Our Directors

Mr. Dwyer

Mr. Dwyer's education has a strong foundation of performance and education. Mr. Dwyer received his bachelors degree from the Juilliard School in 1995 and his Masters in Music from Northwestern University. After attending Northwestern, Mr. Dwyer remained in Chicago and performed professionally on trombone playing various styles of music in many different ensembles. Mr. Dwyer also built a successful private lesson studio where he discovered his enthusiasm for teaching, This decision led to a return to school one last time in order to become a certified teacher in the field of music education. Mr. Dwyer received his Masters in Education from Northern Illinois University In 2004, and began teaching for the San Diego Unified School District at Kroc Middle School.

Mr. Dwyer's student ensembles have been featured on the KUSI News, Jazz 88 Radio, and SignOn San Diego. They've performed with legendary musicians Bill Watrous, Delfeayo Marsalis, and Mike Vax as well as the San Diego Symphony. Mr. Dwyer has received many honors including Teacher of the Year in 2009 and the Visual and Performing Art's Schucman Award for Excellence in Music Education also in 2009. Mr. Dwyer received the CMEA-SBS Jazz Educator of the Year award for San Diego County in 2012.

Currently Mr. Dwyer is very active in the California Music Educators Association (CMEA) and sits as President of the Southern Border Section.

Mr. Dwyer still enjoys playing trombone professionally and is well sought-after as a performer in the area. When not teaching and performing, Mr. Dwyer loves spending time with his wife Cynthia and his two girls Caitlyn and Brianna.

Mrs. Soliz

Mrs. Soliz’s musical experiences and tastes range from one end of the spectrum to the other. Growing up in Syracuse, NY, she listened to her parents’ music: gospel, funk, jazz, oldies, and soul. She began her classical training in voice and piano at a young age. In high school, she got involved in the hardcore/punk music scene (much to her parents’ dismay), but despite that, she continued her classical music training and attended The Crane School of Music at the State University of New York at Potsdam. While earning her bachelor’s in Music Education, Mrs. Soliz sang in a couple of different rock bands. After graduation, she decided that touring the country while singing in a rock band sounded like more fun than getting her Master’s degree. And it was. She spent the next few years sharing the stage and hanging out with many national artists.

In 1998, Mrs. Soliz moved to San Diego, tired of the road and wanting to settle some place warm. Her teaching career began at Santana High School in 1999. In between her time at Santana and permanent placement in the San Diego Unified School District, she was fortunate enough to work in many of the Grossmont High School District schools, San Diego Unified Schools, and juvenile hall.

Having taught at all levels in the K-12 system, she loves working with teenagers (I know!) and loves passing her love of music on to them. She splits her time during the day, teaching 2 periods at Twain High School in Linda Vista, and 3 periods here at Correia.

Outside of school Mrs. Soliz stays busy singing and playing guitar for church, spending time with her husband and two daughters, watching Syracuse basketball, and finally getting that Master’s in Music Education degree.