as an adjunct faculty member for the music departments of UCF and Rollins College, in addition to maintaining a private woodwind studio. He received his BM in Music Performance from Butler University (Indianapolis, IN) and his MM in Woodwind Doubling from the prestigious Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester. Mr. Cole has held the position of Second Clarinet with the Brevard Symphony Orchestra since 2005. As an active freelance musician throughout the central Florida area, he often performs at Walt Disney World, Broadway Orlando, and other theaters in the Orlando area.

Scott Devlin has been a Disney musician for 30 years, performing and conducting in the Walt Disney World Band, The Magic Kingdom Saxophone Quartet and Disney’s Candlelight Orchestra. As a woodwind musician, Scott has performed in an array of ensembles including the London Symphony, several Broadway musicals and the classic rock band, Cheap Trick. Scott conducts workshops for Disney Performing Arts, judges solo and ensemble festivals and maintains a large private woodwind studio. A native of the Chicago area, Scott received his Bachelor in Music Education from the University of Iowa and his Masters in Music Education from the University of Central Florida. He has taught saxophone at The University of Tampa, Southeastern University and is currently the saxophone instructor at Rollins College and Florida Tech University.

Ms. Marks-Morgan has a Bachelor of Music Performance Degree in Voice and Piano Minor, a Bachelor of Music Education K-12, a Master of Fine Arts:  Choral Conducting Emphasis and a Specialist Degree in Administration. Her teaching experience includes Public School Choral Director in Appleton, Wisconsin; Brevard County, Florida; Cambridge, MA; and Jefferson County Public Schools, Louisville, KY. She has been a piano and voice instructor in studio for 40 years, as well as a choral director and pianist at a variety of churches.

Pervin Muradov instructs applied piano at Florida Tech and maintains a private piano studio in Melbourne. She holds a master’s degree in Piano Education and Performance from the Azerbaijan State Conservatory, Baku (former USSR). In addition to her piano studio, Mrs. Muradov has worked as a Russian language and music teacher at Tropical Elementary School in Merritt Island and Suntree Elementary School in Melbourne. She founded and directs “Music Education and Autism” and, together with the Brooklyn Music Teacher Guild (NY), is raising funds to give children with autism the opportunity to perform in venues like Carnegie Hall in NYC. Mrs. Muradov’s students have won the Space Coast Pops Young Artist competition, the Florida State Competition, and the Brevard’s Got Talent competition and she has participated in various international music festivals and master classes in Germany, Italy, Spain and Russia. Mrs. Muradov is an organizer of the international music competition “Florida Keys” for young talents, is listed in “Who’s Who of American Women” (21st Edition), is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music (NCTTM), and is an active member of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) and the Brevard Music Teachers Association (BMTA).

Brian Tarquin teaches courses in Audio Recording and Production at Florida Tech. He is an Emmy Award-winning composer and guitarist and can be heard as the host of “Guitar Trax” on WFIT (89.5 FM). Mr. Tarquin is a seasoned veteran of the music industry, with credits ranging from ABC’s All My Children to MTV’s Road Rules, four studio albums, and his BHP MUSIC record label that has released the Guitar Master Series featuring guitar legends like Jeff Beck, BB King, Santana, Jimmy Page, Joe Satriani, Zakk Wylde, Stanley Clarke, Billy Sheehan and others. His book Recording Techniques of the Guitar Masters is published by Cengage and his books Insiders Guide to Music Licensing and Guitar Encyclopedia are published by Allworth Press.

Eliza Dopira directs the Concert Choir, String Orchestra, and Chamber Acapella groups and teaches applied voice lessons. She has been teaching at Florida Tech since 2010 and has been involved in the growth of the Music Program since its infancy. Mrs. Dopira has brought new musical connections to campus by way of partnering with other colleges and local musical groups. Community outreach has been one of her top priorities, regularly bringing ensembles to assisted living facilities, community events, and on-campus appearances.

Mrs. Dopira performs as a soloist regularly in Central Florida, with repertoire ranging from Opera, to Jazz and Baroque. She encourages students to attend local concerts with the Brevard Symphony, Space Coast Symphony, and at the Henegar Center and hosts the Music Program party at the end of every semester. Mrs. Dopira holds a BM in Vocal Performance from Florida State University, and both a MM in Vocal Performance and a Graduate Performance Diploma in Opera Performance from the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University. She is an active member of the Florida Music Educators Association, Florida Vocal Association, National Association of Teachers of Singing (Southeastern and Central Florida chapters), and is a board member for the Brevard Symphony Orchestra South Guild.

As an accomplished violinist, Dana Beattie has performed throughout Florida and the Southeastern United States, touring with many acts ranging from pop and rock to Broadway and classical since 2006. She has been a full time member of Brevard Symphony Orchestra since 2006, as well as a substitute for Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra since 2014. She is also a cast member at Walt Disney World, performing with the Walt Disney World Candlelight Processional since 2008.

In the past, Dana has been an itinerant String Teacher for the Brevard County Public Schools. Currently, she teaches applied high strings at Florida Tech. Along with her duties at Florida Tech, she maintains a private studio of public and private school children in the Brevard area.

Outside the classical world, Dana has performed and toured with such acts as Johnny Mathis, Rod Stewart, Bernadette Peters, David Foster, Bebe Neuwirth, Kelly Clarkson, Cirque Du Soleil, Keith Urban, Seal, Mannheim Steamroller, Sting, and Dennis DeYoung.

Dana hols a Master of Arts in Violin Performance from the University of Central Florida, studying with Dr. Ayako Yonetani. She also holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education ,with a minor in Violin Performance University of Florida.

Chuck Van Riper teaches the Beginning and Intermediate Group Guitar classes at Florida Tech. He has played and studied guitar since 1966 and has shared the stage with some of the most prominent musicians in the world. His music is archived and can be heard frequently on WFIT (89.5 FM). Both guitar classes create an enjoyable atmosphere for learning, with the beginning class focusing on fingerpicking styles and the intermediate class with strumming, chords, and scales.

Adriana Stenvik began her musical journey at a young age in the Vero Beach community studying with Debbie Lyle, Elaine Boda and Lois Scott. She studied music performance at the University of Central Florida with Melissa Kraut on cello and later received a Master of Arts in music. Adriana performs regularly in the Brevard Symphony and Walt Disney World Orchestras as well as the Orlando Philharmonic. She has shared the stage with Duran-Duran, Andrea Bocelli, Sting, Rod Stewart, Kelly Clarkson, Joshua Bell, Johnny Mathis, and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra among others. Adriana worked with A Gift for Music from 2000-2004 and was the instructor of string techniques at UCF from 2008 to 2011 and is currently the professor of Cello and Bass at FIT. She currently resides in Vero Beach with her husband and two sons and teaches cello, viola and bass privately in her home.

Eliza Dopira directs the Concert Choir, String Orchestra, and Chamber Acapella groups and teaches applied voice lessons. She has been teaching at Florida Tech since 2010 and has been involved in the growth of the Music Program since its infancy. Mrs. Dopira has brought new musical connections to campus by way of partnering with other colleges and local musical groups. Community outreach has been one of her top priorities, regularly bringing ensembles to assisted living facilities, community events, and on-campus appearances.

Mrs. Dopira performs as a soloist regularly in Central Florida, with repertoire ranging from Opera, to Jazz and Baroque. She encourages students to attend local concerts with the Brevard Symphony, Space Coast Symphony, and at the Henegar Center and hosts the Music Program party at the end of every semester. Mrs. Dopira holds a BM in Vocal Performance from Florida State University, and both a MM in Vocal Performance and a Graduate Performance Diploma in Opera Performance from the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University. She is an active member of the Florida Music Educators Association, Florida Vocal Association, National Association of Teachers of Singing (Southeastern and Central Florida chapters), and is a board member for the Brevard Symphony Orchestra South Guild.