Ernest Múzquiz is a native of Moore, Texas (San Antonio area) and attended Texas A&I University (now Texas A&M–Kingsville), where he received his B.M. in 1970. He received his M.M. from the Eastman School of Music in 1971, where he was awarded the Performer’s Certificate. He joined the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra (SSO) in 1974 and began teaching at Syracuse University as its percussion instructor that same year.

His main teachers were Dr. Joseph L. Bellamah (Texas A&I), John Beck (Eastman), James Dotson (San Antonio Symphony), and Leigh Howard Stevens (virtuoso marimba artist). In 1978, he became the SSO’s Assistant Conductor (10 years) and director of the Syracuse Symphony Youth Orchestra (16 years), while continuing to maintain his position as a full-time percussionist in the SSO. He has now completed his 52nd year as percussionist in the Syracuse Symphonies.

Múzquiz has performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony (Previn, Maazel), the Baltimore Symphony (Commissiona), and the Rochester Philharmonic (Zinman). As timpanist, he has performed with the Eastern Music Festival Orchestra in Greensboro, NC (1975), and the Skaneateles Festival.

Múzquiz gives special thanks to several colleagues and teachers who were influential in his career, including Herbert Flower (former principal percussionist, SSO), Douglas Igelsrud (former principal timpanist, SSO), Dave Mancini (drummer with Doc Severinsen, Maynard Ferguson), John Soroka (former principal percussionist, Pittsburgh Symphony), Gordon Stout (world-renowned marimba artist and composer), and former students Michael W. Bull and Laurance Luttinger (now his professional colleagues in The Syracuse Orchestra).