Tizoc Ceballos '08

Tizoc Ceballos' life has always revolved around music in one way or another. At a very early age he began studying piano, and in Middle School began taking trumpet lessons with Bobby Rodríguez at the Los Angeles Music and Arts School.  There, he also began taking Mariachi lessons and by age 16 was fully immersed into the Mariachi world, and even toured the United States, México and El Salvador with Mexican pop singer José Manuel Figueroa.  Today Tizoc is privileged to have had the opportunity to play along side of some of the most talented Mariachi musicians in the world and enjoys sharing his passion for music through teaching and performing.

While completing his undergraduate work at Chapman University, and through the support of professors and his wife, Tizoc realized a passion for writing music.  Tizoc’s new found excitement for composition and new music led him to participate in Chapman’s New Music and Percussion Ensembles where he began learning percussion, and expanding his exposure to 21st century music.  By his second year at Chapman, Tizoc gained admission into the composition program and began studying with composers Sean Heim and Shaun Naidoo.  Compositionally, Tizoc is influenced by many different kinds of music, from Mariachi to pop/rap music to art music. He aspires to use music as a medium to express some of our inner most emotions and states of mind.

Tizoc holds dual Bachelor of Music degrees in Music Composition and Music Education from Chapman University's Conservatory of Music and, in Spring of 2010, will graduate from The Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University Long Beach with a Masters in Music in Music Composition.  Tizoc was the 2007 recipient of the Smith Composition Award and was the 2nd place winner of the 2009 IronWorks Percussion Composition Competition.

Tizoc has had the privilege of having his music performed by the Chapman University Chamber Orchestra, New Music Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, The Eclipse Quartet, The IronWorks Percussion Duo, and The California Ear Unit.