Commerce, Texas -- Dr. Brian Zator, East Texas A&M University professor of music and percussion director, was recently named a Texas A&M University System Regents Professor for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
Established in 1996, the Regents Professor award is the highest honor bestowed to faculty in the A&M System. Zator was among 18 faculty members to receive this recognition by the A&M System Board of Regents at their November 2024 meeting.
To date, 323 A&M System faculty members have received this honor. Zator is the 17th East Texas A&M faculty member named Regents Professor and just the second music faculty to achieve this distinction, following Dr. Ted Hansen in 2008.
A Passion for Music
Zator began his 24th year of teaching at East Texas A&M this fall. Starting as the interim director of percussion in 2001, he quickly advanced to a full-time position and has been a constant presence in the School of Music ever since. In addition to teaching, he also served as interim head of what was then known as the Department of Music from 2020 to 2021.
Growing up in the Houston metro area, Zator attended Klein Oak High School, where he grew to love the art of percussion. He says the top-notch music educators he learned from gave him a great foundation.
“At that time in the early 90s, percussion specialists were not very common,” Zator says. “But in both middle school and high school, I had really great teachers who allowed me to hone my skills.”
However, a career as an educator wasn’t the first thing on his mind. During his senior year of high school, he was accepted to Texas A&M University as a civil engineering major. But as he gave it more thought, he began to feel that he was being led in a different direction.
“I had been to several music camps at Baylor University, and I called up Dr. Larry VanLandingham, the percussion professor,” Zator said. “I said, ‘Dr. V, I think I want to study music,’ and his answer was, ‘I’m glad you finally came to your senses.’”
Zator ended up earning his bachelor’s degree in music from Baylor in 1998. While there, he also marched with The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps, an ensemble that competes in Drum Corps International (DCI) competitions. In 1995, Zator and The Cavaliers won the DCI World Championship.
In addition to his music education in the U.S., Zator also lived in Japan for eight months, studying under world-renowned marimba player Keiko Abe, a time which he credits for tremendous growth in his playing ability and understanding of the instrument.
Arriving in Commerce
Following his time in Japan, Zator earned a Master of Music degree with an emphasis in Percussion Performance from the University of Michigan in 2001. That same year, he went on the job hunt and landed the interim position at Texas A&M University-Commerce (now East Texas A&M).
“I tell people that this is the only ‘real’ job I’ve ever had,” Zator said. “I had two phone interviews and was hired without even stepping foot on the campus. The first time I ever did was when my wife and I came to town to look for a place to live.”
Since then, Zator has tutored, taught and directed the next generation of percussion educators over more than two decades. He has also served in several roles outside of East Texas A&M, including president of the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) from 2017 to 2018.
In 2010 and 2023, East Texas A&M’s Percussion Ensembles, under Zator’s direction, were winners of the PAS International Percussion Ensemble Competition, which sees entries from across the world, and performed at the PAS International Convention. In addition, several East Texas A&M percussion alumni have led their own ensembles to appearances at PAS conventions.
Zator's Approach to Teaching
Zator says that one of the most important ways he has grown as an educator during his time in Commerce was to know when to change his approach to teaching.
“I used to tell the students how to do something, but I feel I’ve changed my approach to instead ask them more questions and help them discover new ways of playing,” Zator said. “It’s important to help them take more ownership of their learning, performing and improvement.”
He adds that seeing the “lightbulb moment” when a student understands a difficult concept is incredibly rewarding.
Regarding the Regents Professor award, Zator said he is incredibly humbled to be among such an esteemed list of prominent faculty.
“The importance of this honor is not lost on me,” Zator said. “I feel like this success wouldn’t have been possible without the students, as well as the percussion and music faculty colleagues who poured their heart and soul into the program.”
School of Music Head, Dr. Eric Branscome, touted Zator’s leadership and impact on his students.
“During his time here, Dr. Zator has established a true culture of excellence in percussion performance and pedagogy,” Branscome said. “He is in high demand as a performer, clinician, recording artist, and arranger, and we are truly lucky to have him mentor our percussion students.”
Dr. Mark Rudin, president of East Texas A&M, stated that Zator was a deserved recipient of this honor.
“Dr. Zator joins an esteemed list of faculty at East Texas A&M University that have been deservedly rewarded by the A&M System for their talents, research, instruction and care for our students,” Rudin said. “Music education has grown and advanced tremendously at our university during his tenure, and the success of both current percussion students and alumni are a testament to his quality as an educator.”
See all of the 2023-24 Regents Professor award winners. Learn more about the School of Music at East Texas A&M.
