Lane J. Ruise: Founder, Executive Director, Music Director

I have worked 8 years in public schools and 6 years in private schools as a general music teacher. In 1991 I earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Berklee College of Music in Music Education/Jazz Composition & Arranging. My greatest passion is to reach out to a community of diverse backgrounds and provide a positive experience for children in low social-economic families and establish to bridge the cultural gap in children 5-17 years of age through the performing arts. My goal is to start children at the age when they can understand the music alphabet and see them soar into the enjoyment of Gospel, Blues, Classical, Jazz, Latin, Pop and World music. Students will experience with their instrument the role music plays in theater, orchestra, Jazz Band, Marching Band and whatever ensemble they desire to be active in.

For the past ten years I have given advice and instruction to students as they developed through grade school on up through high school and prepared them for their college auditions. Many students have earned college scholarships and went on to graduate with a music degree from Full Sail, Liberty University, Florida State, and Florida Atlantic. In 2012, I was awarded a certificate of appreciation for my work with children in the community from Rogers Community United Methodist Church in East Bradenton. Rogers C.U.M.C. was the first place I developed an after-school music program called Creative Percussion Ensemble in 2009. In 2018 I was awarded a certificate of appreciation from The First Haitian Church for my work with children in the community. This endeavor took place at Congregational United Church of Christ where we became Creative Arts Academy a 501(c)(3) public charity in 2014.

In 2018 and in 2019 I was awarded a certificate of appreciation from State College of Florida in West Bradenton for my volunteer work at the Dr. Martin Luther King Day of Service. I have a way of communicating with children of all ages no matter where they may come from or who they are. All children are welcomed to study with me and I take a holistic approach to teach children how to read, write sing and play the instrument of their choice. We now have built a recording studio at Creative Arts Academy and the first student projects were recorded in 2021 using Pro Tools and Sonar Platinum digital audio workstations along with the Finale music notation software. On my spare time I enjoy swimming, cooking, bike riding and playing percussion instruments.

Edward Dunn

Pastor at Palma Sola and Westminster Presbyterian Church

Union Theological Seminary Union Theological SeminaryM. Div, Ministry 1993 – 1997

Presbyterian School of Christian Education M.A., Religious Education 1993 – 1997