About Antonio Caballero

Born in Flint Michigan, Antonio Caballero was raised in the rich cultural environment that the legacy city has to offer. He attended the Flint School of Performing Arts for piano lessons, expanding into the brass and percussion sections as various ensembles became of interest. Studying primarily with Dr. Quincy Dobbs, his focus shifted to composition and music theory, culminating in collaborations with the Flint Youth Philharmonic Orchestra and Flint Youth Wind Ensemble to premiere his original compositions commissioned by these ensembles. 
As his musical education continued, Antonio studied with composer Andrew David Perkins and focused on compositional techniques using a wide range of technologies. Through the use of the state of the art Music Technology Labs at FHS, he published his first album in 2015, an instrumental jazz album titled I have a vaguely bad feeling about this. Inspired by his own educational experiences thus far, he enrolled in the University of Michigan-Flint’s Music Education Program. 
Studying under Ida Leschinskya, Dr. Genadi Zagor, and Dr. Katena Dinas, Antonio studied the works of many master composers, learning standard keyboard repertoire as well as composing his own works for performances throughout his college years.He studied and performed works from a variety of genres outside of classical, finding a place in several jazz ensembles as pianist and trumpet player. He was awarded a variety of academic and performance based scholarships during his time at UofM-Flint, including the Gerret Ebmeyer Scholarship for Trumpet Performance, the Charles Brownwell Scholarship for Piano Performance, and the Donn Wyant Music Scholarship for Jazz Performance and Composition. 
After receiving his baccalaureate degree in Music Education, Antonio moved to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, in search of creative freedom and solace. He currently teaches Band, Choir, and General Music in Marquette. Most recently, he has performed with the Marquette Symphony Orchestra, the Westerly Winds Big Band, the Marquette City Band, and The Kitchen Sink. 
In 2022, Antonio was accepted into the Juilliard School of Music Composition Class under the Extension Program, and studied with Dr. Elliot Cole in pursuit of a composition certificate. Collaborating with performers throughout the semester, the spring course resulted in his first string quartet, Iterations. 
Antonio spends the majority of his time composing contemporary classical music and post-bop jazz, writing poetry and antics about the frustrations and joys of living in the 21st century, and hiking in the deep and cold woods around Marquette County. Outside of creative thinking, his main passions lie in the outdoors, through camping, exploring wildlife, and hiking. Antonio can often be found in the woods around his home with a fishing pole, pair of binoculars, and a book.