About Us
Welcome to our Family.
Diego Del Real
Owner/Piano Instructor
Diego Del Real was born in Barranquilla, Colombia. His musical studies began at Escuela de Bellas Artes in Barranquilla. He continued his studies of music in Bogotá and Medellin, Colombia and has arranged music for multiple bands and solo artists, ranging from many different styles of music in Colombia, Venezuela and the United States.
Currently, he is the owner of Del Real Music Center and Palmera Recording Studio in Chicago, Illinois.
Joey Del Real
Owner/Bass, Guitar, Drums Teacher
Joey del Real was born in Medellin, Colombia. Joey’s father, Diego, taught him how to play the piano at the age of five. At just eight years old, Joey and his family moved to a suburb of Chicago. That is when he began to learn and eventually master, the bass guitar. He began playing the guitar and drums soon after. One of his first debuts was performing at his elementary school. He also played multiple shows at his high school, such as, variety shows, assemblies and even winning Battle Of The Bands. At the age of 15, Joey was playing professionally with his father’s orchestra. By the end of the 90’s, Joey had performed in over 1,000 shows, was featured and appeared on live radio interviews and music videos. He started giving music lessons while establishing Del Real Music Center with his father, starting out as a rehearsal space for local bands and eventually becoming a music school. Joey and Diego began recording musicians so in 1996, Joey created Out There Entertainment Group, an independent music label. He then began managing bands while performing and recording his own bands. He has been in over 20 bands and traveled to perform over 3,000 shows all across the United States and Canada. Currently, Joey has been focusing on recording his band, Mystic Soulz and gives guitar, bass and drum lessons.
Samuel Del Real
Latin Jazz
Samuel del Real is an accomplished Latin pianist, arranger, band leader and educator from Barranquilla, Colombia with decades of professional experience. During the height of his career in Latin America, Samuel was a pianist of Dimension Latina and Trabuco Venezolano – two prominent and internationally recognized ensembles. He participated in various recording productions in Caracas, Venezuela and in 1983 Samuel recorded his first solo album. The song “Ella No Baila Sola” became a hit in nearly every night club across Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, and Panama, even reaching the USA. After relocating to Chicago in 1985, Samuel immediately formed his orchestra with members of various ethnic and musical backgrounds which gave a unique perspective to his sound. Since then Samuel del Real and his orchestra have performed at various festivals, concerts and private venues across major US and European cities including Chicago, New York, London and Miami among others. Samuel’s three most recent albums – Piano Caliente, Piano Jamboree and Piano Navideno include selections from his extensive Latin Jazz repertoire as well as fresh interpretations of Afro Cuban classics. Samuel is also a music educator, who has been teaching music and bringing a touring performances and music workshops to Chicago public schools, colleges and educational centers thru Urban Gate Ways (1990-1995), International Music Foundation (2003-Present), Del Real Music Center. At the present moment, Samuel is promoting his own After School Music Program, to public schools and cultural centers targeting the Latino Community, considering a very powerful tool to enrich the Latin American Culture. The purpose of Del Real Music Center is to teach children at an early age, the knowledge and basic concepts of music while introducing them to musical instruments such as piano, guitar, bass, percussion and vocalization and voice as a tool to develop the inner ear. In addition students will learn to interact with Latin rhythms like salsa, cumbia, merengue, Caribbean, Latin Jazz and music of Mexico.
Nicole René
Voice Coach
Nicole was born in Highland Park, Illinois and moved to Glenview, Illinois at the age of four. She began playing the piano and taking vocal lessons by 5 years old. Soon after, she started taking ballet, tap and jazz. She was also heavily involved in acting and performing in community theaters. Classically trained vocal lessons for several years helped to improve her vocal range and the ability to harmonize with ease. This lead her to eventually obtain roles as the led singer and front woman for rock and roll bands. For the past ten years, she has spent most of her time recording in the studio. Her first EP was released in 2010 and she continues to record for her band, Mystic Soulz. She is currently offering vocal and songwriting lessons. She has been a writer since she was 9 years old. Nicole has been a member of the DRMC family since 2005.
Katherine Del Real
Art Teacher
Born in Barranquilla- Colombia, She discovered her fascination for colors and forms since childhood.
She got graduated from college, earning her degree as advertising and graphic designing. Having this career as a support, Katherine starts studying at the fine arts academy simultaneously.
“An artist has the ability to perceive and express this world with a variety of colors, forms and dimensions, instead of a plain view”. This unique and extraordinary way of view is expressed in each of her creations. “The real satisfaction to me as an artist, will come at the moment when the observer is reached by an emotion, then, and only then, a connection between observer and creation is possible. This is what makes a true artist, If there is no emotion /connection and there is no message to give, any serious artistic sense will be null, so Art is not what I see, is what I make others see”.
She experimented with different techniques besides canvas, such as fabric, wood, walls, or practically any possible surface where she could paint on. She created several art pieces for various local businesses, fashion designers, interior designers and fine art galleries.
After her experience as Creative Director for 8 years, as an artistic painter and graphic design specialist, Katherine Del Real becomes a Freelance Graphic Designer and Visual Artist and is known for her passion, creativity and strong expressions on her creations.
Currently, Katherine Del Real resides in Chicago, and continues her artistic passion, developing as a muralist, Art teacher, leading workshops for Art therapy, Painting Parties and working in various artistic projects in combination with graphic designing as well.
