Robert has a long history of being involved with music programs over the years. Some of his past percussion instruction ensembles are Western Albemarle High School (Crozet, VA), Western Branch High School (Chesapeake, VA), Lakeland High School (Suffolk, VA), Tallwood High School (Virginia Beach, VA), Cox High School (Virginia Beach, VA) and Princess Anne High School (Virginia Beach, VA). Robert also did some judging for several marching band circuits and music festivals in Virginia. Robert was also a member of Southern Nights Drum & Bugle Corps that was based in Virginia Beach, VA. After moving to California, he took on the Percussion Instructor for Gahr High School (Cerritos, CA). Later he started an independent drumline for young teenagers in the LA Area. This then transformed into the Mystikal Youth Arts Organization (2004 – 2009). Robert also have experience in visual design as part of his duties with the various high school ensembles and worked closely with his mentors Tim Gauldin, Andy Harnsberger, and Kevin Mitchell arranging marching percussion music for the various high school programs in Virginia Beach, VA.
Robert holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology with a focus on Technical Operations from Old Dominion University and numerous certifications. He is also a member of National Association of Minority Architects (NOMA) and Theta Tau Engineering Fraternity as one of the Charter Members for the Upsilon Beta Chapter. Robert’s professional career is currently doing contractor development and bonding program for Public Agencies in Downtown Los Angeles.
He currently lives in Long Beach, CA where he enjoys international traveling, off-roading, camping and hiking. He loves his family, the Washington Redskins, New York Yankees and Boston Celtics.
Jonathan Zuniga is an instructor, composer, and arranger from Southern California. He has worked with several WGI/SCPA indoor ensembles including Pulse Percussion 2010-2018, Los Alamitos High School 2011-2016, La Quinta High School 2016-present, Chino Hills Winter Drumline 2013, 2016-2018, and Sunny Hills High School. Jonathan is currently the Front Ensemble Arranger and Musical Director for Pacific Crest (2017-Current) and was on the design team at George Mason University for their 2018 WGI season. He has also joined the 2020 Design Team for Elan Percussion. His past instructional experience in DCI includes Academy 2011, Cadets 2012, and the Blue Stars 2013-2016. Jonathan was a former Assistant Front Ensemble Arranger for Box Six.
Jonathan’s performance experience includes the Arizona Academy Drum and Bugle Corps 2007, RCC Winter Drumline 2009 and the Blue Devils Drum & Bugle Corps 2008.
Jonathan is a member of the Vic Firth, Zildjian, Mike Balter, and Remo team and lives in Huntington Beach, California.
Zach is a San Francisco Bay Area native who has become a full-time educator and designer since living in Southern California. He has worked with numerous marching bands, drum corps, and indoor percussion ensembles as a designer, drill writer, choreographer, and visual marching/movement specialist. Graduating from California State University Long Beach, in 2017 with a Bachelor of Music degree in performance, has also allowed him to work as a freelance musician and private instructor. In 2023, Zach earned a Master’s Degree in Education and a certified California Teaching Credential.
Zach currently serves on the visual staff at The Concord Blue Devils and RCC Indoor Percussion and is the Visual Designer for Dark Sky Percussion. He is also the Program Coordinator and Visual Caption Head at Ruben S. Ayala HS (CA). Recently, he was the Visual Caption Head at the Blue Devils B Corps in 2017 and on the visual staff at The Sacramento Mandarins in 2018. Other ensembles Zach has worked with are The Blue Knights (CO), The Madison Scouts (WI), Pacific Crest (CA), POW Percussion (CA), IMPACT Percussion(WA), Motor City Percussion (MI), Lake Effect Percussion (MI), Velocity Independent (CA), UTRGV Percussion (TX), Blue Springs HS (MO), L.D. Bell HS(TX), James Bowie HS (TX), Jenks HS (OK), James E. Taylor HS (TX), Lake Hamilton HS (AR), Westlake HS (UT), Cedar Valley HS (UT), Katy HS (TX), North Mesquite HS (TX), Stratford HS (TX), Sullivan HS (MO), Eastwood HS (TX), Hanna HS (TX), Harrison HS (GA), Coronado HS (TX), S. H. Rider HS (TX), James Logan HS (CA), Fountain Valley HS (CA), Homestead HS (CA), Etiwanda HS (CA), El Dorado HS (CA), Castro Valley HS (CA), Portola HS (CA), Rowland HS (CA), and Sunny Hills HS (CA).
Zach’s performance background comes from the Concord Blue Devils in 2012-2015, Vanguard Winter Percussion in 2013 and RCC Indoor Percussion in 2016.
Zach lives in Chino, CA.
Aaron is an educator and music producer from Ventura County who has spent many years teaching alongside dedicated and passionate instructors in the marching arts community. He holds a background as a multi-instrumentalist with a primary focus on trumpet. In 2021, he was credited as the recording and production engineer in the debut album "Gradients" for the up-and-coming surf-rock band Archer Oh and continues to produce music when he has the time. He spent two years studying music and trumpet performance at Moorpark College. After graduating with an Associates Degree from Moorpark, Aaron transferred to California State University, Northridge and earned a Bachelors Degree in Music Industry Studies in 2021.
Aaron's marching experience started with Pacific Crest in 2015, and then 3rddedicated years at the Blue Devils from 2017-2019. It wasn't until 2021 where he started to make strides as a visual caption head for Adolfo Camarillo High School's Marching Band and winter drumline programs. Alongside Camarillo, he has taught at many prestigious programs in the area including Westlake High School, Moorpark High School, and Thousand Oaks High School - constantly helping those programs to medal in their respective divisions.
He took his teaching skills to the independent level with Meraki in 2023 and then Gold Drum and Bugle Corps the following summer.
Steven Estudillo was born and raised in Southern California. He is a graduate of La Mirada High School, and studied at California State University, Fullerton. As a performer, Steven was a member of Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps and later performed with The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps, aging out in 2008.
Steven has been a Visual Designer, Educator, Creative Director, and Adjudicator since 2006. His designs have been represented by ensembles within Bands of America, Winter Guard International, and Drum Corps International circuits. Upon aging out in 2008, Steven began his work as an instructor and designer within the drum corps activity. He worked with Pacific Crest as a visual instructor in 2009, then later served as the Visual Designer from 2010 – 2012. After a two year hiatus from the ensemble, he returned as the Visual Designer and Creative Director from 2015 – 2021. Steven is currently on the Visual & Design Team for Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps as the Visual Designer.
Simultaneously, Steven was a visual instructor for The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps from 2009-2015, serving as the Visual Caption Head starting in 2011. During the winter seasons, Steven has been serving as a Visual Designer and instructor for Pulse Percussion and Chino Hills High School since 2012, and designs for several other award winning indoor percussion ensembles throughout the country. In addition to his work in the United States, Steven has had the opportunity to branch out internationally and work with performing ensembles in South America, providing consultation and clinics to further spread the marching arts in different regions.
Steven Currently resides in Ontario, CA. with his loving wife Lexie, and his three children, Emily, Ezekiel and Elle.
Oscar started his marching and musical career in the mid 1990’s and has performed with several professional organizations, Youth Bands, College Bands, Independent Percussion, and Drum and Bugle Corps. He has performed in Drum Corps International, Drum Corp Association, and several other circuits. He shares his love of music and encourages his students to be passionate and expressive. The knowledge and wisdom he shares with his students comes from mentors who inspired him to be a great musician and educator. He has been a part of four high school programs that include Roosevelt High School, Hollywood High School, Littlerock High School, and Palmdale High School as a Clinician, Brass, and Percussion Instructor. He is currently a Hornline Instructor at his Alma Mater Herbert Hoover High School in Glendale, California since 2019.
Oscar is currently attending Los Angeles Valley College and pursuing his Associate’s Degree in Music Education and History. Mr. Rodriguez is planning to transfer to Cal State University Northridge to work on his bachelor’s degree to pursue his teaching credentials to continue to be an inspiration to the next generation of musicians. Oscar was born in Boyle Height, East Los Angeles and lives in North Hollywood, California.
Oscar is excited to be a part of the Quixotic Winds Staff.
Philip is the current director of bands at Diamond Ranch High School, in Pomona, CA, where he teaches jazz, guitar, marching band, wind ensemble, concert band, string orchestra, symphony orchestra, and colorguard. He has also held the position of department chair for the visual and performing arts department since 2014.
In addition to his teaching duties, he adjudicates for the School Band and Orchestra Association and has presented to the school board on numerous occasions regarding the different concepts and issues surrounding music education. Previous positions include adjunct professor at Cal Poly Pomona teaching Secondary Instrumental Techniques and director of bands at Servite High School in Anaheim, California. He is currently in his twentieth year of teaching in the secondary classroom where his groups continue to earn numerous awards in marching contests and superior ratings at both district and state festivals.
Mr. Ruiz earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Music from California Polytechnic University, Pomona, and a Masters in Musicology from Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, California. He is currently attending Claremont Graduate University, where he is ABD and in the final stages of completing his doctorate of music with a focus in musicology. His dissertation focuses on the social development of the new instrumental music director and is the recipient of the prestigious Walker/Parker Memorial Endowment Fellowship.
Mr. Ruiz has been honored by Who's Who Among American Teachers, as Diamond Ranch High School's Teacher of the Month and a nominee for Disney's Music Educator of the Year. He is a current member of the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association, National Association for Music Education, California Band Director Association, California Teacher Association, and National Education Association.
Salvador is an accomplished music educator and performer based in Southern California, and is eager to serve in his first year as the Visual Manager for Quixotic Winds. With a passion for both teaching and performance, Salvador has built a diverse career spanning drum corps, marching band, indoor percussion, symphony orchestra and wind ensemble.
Salvador's performing credits include Southern California local groups such as Impulse Drum & Bugle Corps, The Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band & Herald Trumpet Unit, The UCLA Marching Band, Élan Percussion, as well as The Blue Devils. Salvador has been a guest performer with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra in Summer 2019, a former euphonium player with the Southern California Brass Consortium, as well as a charter member of the Wind Symphony of Clovis. Salvador brings a wealth of experience across multiple musical genres.
In addition to a successful performance career, Salvador is a dedicated educator with extensive experience at both the high school and independent levels. After earning a Bachelor's degree in Music Education and Music Performance from UCLA and a Teaching Credential from Fresno State, Salvador went on to complete a Master's in Music Performance on euphonium at Colorado State University. As a mentor, Salvador has contributed to numerous student successes, including co-directing the Fossil Ridge High School Marching Band to back-to-back state championships in2018 and 2019, and leading California High School to a Class 'A' Championship at the CSBC Indoor Percussion Championships in 2023 and played a key role in supporting the California High School Winter Guard in their WGASC Championship Season where the team finished the season as class champions, also in 2023.
Salvador serves as Director of Instrumental Music, teaching band, orchestra, and percussion ensemble, at D. Russell Parks Junior High School within the Fullerton School District and currently serves as the Visual Caption Head for the Sunny Hills Lancer Regiment. Through these roles, Salvador continues to inspire and develop the next generation of musicians, providing leadership and guidance both on and off the field.
With a strong foundation in performance, pedagogy, and leadership, Salvador Hernandez is committed to fostering creativity and excellence in all aspects of the marching arts and music education.
