by David DeKunder
Brothers Damien Chavez and Fabien Chavez are looking forward to spreading their love and knowledge of music to the next generation of musicians after graduating from St. Mary’s University in May.
The fraternal twins, who each received a Bachelor of Arts in Music at the May 17 commencement ceremonies, both want to become high school music teachers so they can hopefully inspire and help provide the same opportunities they had in the field of music to their students.
Both of them were high achievers at Lanier High School on the West Side, with Damien Chavez graduating as the valedictorian and Fabien, the salutatorian of their class. They also excelled in music while at Lanier, with both earning spots in the Texas Music Educators Association’s all-region and all-area bands in their senior years, with Fabien Chavez being selected to the all-state band.
When choosing a college, the Chavezes decided to stay close to home, heading to St. Mary’s together. One of the reasons they picked St. Mary’s was when they met Professor of Euphonium Matthew Mireles, D.M.A.
“I wanted to have more attention from my professors, and then when we went to audition for the music scholarship, I met Dr. Matthew Mireles, and that made me want to go even more,” Damien Chavez said. “He just had this energy that made me even more excited to play. I really wanted to learn from him, especially since I heard so much about him, so many great things, and all of it was true.”
As they did in high school, the Chavez twins’ musical talents took them far at St. Mary’s, as they achieved many honors while in college. Damien Chavez, who plays the euphonium, played in the wind ensemble and bassline brass ensemble at St. Mary’s, and was a member of the Rattler Band, playing the trombone in that group.
Fabien Chavez played the clarinet in the wind and woodwind ensembles and the alto saxophone for the Rattler Band and the Jazz Orchestra.
In addition, both brothers were selected for the Intercollegiate Honor Band at the College Band Directors National Association convention in Fort Worth in March. The band consists of the best collegiate musicians from across the country.
Damien was a semifinalist in the Leonard Falcone International Euphonium and Tuba Competition in Michigan in August 2022, like his mentor Mireles, who was a gold medal winner in the competition while in graduate school.
Fabien Chavez said it was Mireles who gave him and his brother many opportunities to excel at St. Mary’s, including being placed on the Intercollegiate Honor Band.
“Being able to have that honor of being in that band and having chairs — being placed as high as we did against other musicians of that caliber — it was an honor and an amazing opportunity,” Fabien Chavez said.
Damien Chavez said studying Music at St. Mary’s under top-notch professors, such as Mireles, made him a better musician and will prepare him to become an effective music educator.
“Studying music has given me a lot of insight, and it’s also given me a lot of time to improve my personal play, working with Dr. Mireles,” Damien Chavez said. “He’s been very persistent and consistent in making sure that I develop good practice habits that I can now transfer on when I teach my students.”
Fabien Chavez said his music professors set high standards that he was able to strive for and achieve.
“More than anything, they all taught me what standards to have, being held to the highest standards,” Fabien said. “They have also taught me the importance of building relationships with students, where they can trust me. I can do for them what music did for me.”
Mireles said the Chavez brothers leave St. Mary’s, having served as role models and mentors to students in the Department of Music and Theatre Arts.
“It’s easy for other students to see how hard they work on their instruments and in the classroom, and then easy to see how well they perform in their recitals and concerts,” Mireles said. “Students see the high level of music making they achieved. They are wonderful people who have become good mentors to everybody.”
