Adrian currently serves as Principal Trumpet with Colorado Springs Philharmonic. Until recently, he was a member of The United States Air Force Band, Music Director and Principal Conductor for the National Concert Band of America, and Adjunct Professor and Director of the Maryland Band Director’s Band at Montgomery College. Past conducting positions include serving as the Music Director and Conductor of both the United States Air Force Academy Cadet Orchestra and Colorado Springs Brass, and guest conductor for the United States Air Force Academy Band.

 

A dedicated and committed performer, Adrian was a trumpeter with the United States Air Force (USAF) Ceremonial Brass in Washington, D.C and USAF Academy Band in Colorado Springs, CO. With over a decade of experience within military bands, Adrian’s versatility has been demonstrated in everything from classical music to commercial playing. This can be seen in his time performing with ensembles such as Brass of the Potomac, American Chamber Winds, National Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, and Opera Colorado, to name a few. Adrian’s commercial playing includes subbing with legendary Airmen of Note, touring Japan twice with Broadway shows, Blast! and Blast II: MIX, multiple years aboard Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships, and his involvement in the 2005 Disney World Collegiate All-Star Band. He also co-founded District Brass, a DC-based brass quintet with drums that is featured in The USAF Band’s educational outreach initiative to local schools, performing pop music by composers and songwriters that students from all backgrounds would recognize.

 

Committed to fostering the next generation of musicians, Adrian collaborates with local and national music education organizations. He is a regular judge for the National Trumpet Competition, and has adjudicated band and solo and ensemble assessments in the DC area. He has performed in multiple video collaborations with Military Trumpet Jobs, providing high-quality education and performance to trumpet players interested in military band excerpts. Adrian has also led masterclasses and workshops at universities around the country and at summer institutes, like the Rafael Mendez Brass Institute and Salvation Army Music Camp.

 

Recognized for expanding the musical canon, Adrian strives to bring high-quality programming to every ensemble he works with, showcasing repertoire by composers from marginalized backgrounds in every performance. He has participated in nearly two dozen consortia in the past eight years, supporting individual trumpet solos, brass quintets, and many new wind band works. Adrian’s values of being an agent of change extend beyond the music stand; he served as the Section Chief of Diversity and Inclusion for The USAF Band, where he spearheaded and oversaw five initiatives in the areas of training, equitable programming practices, outreach, audition protocols, as well as The USAF Band Diversity Fellowship.

 

He was selected to conduct the Middleburg Film Festival Orchestra in 2022 where he collaborated in-depth with award-winning composers Michael Abels, Kris Bowers, and Mark Isham, while also conducting music by Marco Beltrami and Diane Warren. He was also a conducting fellow for the Inaugural Reynolds Conducting Institute at the 2018 Midwest Clinic and has attended conducting symposiums at the New England Conservatory, University of Colorado-Boulder and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Adrian aspires for his players and colleagues to feel supported, energized, and empowered, building rapport and leaning on the charisma he brings to the podium. His ensembles benefit from efficient and collaborative rehearsals, which foster a strong sense of pride before every performance. Genuine connections are built with audiences, leading to higher attendance, increased giving by generous donors, and a stronger sense of community, all bridged together through his work with the ensemble.

 

Adrian currently resides in Littleton, CO with his wife and two children. He holds a Master of Music from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Florida. Former instructors include John Rommel, Dr. Jay Coble, Gary Langford, Roger Steward, and Dr. Shanti Simon. Adrian is a Yamaha Performing Artist.