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Music, mentorship, and motivation: Mauricio’s story
Trumpet major and four-year senior Mauricio Garcia shares his musical childhood, how an Arts Academy alumnus helped him find his way to Interlochen, and what he loves most about studying at the Academy.
Growing up in a deeply musical community, Interlochen Arts Academy trumpet major and four-year senior Mauricio Garcia has always known that he wants music to be an important part of his life.
“I come from a family in which many of us are musicians,” Mauricio says. “I am from a town [in Mexico] called San Felipe Otlaltepec, which is a place where our music represents us as a region. From a very young age, I had this idea in my head that I wanted to be a musician.”
Mauricio also dreamed of studying music in the United States. In 2021, with the guidance of fellow trumpeter and Arts Academy alumnus Elmer Churampi (IAC 10, IAA 10-13, IAC Fac 22-23), that dream came true when he was accepted into Interlochen Arts Academy.
“Interlochen is the best place where you can grow as an artist and as a person,” Mauricio says. “It has changed my life completely.”
Musical roots
Mauricio first became interested in playing the trumpet during a visit to his grandparents’ home.
“My grandfather played the trumpet, and he used to practice on the patio of the house,” Mauricio recalls. “When we arrived, he stopped practicing to receive us, and at that moment, my curiosity about how to play the instrument was awakened.”
The then-six-year-old Mauricio picked up his grandfather’s trumpet and tried to play it.
“At first, when my grandfather realized I was trying to play his instrument, he was upset,” Mauricio says. “But later, he called me over to teach me how to hold and play the trumpet correctly.”
Mauricio’s father and grandfather soon became his first teachers.
“They taught me the basics of music,” he says. “My father taught me basic theory and how to read music. My grandfather taught me trumpet technique, the natural and chromatic scale, and some traditional songs from my village.”
Meeting a mentor
Mauricio says what drew him to the trumpet is its sound. Since his childhood, he has enjoyed listening to recordings by trumpet icons such as Wynton Marsalis, Rafael Méndez, and Maurice André.
“What I noticed was that the tone of each trumpet player is different,” Mauricio says. “Throughout my training as a musician, I have focused on improving many important aspects of the trumpet such as technique, flexibility, and endurance. But what I have focused on the most is developing a good sound.”
When Mauricio was 11, his uncle told him about another trumpeter he might be interested in: Dallas Symphony Orchestra Graham and Brenda Gardner Chair Elmer Churampi.
“Since then, I have become a big fan of [Churampi]’s, and I consider him one of the best trumpet players in the world,” Mauricio says.
Mauricio began following Churampi on social media, and enjoyed watching his videos and reading his posts. Mauricio’s father reached out to Churampi; to his father’s delight, Churampi responded.
“My dad was very excited, and told me to record something for [Churampi],” Mauricio says. “Since I was a big fan of how he played the trumpet, I played a piece that he had played with his own arrangement a while ago.”
After seeing the video, Churampi offered to help Mauricio grow as a musician. Churampi gave Mauricio two options: A free trumpet, or free lessons to help him prepare to apply to a school in the United States.
“I chose the lessons without hesitation,” Mauricio says. “Studying music outside of Mexico has been my dream since I was just a child. I realized my parents did everything possible so that I lacked nothing—even when their economic situation was not the best. I knew this was a great opportunity to grow as an artist and a musician and eventually, to do something for them like they have done for me.”
During their video lessons, Churampi introduced Mauricio to Interlochen Arts Academy.
“He said, ‘I will prepare you to audition for the school that opened its doors to me when I was 13,’” Mauricio says.
Life at Interlochen
Now in his fourth year at Interlochen Arts Academy, Mauricio enjoys rich opportunities to learn about other cultures, make new friends, and advance his skills as a musician.
“At Interlochen, we have the opportunity to work with teachers and play in orchestra, wind symphony, and chamber ensembles,” he says. “We also get to participate in master classes with teachers from other places.”
A typical day for Mauricio begins at 8:30 a.m. with academic classes: English, Psychology, and Biology. His afternoons are spent immersed in art; after lunch, he rehearses with the Academy’s Jazz Orchestra before heading to either his trumpet studio class or brass quintet rehearsal. Following a one-hour break—which he uses to do homework or rest—Mauricio concludes his class day with a two-hour orchestra rehearsal.
“Playing in the orchestra is, without a doubt, one of the things I like doing the most here at Interlochen,” he says. “Learning how to work in a trumpet section—and learning how to be self-critical in musical matters—are two of the things I have found most helpful in my musical growth.”
Outside the classroom or concert hall, Mauricio likes to watch movies and play soccer.
“Soccer is my favorite sport,” he says. “When my friends organize games—which are very frequent—I like to play with them. It’s a great way to meet new people and socialize with them.”
He also enjoys being part of the Academy’s multicultural community.
“One of the things I like about Interlochen is that I can meet different people from different places, different cultures, and different parts of the world,” he says.
Most importantly, the Academy’s atmosphere of self-improvement inspires Mauricio to keep working toward his goal of becoming a professional trumpeter.
“Interlochen is a very motivating environment for me,” he says. “Being here and seeing people who improve themselves day by day motivates me to do the same.”
Want to study trumpet at Interlochen Arts Academy? Learn more about our classical performance program, and start your application today.
