Biography

Zachary Edwards teaches elementary music in Galena Park ISD in Houston and is a doctoral candidate in music education at the University of Houston, with a minor in applied percussion. He has served as both a teaching assistant and adjunct instructor in music education at the University of Houston, as well as an adjunct professor of music at San Jacinto College. Previously, he taught in KIPP Texas Public Schools, where he served as regional content lead for primary music and contributed to the development of student growth and achievement assessments for KIPP Texas.

 

Zach holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from Texas A&M University-Commerce (now East Texas A&M University), graduating cum laude with honors, and a master’s degree in music education from Tarleton State University, where he was recognized as the Fine Arts Department’s Outstanding Graduate Student. He currently serves as state executive director of NAfME-Texas, the Texas affiliate of the National Association for Music Education, and previously held roles as treasurer and member-at-large for the Texas Gulf Coast Orff Association. He is certified in Kodály and Orff-Schulwerk methodologies and has completed Music Learning Theory Elementary General Level I.

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As a percussionist, Zach has taught and performed throughout the Greater Houston area and has studied with some of the nation’s leading percussionists and timpanists. He is the founder and mallet-maker of Edwards Mallets, crafting handmade timpani and bass drum mallets used by professionals nationwide.

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Zach has presented professional development sessions, workshops, and guest lectures on elementary music pedagogy and mallet-making. His writing has been published by the American Orff-Schulwerk Association, the Percussive Arts Society, and Music ConstructED.