Silvia Sierra

(Artistic Director)

Born and raised in Puerto Rico,she began studying music and singing at the age of 14. Awarded a scholarship for merit, she was accepted at the Syracuse University Drama Conservatory, where she received a BFA in Acting and was nominated for the National Irene Ryan Award for acting. She continued her studies in NYC with Betty Buckley, Geoffrey Owens, Barbara Maier and Tom Nelis (SITI Company), and works with directors such as Bob Moss, Rene Buch, Anthony Salatino, Fay Simpson and Jorge Ali Triana.

She has participated as a guest performer at various movement-based workshops at NYU and Julliard and has performed with several companies such as Repertorio Espanol, Syracuse Stage, Teatro Pregones, Teatro La Tea, Teatro SEA, Chashama, Pregones, New Village Productions and dance-theatre company ImpACT Theatre. In the year 2000, she co-founded the experimental dance theatre company Teatro de la Culebra. Her work as an actress earned her an ACE nomination for best character actress in 2004.

Silvia has also participated in various film projects, such as  Is Your Neighbor Latino? (currently on  PBS-Channel Thirteen). As a singer, she has performed at Lincoln Center, Symphony Space, Hard Rock Cafe, Summer Stage, S.O.B.s, and others. Her voice can be heard in many educational CDs and recorded books, as well as in musical recordings (including recently the album "Joey Arkenstat: Bane" with Mike Gordon of legendary rock band Phish). 

In NYC, Silvia is the founder and artistic director of Grupo Artificio, which focuses on the exploration of movement and the use of live music in performance. 

She has collaborated with Spanish director Luis Dorrego, organizing a workshop entitled "Taller de Teatro Anti-Naturalista", which included a performance night of the pieced explored. Recently, she directed a staged reading of Nelson Rodrigues' "The Wedding Dress" for Repertorio Espanol at 59 E 59 Thetare.

Silvia has received an HOLA Award for "Outstanding Achievemen in Direction", as well as an ACE nomination for "Best Director" for her work in the play "El Maleficio de la Mariposa.

In March 2006, Silvia received the medal for Outstanding Achievement in Theatre from UNESCO and La Comision de la Juventud in Puerto Rico.

Nilko Andreas

(Director Musical)

Virtuoso guitarist Nilko Andreas Guarin began studying cello at the age of 9 at the National Conservatory of his native land, Colombia. After 3 years of cello, he found his true love in the classical guitar, which he has studied consistently since that time.

In 2000, Nilko travels to the United States, where he continued his studies with classical guitarist Francisco Roldan, and after auditioning, is accepted and granted a scholarship at the Manhattan School of Music in the studio of world-renowned guitarist and teacher David Leisner, where he is currently studying composition, and classical guitar. He has taken Master classes with guitar greats such as David Russell, David Starobin, Elliot Fisk, Roland Dyens, Carlos Barbosa-Lima and Manuel Barrueco.

While in New York City, Nilko Andreas has been busy performing Solo and chamber music at The Colombian Consulate, the Colombian Civic Center (for which he composed the organization's hymn), the James Memorial Chapel, Columbia University's Roone Arledge Auditorium, the Church for all Nations, Mannes School of Music, Peter Norton Symphony Space, the Midtown Guitar Seminary, the United Nations, Lincoln center, Summer stage, The Miller Theater at Columbia University, Merkin Hall, among others. Recently, he performed at The Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC. He is a soloist with Horizon Concerts and has given conferences on classical guitar and chamber music at NYU's Skirball Center, as well as teaching in different after school programs.

As a composer, Nilko Andreas has written several scores for independent films, including his participation in a silent movie at the world-renowned Flaherty Film Seminar. He has also composed several theatrical music scores, his last collaboration being with group Artificio, for which he wrote the music score for award-winning "EL Maleficio de la Mariposa" by Federico Garcia Lorca.

Most recently Nilko Andreas received the Colombia Exterior award for Excellency, given to Colombians who have notably distinguished themselves outside of their native country.