Title: 1) Head of Piano Studies; 2) Owner and Founder
Company: 1) Booker T. Washington HSPVA, Dallas Independent School District; 2) Musician Theorist
Location: DeSoto, Texas, United States
Leonardo Zuno Fernández, PhD, Head of Piano Studies at Booker T. Washington HSPVA, Dallas Independent School District, and Owner and Founder of Musician Theorist, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements, and leadership in Music Education.
Dr. Zuno Fernández is lauded for his contributions as a musician and educator, having celebrated two decades of success in his field. Since 2020, he has headed the piano studies program at Booker T. Washington High School for Performing and Visual Arts, part of the Dallas Independent School District (ISD) in Dallas, Texas. There, he instructs ninth- and 12th-grade students. Dr. Zuno Fernández currently instructs three sections of students, with the hopes of having four in the coming years to enhance the learning experience.
In addition to his work at the high school, Dr. Zuno Fernández is the owner and founder of Musician Theorist, where he teaches theory, practice and performance to students of all ages and levels, ranging from middle school children to college-level students, as well as adults and fellow music teachers.
Before being acquired by the Dallas ISD, Dr. Zuno Fernández taught at Great Hearts Irving, a charter school, from 2019 to 2020 as an upper school music teacher. His role encompassed teaching choir and music appreciation, as well as leading an instrumental music club that incorporated hand chimes. Dr. Zuno Fernández concurrently served as the co-director of music at Saint Jude Catholic Church between 2019 and 2024. Previously, he spent two years as the director of music at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church, beginning in 2017.
Dr. Zuno Fernández was a teaching fellow at the University of North Texas from 2015 to 2019. During this period, he taught the aural skills sequence, a series of courses designed to complement the music theory curriculum. In 2015, Dr. Zuno Fernández co-founded the Music Institute at Carrollton Square with fellow entrepreneur Jesse Fry. He maintained the business for two years, teaching piano, guitar and voice lessons to individuals of all ages, as well as private and group lessons.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Zuno Fernández excelled teaching K-5 music at Uplift Luna Primary, Uplift Education, from 2013 to 2015, as a piano and music theory instructor at Dallas Music Inc. for 10 years starting in 2005, and simultaneously serving as the director of Spanish choirs at Cathedral Shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Guadalupe between 2012 and 2013. He began his professional career as an adjunct lecturer at Southern Methodist University, where he taught various courses in classical piano, music theory, and accompanying to undergraduate and graduate level college students from 2005 to 2012.
Highly educated in his field, Dr. Zuno Fernández earned a Bachelor of Music in piano performance from Dallas Baptist University in 2003, followed by a Master of Music in piano performance and pedagogy in 2005 and a Master of Music in music theory in 2007 from Southern Methodist University (SMU). Additionally, he studied at the University of North Texas (UNT), where he acquired a Doctor of Philosophy in music theory in 2024. Beyond his formal education, Dr. Zuno Fernández received credentials in English as a Second Language Supplemental EC-12 and a Texas educator certificate in music EC-12.
Recognizing his ongoing dedication to his field, Dr. Zuno Fernández has been affiliated with several leading professional organizations, including the Texas Music Educators Association, the Music Teachers National Association, the Texas Music Teachers Association and the Texas Society for Music Theory. He is also a member and a former board member of the Dallas Music Teachers Association.
As a dedicated member of his community, Dr. Zuno Fernández has served as a mentor for SMU’s Meadows School of the Arts, one of the foremost arts education institutions in the U.S. He has also been influential as a member of the Meadows 2050 Council. Furthermore, Dr. Zuno Fernández has directed church music programs and choirs, leveraging his expertise to give back.
Dr. Zuno Fernández’s expertise encompasses piano performance and pedagogy, drawing on practical music theory knowledge and skills. His master’s thesis, “Beethoven’s Compositional Tendencies in Selected Sonata-Allegro Movements for Piano,” in 2007, and doctoral dissertation, “Inward, Outward, and Liminal Spaces in Beethoven,” in 2024, are a testament to his expertise.
Dr. Zuno Fernández is eager to foster their growth and appreciates the support he has received from the school administration, the conservatory director and other teachers. Over the next five to 10 years, he aims to continue expanding the keyboard and piano programs at Booker T. Washington, while leaving a lasting impression on both his students and colleagues.
Attributing his success thus far to the belief that small steps can make a significant difference, Dr. Zuno Fernández aspires to publish articles and possibly a book based on his dissertation. He believes it is one of the most downloaded dissertations since 2024 at UNT, and he hopes to draw more attention to his work. Among other goals, Dr. Zuno Fernández aims to make a broader impact on university programs by integrating music theory into different areas of music education.
For more information, please visit:
Contact Dr. Zuno Fernández: