Meet a Roadrunner: John Zarco is on mission to attract more students to music

John Zarco

By Kris Rodriguez
Public Affairs Specialist

(Jan. 8, 2014) -- Meet John Zarco. He joined UTSA in the fall as the associate director of bands in the Department of Music and is helping spur the growth of the music program and with the Spirit of San Antonio Marching Band.

Currently, Zarco conducts the UTSA Symphonic Band and Chamber Winds. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in conducting, wind literature and music education.

Zarco received a doctorate of music arts in conducting from the University of Minnesota and his bachelor's and master's degrees in music from California State University, Sacramento.

Zarco joined UTSA after serving as director of bands at Millersville University in Pennsylvania and as a music teacher at Saratoga High School in California. He led a program of more than 200 students that performed in marching band, symphonic band, jazz and percussion ensembles.

With one semester completed, Zarco now hopes to recruit more students to participate in UTSA's ensembles. Woodwind, brass and percussion auditions for placement into concert bands and orchestra will be Sunday, Jan. 12.

"Our music ensembles are open to all majors including non-music majors," said Zarco. "A lot of UTSA students think that band, choir and orchestra are only for music majors, but that is not the case. We have ensembles that are open to all majors. Some ensembles do require an audition, but they are still open to everyone."

UTSA students interested in joining a concert band can email john.zarco@utsa.edu. Interested choir students can email Gary Mabry; for orchestra, email Eugene Dowdy.

>> Follow the UTSA Department of Music on Twitter (@UTSAmusic) and like them on Facebook.

------------------------------

Do you know someone at UTSA who is achieving great things? Email us at social@utsa.edu so we might consider your submission for an upcoming installment of Meet a Roadrunner.

Events

Friday, May 3, 11:30 a.m.

McNair Scholars' Spring Celebration

This event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.

North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main Campus

Wednesday, May 15, 6:00 p.m.

Doctoral Conferral Ceremony

At this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.

Arts Building Recital Hall, Main Campus

Thursday, May 16, 3:00 p.m.

Roadrunner Walk

Roadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.

Student Union Paseo, Main Campus

Friday, May 17, 10:00 a.m.

Commencement: Ceremony One

Celebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.

Alamodome, 100 Montana St.

Friday, May 17, 4:30 p.m.

Commencement: Ceremony Two

Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.

Alamodome, 100 Montana St.

Submit an Event

Spotlight

UTSA’s Mission

The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.

UTSA’s Vision

To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.

UTSA’s Core Values

We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.

UTSA’S Destinations

UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .

Our Commitment to Inclusivity

The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.