Vancouver musician Michelle Cormier's wide-ranging musical interests have given her a broad array of musical experiences - studying classical guitar at Vancouver Community College, performing with the Balinese ensemble Gamelan Gita Asmara, teaching guitar, and directing Canada's first children's mariachi band. Michelle's work explores the links between distant musical cultures - through guitar playing, percussion, singing, performance, and education. She has also studied Afro-cuban rhythms and arrangements with Israel Berriel (of Matanzas, Cuba), Sigfrido Borbon (of Guantanamo, Cuba) and Alfonso Borges (of Santiago de Cuba).To satisfy her own passion for Spanish and Latin American music, Michelle directs an all-female Mariachi band and other local musicians.