J. Fernando Diaz first started his music education at the age of 12 once entering middle school. He developed his skills as a percussionist/guitarist throughout his time as a student in many advanced and honor ensembles in both marching and orchestral settings including the Glendale Unified Middle School Honor Orchestra, Glendale High School Symphonic Orchestra (At the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts Concert in Washington D.C.) and the Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band.  

After graduating from high school with honors from the Visual and Performing Arts Department, he enrolled in nearby Pasadena City College to explore his career paths before entering and successfully completing the Commercial Music Certification Program as part of the Performing and Communication Arts Division. He studied under Dr. Daniel Cole and Ramon Yslas.  

While a student at PCC, Fernando was a member and section leader of all the marching percussion ensembles offered including the PCC Tournament of Roses Honor Band, PCC Lancer Marching Band, and the PCC Indoor Marching Percussion Ensemble where he competed in circuits such as the American Drumline Association, Winter Guard International, and the Southern California Percussion Alliance. He studied and was under the instruction of Tad Carpenter and Kyle Luck.

Fernando experienced success with PCC in ADLA winning the championship in the World Division as a section leader in 2009. 2009 was also Fernando’s introduction to the World Class Drum Corp International scene, as he marched snare drum with Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corp under the instruction of Matt Altmire, Dr. Kelly Flickinger, Lucas Critchfield, and Dan Wahl.

Fernando currently works at PCC as part of the instructional staff for all the marching percussion ensembles that he had been a member of years prior. He also works as a Drill Designer/Arranger/Program Consultant at Hamilton High School Music Academy in Los Angeles, Battery Instructor for Rosemont Middle School and Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta, and is the current Percussion Caption Head and Arranger for Impulse Drum and Bugle Corp.

Fernando’s plans to open an audio/post production business are currently underway as he is seeking to branch out as a freelance audio engineer/designer.