Mauricio Castellano is currently serving his ninth year for Sharyland ISD in Mission, TX. Mr. Castellano is the Percussion Coordinator and Assistant Jazz Director for Pioneer High School.  Mr. Castellano consistently has students earn honors in the Region 15 All-Region Bands as well as the All-Region Jazz Bands.  Mauricio's jazz percussionists have also earned many Outstanding Performer Awards at the McAllen Jazz Festival and the Texas A&M Kingsville Jazz Festival. While teaching at B.L. Gray Junior High, the Jazz Ensemble performed in Clinic/Concert with Ron Wilkins and Robert Flores. In 2011, Castellano and the Gray Jazz Ensemble hosted a region wide jazz clinic and concert entitled "A Jazz Drummer's Toolbox" featuring Texas A&M Kingsville Professor Dr. Jason Kihle. 

Prior to his work at SISD, Mauricio received his bachelor’s degree in music from Texas A&M Kingsville where he also earned his Texas teaching certificate.  He comes from the percussion studio of Mr. Randy Fluman.  As a student at Texas A&M Kingsville, Mauricio performed in clinic/concert with the TAMUK Percussion Ensemble at the 1999 Texas Music Educators Association Convention.  In 2001, he performed at TMEA with the TAMUK Symphonic Band and in 2002 performed at the College Band Directors National Association Convention at the University of Houston. In 2015, the B.L. Gray Percussion Ensemble was also invited to perform at the P.A.S. Valley Day of Percussion held at Donna High School. Some of their works performed included Roland Barrett’s Aboriginal Dreams, Daughtrey’s Immortal Dream and Stephen Rush’s Mas Fuerte. 

Currently, Mr. Castellano performs with the McAllen Symphonic Band, the McAllen All-Star Jazz Band and is a section member with the Valley Symphony Orchestra.  Active as a chamber musician, Mauricio performs with the Unified Percussion Ensemble.  The ensemble was created in 2008 to serve as a live model of the musical and technical aspects of percussion literature.  UP has performed with the area Percussive Arts Society: Valley Day of Percussion, sharing the stage with amazing percussionists such as Lalo Davila, Brian Zator, Mark Ford, George Frock and Matt Savage.

In addition to his professional duties with Sharyland ISD, Mauricio maintains a private percussion studio, as well as being an active clinician, adjudicator, and performer in the Rio Grande Valley.