Xander Mancino, Jazz Los Alamos
Alexander Mancino is a multi-instrumentalist, music educator, songwriter, and recording artist. He graduated from Arizona State University in 2020 with a Bachelors in Music, focusing on jazz piano and ethnomusicology. Currently based in Los Alamos, he teaches three Jazz Project combos, leads Jazz Band II at LAHS, works at the Duane Smith Auditorium, regularly plays jazz and pop gigs in the surrounding community, and writes and records original music in his home studio using multitracking techniques. When he has time to indulge in activities outside of music, Xander enjoys hiking, reading, playing board games, and designing clothes. As one of the first Jazz Project students, Xander is proud to be back as an educator contributing to its legacy.
Zachary Vigus, Running Start Orchestra Conductor
Zachary Vigus earned a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Master of Music in Cello Performance from California State University in Sacramento. He began private studies after a hearing life-changing performance of the Rachmaninov Cello Sonata’s slow movement. Zach is currently the orchestra director at Capital High School and Ortiz Middle School for the Santa Fe Public Schools, where he enjoys teaching string students from beginners to All-State. As a private studio teacher, Zach’s students have won music scholarships, seats in All-State Orchestras, spots in university music programs, and pre-college spots with prominent conservatory programs.
Karles McQuade, Intermezzo Conductor
Karles McQuade holds a double B.Mus. in Violin Performance and Violin Pedagogy, magna cum laude, from the University of New Mexico, as well as a BA in physics from Oberlin College. He is a certified Suzuki violin teacher and a certified IB World School teacher. Karles has been involved with Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association (SFYSA) since its founding in 1994, spending seven of his student years in Youth Symphony Orchestra and later as Artistic Director, Director of Elementary Strings, and a Board member. He is the Intermezzo group’s longest-serving conductor, returning after a hiatus for his sixth season with that ensemble. A Santa Fe native, Karles has taught violin all across New Mexico, from Farmington to Hobbs. He’s also in locations scattered across the nation—from the Hawaiian Islands to the Virgin Islands. His violin and viola students have been accepted into prestigious institutions including the New Mexico School for the Arts, New Mexico All-State Orchestras, and the Albuquerque Youth Symphony Program, as well as the Sphinx Performance Academy at Oberlin Conservatory. In addition to his work in music, Karles teaches mathematics at El Camino Real Academy.
Tamarah Lucero, Director of Youth Mariachi
Tamarah has been playing music just about as long as she has been able to walk, but her love for mariachi began her freshman year of high school when she attended her school’s first ever mariachi rehearsal. From that first note, she found her true passion and has never looked back! Through the years she has shared the stage with and accompanied local, national and international artists across New Mexico, the country and Mexico and is a member of New Mexico’s premier mariachi, Mariachi Tenampa. She has worked with various public school and charter school mariachi programs and is currently the director of Mariachi San José in the Albuquerque Public Schools.
Jesse Parker, Jazz Atalaya Combo
Based in Santa Fe, Jesse Joaquin Parker is an in-demand percussionist and music educator. He has performed at venues such as the Telluride Jazz Festival, DROM/Manhattan, and the Nuyorican in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He has performed, toured, and recorded with Marcos Crego and The Latin Union, Bernard Purdie, Bata Ire, Mike Crotty Jazz Quintet, Taumbu International Ensemble, Chuchito Valdez, Raul Pineda, Carmela y Mas, Ritmo Latino, El Paso Symphony Orchestra, Phoenix Symphony, Mesa Symphony and many others. He currently performs with the legendary New Mexico band, Nosotros, and the New Mexico Philharmonic. Jesse earned his Bachelors of Music Education from New Mexico State University and his Masters of Music Performance from Arizona State University. A dedicated educator, he instructed the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps from Denver, and Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps from Lexington KY. His teaching credits on the college level include serving as an Associate Faculty member at Arizona State University, a Teaching Artist at Phoenix Conservatory of Music, and as Director of the World Music Ensemble and Latin Jazz Ensemble at Paradise Valley Community College. Jesse currently directs the World Music program at Mandela International School in Santa Fe and is also director of percussion studies, Music Fundamentals 2, and Latin Jazz band at the New Mexico School for the Arts.
William Finn, Jazz Los Alamos
William Finn is a saxophonist, jazz educator, private lesson instructor, avid hiker, and dog owner. He leads the Los Alamos Middle School Jazz Band, coaches two Jazz Project groups as part of The Santa Fe Symphony’s Education & Community Engagement Program, and recently taught the front ensemble for Los Alamos HS Topper Marching Band. Will performs locally on tenor saxophone with a number of local bands. He holds a Bachelors in Middle East Peace Studies from Loyola University-New Orleans, where he studied jazz saxophone with New Orleans legend, Tony Dagradi. He is regularly invited to serve as a guest woodwind instructor around Northern New Mexico.
Jeremy Bleich, Jazz Nambe Combo
Jeremy Bleich is a composer and multi-instrumentalist who incorporates a wide palette of sound and culture into the process of creating music. He has toured extensively across Europe and the US playing bass and electronics with critically acclaimed trio “Birth,” award-winning Kodama Trio and oud with Zevk Ensemble and Trio Andaluz. He lives in Santa Fe, where he is involved with presenting new music through his Grasshopper Music record label, producing House Concert Chamber Music events, and teaching Orchestra in the Los Alamos Public Schools District. Jeremy has played and/or recorded with musicians as diverse as Count Vu, Joe Maneri, Chris Jonas, Carmen Castaldi, Jason White, Keven McCarthy, and Rick Elias. He has composed, conducted, and produced a variety of musical theatre works including “Love and Emma Goldman,” a rock opera made possible by a generous grant from The California Foundation for Peace and Justice.
Robert Beasley, Jazz Tesuque Combo
Robert Beasley is a trumpeter, composer, and educator residing in Santa Fe. As a performer, he has backed up many touring artists, most notably Ahmad Jamal, The Smithsonian Masterworks Jazz Orchestra, The Temptations, Maelo Ruiz, Tony Vega, and Frankie Negron. Robert’s recording credits include The New Triumph’s “Night Trip” and “Keep on Push’n,” James Ziegler’s “Better,” and Dyaphonic’s “Element of Proof,” as well as work for composers such as Mateo Messina, Phillip Peterson, Andrew Joslyn, and Garrett Gonzales. His theater experience includes more than 100 performances of Verlaine and McCann’s “Land of the Sweets: The Burlesque Nutcracker,” Verlaine and McCann’s “Through the Looking Glass: The Burlesque Alice in Wonderland,” and Seattle Children’s Theater’s “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.”