Our Faculty

Karlos Elizondo, an accomplished music educator with over 20 years of experience, has been a dedicated faculty member at Bradley Middle School in North East ISD since 2018. As Director of Bands, he leads the Honor Band, Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, and beginner brass classes, while co-directing the Symphonic Band. His ensembles consistently achieve top honors, earning UIL Sweepstakes ratings, unanimous first division awards, and Overall Outstanding Band accolades at prestigious festivals statewide.

In 2019, under his leadership, the Bradley Jazz Ensemble was invited to perform at both the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic and the Texas Bandmasters Association Convention. Building on that success, the ensemble will return to the Midwest Clinic in 2024—an impressive endorsement of Mr. Elizondo's sustained program excellence. The Bradley Jazz program has since expanded to over 100 students across five jazz ensembles: three full big bands, a jazz combo, and a beginner jazz band for sixth graders. Under his direction, these bands frequently achieve first-place recognition at prominent festivals hosted by institutions such as the University of Texas at Austin, Texas State University, St. Mary’s University, and Palo Alto College.

Beyond his educational role, Mr. Elizondo is a highly regarded clinician and adjudicator, maintaining active memberships in the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Jazz Educators Association, and Texas Music Adjudicators Association. As a distinguished trumpet player, he is widely sought-after across Texas, with an extensive performance portfolio that includes collaborations with legendary artists and ensembles like The GAP Band, Eddie Palmieri, Haley Reinhardt, The Temptations, The San Antonio Symphony, Tito Puente Jr., Mannheim Steamroller, and The Latin Breed. His Broadway musical credits include acclaimed productions such as MJ The Musical, All Shook Up, Chicago, A Chorus Line, Ragtime, Little Women, In the Heights, Guys & Dolls, and Cabaret.

Mr. Elizondo also serves as the lead trumpet for the Doc Watkins Orchestra at JAZZ, TX, located in San Antonio's vibrant Pearl district, where he continues to showcase his exceptional musical talent and versatility.

Outside his professional achievements, Mr. Elizondo values time spent with his lovely wife, Madeline, and their two awesome children, Amelie and Karlos.

Steve Mohacey is a seasoned saxophonist, dedicated educator, and accomplished jazz musician based in San Antonio, Texas. Beginning his musical journey at age 12, Steve quickly gained recognition as a talented performer, earning the title of Texas All-State Musician twice during his years at Roosevelt High School. He further distinguished himself by participating in the 1982 Texas All-State Jazz Band and the 1983 Texas All-State Symphonic Band. A proud graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, Steve holds a Bachelor of Music Education and a performance certificate. His college years include notable achievements, including receiving the Downbeat Magazine Student Music Award for Outstanding Performance in 1987, as well as performing with the Disneyland All-American College Band and serving as Music Director for SeaWorld of Texas. Steve’s professional career spans teaching high school band at West Rusk High School and serving in the U.S. Army Band. During his military service, he performed worldwide, entertaining dignitaries such as Presidents Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush, along with international leaders. As the saxophone instructor at the Armed Forces School of Music, he trained saxophonists from all branches of the military, and his Army jazz quintets gained widespread acclaim. His compositions and arrangements are part of the military band repertoire. After retiring as a First Sergeant with 22 years of service, Steve now teaches band at Whittier Middle School in San Antonio ISD. His ensembles consistently earn UIL Concert and Sightreading Contest Sweepstakes, and his jazz band has produced numerous outstanding soloist awards and achieved first division ratings at regional jazz festivals. Active in the Texas jazz scene, Steve leads his own group, Ulterior Motive, and is a sought-after jazz clinician, freelance woodwind specialist, and performer. He is also a member of the San Antonio Jazz Orchestra and The Powerhouse Big Band.

Madeline Elizondo, Co-Founder of JAZZ Nation, has had experience working with nonprofits since 2017. She began working with the company OPERA San Antonio (OSA) as an outreach artist, founding the Explore Opera for Kids! program in collaboration with the San Antonio Public Library in 2017. Since joining the company full-time as the Education Coordinator in 2019, Madeline has expanded community partnerships, created innovative online teaching resources and videos, and overhauled relationships with area schools, which have achieved great success in promoting opera education across the community. In 2023, Madeline was promoted to the position of Director of Education & Outreach to manage the growth of OSA’s outreach initiatives which now include 50 school visits a year with the program OPERA in Schools, a School Time Performance Series in collaboration with the Tobin Center’s Generation NEXT, a spring theater tour of OPERA 101, free Holiday Pop-up concerts for the community, a full fledged summer Young Artist Program in collaboration with the Classical Music Institute, and an annual South Texas Tour of concerts in the cities of Uvalde, Laredo, and Corpus Christi. 

Prior to working with OSA, Madeline Elizondo served as Adjunct Voice Faculty for San Antonio College for 15 years, mentoring at-risk students in careers in the arts. As a voice teacher for 18 years, Madeline guided aspiring young singers through their journey into higher-level education. She has taught music in San Antonio public schools and in the community for over 20  years. She received a Masters in Vocal Performance and a Bachelor of Music in all-level Music Education with Jazz Certification from Texas State University-San Marcos.  A passionate educator who continues to hone her craft, Madeline Elizondo has been a featured vocalist with several premier Texas organizations. Engagements include roles with local and regional opera companies, including South Texas Lyric Opera, Sparkling City Light Opera, San Antonio Opera, and Austin Lyric Opera. Roles with South Texas Lyric Opera include Santuzza and Mamma Lucia/Santuzza understudy for Carol Vaness in Cavalleria Rusticana and the Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors multiple times. Roles with Sparkling City Light Opera include Tisbe in La Cenerentola, the 3rd Lady in The Magic Flute, and Hansel in a company debut performance of Hansel and Gretel. Other roles include the Mother of Cio-Cio-San with the San Antonio Opera under the direction of John de Lancie in a modern production of Madame Butterfly and Madame Croissy in Dialogues of the Carmelites. She was also part of the Austin Lyric Opera American premiere of Waiting for the Barbarians by Philip Glass. Concert soloist engagements include productions of The Messiah with the Corpus Christi Chorale, Elijah with South Texas Lyric Opera. She has also been featured in a series of performances at the McNay Art Museum, including the role of Susan B. Anthony in The Mother of Us All and the art song cycle L’Histoire Naturelle by Ravel. Her performance of Susan B. was so well-received as a part of their artist series that an encore performance of the work was requested. A versatile vocalist, Madeline has been featured at the Texas Jazz Festival in Corpus Christi, Jazz'SAlive, and the International Latin Jazz & Arts Festival in San Antonio with the Powerhouse Big Band.