Joe Braccio - Guitarist

 Black Tie Music Ensembles

Joe Renda - Drums 

About Us

More being added soon!

​Meet the Musicians

 Diego Villa - Cellist

Aaron Hilsinger - Violinist

Joe Renda started playing drums at the age of five. He performs all styles of jazz and
has won 2nd prize in the first annual "Battle of the Beat" sponsored by the Long Island Drum Center of New York, with over 1,800 drummers competing. Joe was very active in the New York music scene, including performing in jazz clubs and off-Broadway shows.

Ms. Cornwall is  celebrating her 42nd  year as a professional cellist this year!  She began her career with her first Professional Orchestral contract in 1973 with the Elgin Symphony under conductor Margaret Hillis who was then the Elgin Symphony conductor and the Chicago Symphony Choral Conductor and the only woman who had ever conducted the Chicago Symphony.
Julie has performed with the Naples Philharmonic, Sarasota Orchestra, Annually the Viennese Strauss Symphony of the Americas, Venice Symphony, Charlotte Symphony, Evansville Philharmonic in Indiana, Rockford Symphony in Illinois, Rockford Symphony Pops Orchestra, and the Janesville-Beloit Symphony in Wisconsin, now known as the Rock-River Philharmonic. Julie earned her Masters degree in music and is currently employed by the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra.  She is also a freelance cellist, playing Solo Concerts, Weddings, Churches and Special Occasions. She performs regularly at the Ritz in Naples and has performed for VIP wedding’s including Judge Judy's daughters wedding.
Ms. Cornwall is often heard in solo and small ensemble concerts as well as weddings and special events and is in great demand as a featured artist. 
Ms. Cornwall took her first European concert tour during the summer of 2008 where she played as a solo cellist, where she was called a "Primo cellist" as well as being the first American to perform with the Vidin Philharmonic.

Christiane Vinet - Flutist

Sebastian Johnson - Guitarist

Diego Villa- Cellist.   A native of Colombia, received a Bachelors of Music (Cello Performance) from the University of North Texas (1982) and a Master of Music from Baylor University.  From 1985 to 1989 he was principal celllist of the Orquesta Sinfonica de Antioquia, in Medellin, Colombia.  He was the cello teacher at the Universidad de Antioquia (Medellin) from 1993 to 2000.  During his professional years in Colombia he was active as a soloist and chamber musician, and performed as soloist with several orchestras in Colombia.  In 2000 he moved to Tampa with his family.  He was the orchestra director at Progress Village Middle Magnet from 2000 to 2006, and currently teaches Elementary Music.  He is active as a performer in the Tampa Bay area, having performed with Tampa Opera, and local orchestras.

Aaron Hilsinger has spent decades performing in Tampa Bay and around the world.  The Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, and Symphony Hall, Boston, are some of the many venues Mr. Hilsinger has had the pleasure of performing in as a concert violinist.  Mr. Hilsinger is also proud to perform  with arts organizations in Tampa Bay such as the Florida Orchestra, St. Petersburg Opera, various chamber ensembles, and in area churches.  Aaron has played on stage with many stars including Yo-Yo Ma, Josh Groban, Pinchas Zukerman, and Aretha Franklin, and is excited to share music with you!

Sebastian Johnson, born in Massena, NY, has been playing the guitar since he was 12. He holds an Associate's Degree in Music from St. Petersburg College, and a Bachelor's degree in music from the University of Tampa. Sebastian has studied guitar under Jaybo Key (St. Pete), Joe Braccio (SPC) and John Demas (UT). Most recently, Sebastian has been performing as a guitarist for Busch Gardens, entertaining over 300,000 spectators per year. Sebastian performs at performs at private functions including: weddings, baby showers, dinners, corporate events, open houses, ribbon cutting events and special occasions. Sebastian also works as a guitar instructor at Don Banks Music in South Tampa.

Professional Live Music for any Occasion

Christiane Vinet is a native of New Orleans, LA. She holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from Boston  University, and a Master of Music Degree from University of Nevada, Las Vegas, both in Flute Performance. 

She has performed in the Las Vegas Philharmonic and the Nevada Opera Theater. Other experience has included touring as a member of the orchestra for renowned tenor, Andrea Bocelli; several Las Vegas performances of Beatlemania , various Motown stars, live music broadcasts from the radio station, performing “Peter and the Wolf” with Teller (from Penn and Teller) as narrator; and the Nutcracker. In 2013, she performed at Busch Gardens ChristmasTown for the “Angels of Peace” seasonal ice show. Ms. Vinet has served on the Music Faculties of UNLV, Community College of Southern Nevada, Nevada School of the Arts, St. Petersburg College and currently State College of Florida, teaching a variety of music classes. She founded The Black Tie Music Ensembles in 1997, providing live music for any occasion from conventions and grand openings to corporate and private functions. 

 Julie F. Cornwall - Cellist

Mr. Joe Braccio, guitarist and steel drummer, has over 40 years’ experience with various styles of music including: Rock, Classical, World music, Top 40, Jazz, R&B, Blues, Latin and chamber music.
His background includes courses at Cresciani Guitar School in Rome, Siena master classes (Italy) and private study with Adam Holzman, Frank Mullins (SPJC)), Sandy DeVito, Mike Sullivan (Eckerd College), Charlie Byrd, and Professors San Felice and Jeff Linsky.
He has performed with all of the above, as well as Gene Bertocini-Herb Ellis-Jeff Narell-Charlie Byrd, Dave Lapio-John Shaw (Pan Magic steel drum duo) and Maurice Leysens (former concertmaster, Gulf Coast Symphony).  
Mr. Braccio teaches at Eckerd College, St. Pete College, Pinellas County Center for the Arts and John Hopkins Communications Magnet. He has taught over 10,000 private students, many of whom have won awards and competitions in both the classical, jazz and rock idioms- some being signed by major music labels including: Virgin Records, Atlantic Records, Sony and MCA.  Many of his students are also instructors and performers in the Tampa Bay Area. Today, he continues a busy and active performing career on both guitar and steel drums with his wife, Lori.