Brendan D.

Brendan has been living in Chicago since 2014, and has recently graduated from DePaul University with a Bachelor's degree in Classical Trumpet Performance. During his time at DePaul, Brendan played in nearly every major ensemble at one point or another, including the renowned DePaul Symphony Orchestra and DePaul Jazz Ensemble.

Since graduating from DePaul, Brendan is now one of a handful of working trumpet players in the Chicago area. He performs regularly with Four Star Brass Band, a New Orleans-style brass band with a Chicago twist, and funk group Get Up With The Get Downs. Recently, he has played with these bands at House of Blues, Martyrs', Reggies', and The Green Mill. He has also played in other brass bands like Hi Hat Second Line and Patriot Brass, and has played gigs with professional big bands Big Band Boom and Heisenberg Uncertainty Players. He is also the resident trumpeter at St. Luke Evangelical Church in Lakeview.

Brendan has performed the national anthem at multiple DePaul sporting events, and has been featured as a soloist in many ensembles within the School of Music. He has put on three recitals in his solo career, each featuring him on standard classical trumpet repertoire, personal arrangements, and original compositions.

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As a teacher, I believe that the best approach is a naturalistic one. I like to let students discover things that interest them on their own while guiding them in the right direction by ensuring the use of good fundamentals. When a student is enjoying what they are working on in a lesson is when they are most attentive and absorbent of information. Therefore, if a student seems to respond more to a specific kind of music, teaching method, etc., I will likely incorporate that into my lesson as much as possible. I want my lessons to be fun and enjoyable while at the same time setting students on a path for success in music or whatever discipline they may pursue!