James R. Zuniga graduated from San Jose State University with a B.A. degree in music specializing in composition and conducting. He has had 50 years of teaching experience and just as many in writing music professionally. He holds a lifetime California teaching credential. 

Among his Personal Musical/Professional Achievements are:

Listed in “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers” 1994.

Adjudicator for Northern California Band Association since 1996

Guest conductor for the Santa Clara County Honor Band 1997.

The Faculty Service Award from Wilcox HS in 2000

The PTSA Congress Achievement Award from Wilcox HS in 2001.

Member of Northern California Band Association.

Arranger for all music at San Benito HS since 2001.

Vice-President in charge of Winter Activities for NCBA.

The Directors award for outstanding music score @ the 2003 Pacific Grove Band Review.

10-year service award from San Benito HS in 2011.

Inducted into The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, (ASCAP), as a professional composer/arranger in 2012.

The Director of the Year Award by the California Colorguard Circuit in 2015 (shared with his wife Camille)

15-year service award from San Benito HS in 2016.

Adjudicator for California Music Educators Association, (Central Coast Section)

The Educator of the Year Award nominated and voted on by the faculty and staff of San Benito HS District in 2016.

Voted Board Member at Large for the CMEA – CCS Area in 2016.

Voted Educator of the Year 2016 – 2017 San Benito County Office of Education

Certificate of Recognition 2017 Teacher of the Year – San Benito County Board of Supervisors

Certificate of Congratulations Teacher of the Year 2017 – City of Hollister

Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition – 2017 Teacher of the Year – United States Congress

The Educator of the Year Award nominated and voted on by the faculty and staff Tokay HS in 2022.

Arranger for all music at Tokay HS since 2016.

He has written musical arrangements and scores for various schools, ensembles and professional clients in the genres of parade competition marches, jazz band arrangements, concert pieces, string orchestra & symphony orchestra pieces, special film scores for teledramatic arts classes and for dance classes as a collaborative effort in Visual and Performing Arts divisions and drumline arrangements for competition including, “The Legend of Zelda”, “The Twilight Zone”, (which won the 2015 & 2019 CCGC Scholastic Percussion Concert Class A Championship titles), “West Side Story”, “Pirates of the Caribbean Variations”, “Phantom”, “Avatar, The Last Airbender”, (which won the 2022 NCBA Scholastic Percussion Concert Class Championship title), and “Cowboy Bebop”, (which won the 2023 NCBA Scholastic Percussion Concert Class Championship title).

He has conducted musical theatre shows such as:

Guys & Dolls, (3 times at different schools)

Little Shop of Horrors (2 times at different schools)

Once Upon a Mattress

Annie (2 times at different schools)

Calamity Jane

South Pacific

Smile

Bells are Ringing

Hello Dolly

Into the Woods

He enjoys writing music and helping people achieve success in talent. “Wasted young talent is a crime against the future” & “It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice” are among his favorite mantras.