MEET OUR MAESTRO: 

A native of the Detroit area, Michigan, Dr. Robert Rustowicz received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Central Michigan University in 1968. He spent four years in the Air Force band program, serving as an Oboist at Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio, and Clark Air Base, Republic of the Philippines.  He completed the Master of Music degree in Oboe Performance (1975) and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Wind Conducting and Literature (1980) at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Dr. Rustowicz came to the University of Texas at San Antonio in 1976 to start the instrumental music program.  While his primary responsibility had been conducting the UTSA Wind Ensemble, his teaching duties included undergraduate and graduate courses in conducting, wind literature and rehearsal techniques. He authored a conducting text, Basic Conducting Technique – Patterns and Gestures, for use in undergraduate conducting classes at UTSA, and has presented clinics at the Texas Music Educators Convention (Non-Traditional Performance Techniques in Band Literature and Increasing the Musical Effectiveness of Your Band) and the Texas Bandmasters Association Convention (Maintaining the Integrity of the Band Repertoire).  

Dr. Rustowicz retired in the Spring, 2012, and was appointed Associate Professor Emeritus in the Fall, 2014.  

Dr. Rustowicz has been conductor and music director for the San Antonio Wind Symphony since its inception in 2003.