While many teachers head off to grade papers after the school day is over, some rush off to band practice, production meetings, or even concerts because their love for music extends past the walls of their classrooms. Luis Ramirez, Corey Snyder, and Deric Lewis are all passionate teachers at LASA, but despite their busy schedules, the music never stops. Even though they each love music for different reasons, for all of them, it is a deep passion they live for.
Ramirez, a Spanish teacher at LASA, has been in the music scene since 2010. He began his career in a band called Son De Rey, which toured across Texas and earned nominations for the Austin Music Award. Ramirez continued to find his voice through his solo project, and in April of 2024, he released his first solo album, “Entre Luces”. The music videos created for the album also won multiple awards at the Texas Road Film Festival and the Latin Film Market Festival in New York.
“I like creating music because it’s a way to express myself and make sense of life,” Ramirez said. “Music helps me understand personal experiences, just like therapy might for some people.”
Ramirez’s passion for his music is also tied to his heritage. This is seen through the presence of his traditional Latin music with unconventional messages that reflect his Mexican-American childhood. He hopes audiences see the two cultures in his music. Ramirez also uses LGBTQ+ messages and stories in his work, which are emphasized in his large solo pride show performance at the Moody Amphitheater.
“There are a lot of LGBTQ+ messages in my music and sometimes you are dancing to the song, and then you are like, ‘Wait, what?’ because of the hidden stories and messages,” Ramirez said. “I’m hoping people will come to appreciate them and listen to my music.”
Snyder, an English teacher at LASA, teaches songwriting and hosts the LASA Coffeehouse music festival to give his students a place to explore and express their creativity. He enjoys the freedom that Coffeehouse creates for students to express themselves through music.
“If we can just provide them with a stage, it is always surprising to see what some of them come up with,” Snyder said. “One of my favorite performances is from one slightly shy student named Ewan McInerney, who stepped up to shred a metal guitar, which was completely unexpected and left everyone in awe.”
For Snyder, it’s not only about the performance but the entire creative process. He likes to see students go through the process of forming a band, writing a song, and completing the course by playing in front of their friends and peers.
“They begin to understand that the whole process, where they create and perform their music, is not that hard, and they can do it,” Snyder said. “If that catches on, they can do that for the rest of their lives.”
Lewis, LASA’s piano teacher, has a love for performing due to growing up in an entirely musical household where playing instruments was second nature. Because of this, Lewis developed his love for piano early in life, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, who directed his high school band. Lewis went to Huston-Tillotson University, an experience he says is one of his best, not only for his classical piano education but also for learning about life.
“I was not just a student at my college. I was a superstar. Everyone knew me, and I was able to play on stages that I would have never been on,“ Lewis said. “I got all these amazing things like being an ambassador for HBCU [Historically Black College or University] and BCF [Black College Fund]. I was also awarded the Michael Jackson scholarship. I would have never achieved all these things if I had gone anywhere else.”
Their love for creating and performing music outside the classroom is what got Ramirez, Snyder, and Lewis to where they are today. Whether onstage, in the studio, or directing choirs, they have
