Education

  • D.M.A., University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • M.A., University of Alabama
  • B.A., St. Mary’s University

Courses

  • Wind Ensemble
  • Applied Euphonium
  • Applied Tuba

Research Interests

  • Wind Band Music
  • Low Brass Ensemble
  • Music Education
  • Brass Band

Biography

Matthew Mireles (B.A. ’07) is the Chair of the Department of Music, and Associate Dean in the College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences at St. Mary’s University. Mireles serves as the Director of Bands, professor of tuba and euphonium, and professor of music education. Mireles also regularly clinics and guest conducts high school and middle school bands, all-region honor bands, and adjudicates Texas honor band auditions and solo and ensemble competitions.

In addition to his responsibilities at St. Mary’s University, Mireles is the Musical Director and Conductor of the San Antonio Brass Band, and conductor of the Backburner Tuba-Euphonium Collective. These groups are comprised of some of the finest brass performers in the world and regularly perform at international and regional conferences and festivals.

As a euphonium soloist, Mireles was the winner of the 2008 Leonard Falcone International Euphonium Competition, the most prestigious euphonium competition in the world. Mireles also released a solo album titled “Prometheus,” on the Potenza Music record label, which includes previously unrecorded works for euphonium with strings, wind ensemble and piano.

Mireles was the winner of the 2007 Mid-Texas Symphony Young Artist Competition, the 2007 University of Alabama Concerto-Aria Competition and the 2008 International Tuba Euphonium Conference (ITEA) Chamber Music Competition. Mireles has given solo recitals at the United States Army Band Tuba Euphonium Workshop, the International Tuba Euphonium Conference, the National Band Director Association convention, the Southeast Regional Tuba Euphonium Conference, the Mid-West Regional Tuba Euphonium Tuba Euphonium Conference, the South-Central Regional Tuba Euphonium Conference and at numerous universities around the country.

Also an active chamber musician, Mireles plays euphonium with the internationally renowned Boreas Quartet. Their album, “The Serpent’s Kiss,” was the winner of the 2016 ITEA Roger Bobo Award for Recording Excellence, the highest award internationally for low brass. Their second recording, “Whirlwind,” is scheduled for release in 2019.

Mireles is currently the President of the Andy Mireles Charitable Foundation, Director of the St. Mary’s University Summer Band Camp, Associate Director of the Fiesta Jazz Festival, and also previously served on the Executive Board of Directors for the Youth Orchestra of San Antonio (YOSA). He has also been a Grants Reviewer for the Texas Commission of the Arts, New Materials Reviewer for the International Tuba Euphonium Association, and served on the Arts and Humanities Council of Lawton, Oklahoma. 

Mireles holds memberships with the College Band Directors National Association, World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, College Music Society, Kappa Kappa Psi, Oklahoma Music Educators Association, International Tuba Euphonium Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, and Texas Music Educators Association.

Prior to moving back home to San Antonio, Mireles was the Joye R. Lenz Endowed Professor and Director of Bands and Low Brass at Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma and also the Conductor of the Frontier Brass Band. Mireles also held positions as conductor of both the University Band and Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble at the University of Wisconsin-Madison while also teaching undergraduate euphonium.

Mireles is in demand all over the world as a conductor, clinician, performer, teacher, adjudicator, public speaker, and advisor. He earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a Master of Music degree from the University of Alabama and a Bachelor of Arts degree with Teacher Certification from St. Mary’s University. His major teachers have been John Stevens, Demondrae Thurman, D.M.A., Lee Hipp, Scott Teeple and Mark Hetzler.

Publications

“Prometheus” – solo album on the Potenza music record label; “The Serpent’s Kiss” chamber music album on the Potenza Music record label, and winner of the 2016 International Tuba Euphonium Association “Roger Bobo Award for Recording Excellence”

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