Drawing on my multi-cultural background, I have become internationally recognized for my Latino and Native American influenced compositions. I grew up in San Antonio, Texas, a city rich in cultural diversity, playing the drums in my father's Latin dance band. As a composer, my goal is to create works that capture the true spirit of ethnicity and communicate it in contemporary musical language. In creating new works, I strive to preserve and promote the traditions of my own Latin culture, as well as those of the many other cultures that I have embraced.

I served as Composer-in-Residence with the award winning San Antonio Symphony from 1993-96, creating new works to unite the symphony with the largely Hispanic community of San Antonio. I have had the opportunity to compose and arrange for various professional orchestras, bands, and soloists throughout the United States, including The Minnesota Orchestra, The Plymouth Symphony, Texas Lutheran University, Velvet Brown, Deanna Swoboda, Lauraine Carpenter, and the Southwest Guitar Festival. I have also received several ASCAP Composer's Awards. I am an Associate Professor of Music at San Antonio Community College where I teach The History of American Music, Basic Composition, Improvisation, Percussion Lessons and Class Percussion, and direct and arrange music for the Latin jazz ensemble. As a percussionist, I have performed professionally with a variety of musical groups including The San Antonio Early Music Ensemble, The San Quilmas Consort, as an extra percussionist with the San Antonio Symphony, and as a sought after marimba and steel drum player in the San Antonio area. In addition to performing, I have lectured at many national conferences, and at several schools and universities throughout the United States.