Issac Vasquez has been a band director for 12 years and currently teaches at Veterans Memorial High School in Mission, Tx where he has been in residence since 2008. He is responsible for the building and maintaining of the percussion section in the realms of marching, concert, and chamber genres and the jazz program. His studio consists of 19 students from the high school, 16 7th & 8th graders, and 18 beginners. The VMHS drumline and jazz band are very active in participating in community activities. From 2002-2008, he was a band director at Del Valle High School where the marching band competed twice at the Texas UIL State Marching Contest. The jazz and symphonic bands received numerous 1’s and best in class awards. In 2000-2002 while at Irvin High School, the marching, symphonic, and jazz bands received the same types of awards. Both schools are in El Paso, Tx. Aside from DVHS and IHS, he has been a consultant/clinician/adjudicator for several schools in the El Paso/Rio Grande Valley areas as well as with the Innovative Percussion Indoor Marching Ensemble of El Paso. He has had several students make region bands and participate in Region and State Solo & Ensemble contests and festivals.
From 1995-2007, Issac was an original member of Star City Percussion. Upon arriving in Mission, he formed Unified Percussion, whose purpose is to provide a “live” model of the performance of percussion literature for all levels of students. Unified has had the privilege of performing at the Texas Bandmaster’s Assoc. convention in 2012.
Under the study of Larry White, Issac graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso in 2000 where he was involved with several performing ensembles, including the University Wind Ensemble, University Orchestra, University Percussion Ensemble, Pandemonium Steel Band, Marimba Pops, and percussion for the Zarzuela Opera. Under the baton of Dr. Ron Hufstader, the wind ensemble performed at the Texas Music Educator’s Assoc. convention in 1993.
Since 2000 Issac has been blessed with the opportunity of continuing the performance aspect of being a percussionist in other groups as well. Such as the El Paso Wind Symphony, the El Paso Symphony Orchestra, the Juarez Symphony Orchestra, the Valley Symphony Orchestra, the McAllen Symphonic Band, the El Paso Chorale, and the South Texas Lyric Opera.
Issac now resides in Mission with his wife, Miriam, and their 2 children, Madilyn and Ethan, and are expecting another baby boy in December 2012.
