Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacob Batchelder.
Jacob, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in Fairbanks, Alaska and started my musical journey there. I began playing trumpet in the school band in 4th grade and wasn’t sure if I liked it at first. I kept playing and eventually realized I couldn’t see myself living life without a trumpet in my hand! I have 5 sisters and a few of them played music in school, but I ended up being the only one who decided to keep playing music and to make a career out of it.
During my time in Alaska, I met and performed with many different groups in different styles. This included a small monthly jazz jam at a coffeehouse, performing regularly with the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra, and a rock band that I played lead guitar in called Encore Alaska. This last band played in bars, at dentist’s offices, and eventually completed a tour of Italy!
My next venture was to Washington State, where I completed my undergraduate degree in trumpet performance and met my fiancée, another trumpet player, and in my opinion another hidden gem. During my time there I performed at the North Bend Jazz Walk, the Lake Chelan Jazz and Wine Festival, and had a regular show with my trio at a bar in downtown Ellensburg. Another band that I co-led performed at the Ellensburg Rodeo, one of the top 10 rodeos in the United States.
Finally, I arrived in Miami, as far as possible from where I grew up in Alaska without leaving the country entirely. This was a big change for me but so far I’ve loved meeting new people and getting to experience a culture different from my own. I just finished my master’s degree in jazz trumpet performance and had the pleasure of competing in the International Trumpet Guild’s Jazz Trumpet Competition as a semi-finalist this May before returning to Miami for the summer.
This fall, I’ll be sticking around Miami and working on my compositional skills. I’m looking forward to continuing the process and exploring even more of Miami!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has been a bit of a shock to move so far away and to a place with such a different climate and culture. That being said, I can’t complain. The people I’ve met in Miami have really opened my eyes to a lot of new things. For that I’m grateful!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My work is as a trumpet player. Primarily, I focus on jazz music, but I have performed in a lot of styles and I enjoy learning new kinds of music and performing on different instruments.
Lately I have really enjoyed performing on the Flugelhorn, an instrument very similar to a trumpet but with a softer, warmer tone. I have also recently been investing my time in learning how to play the Electronic Valve Instrument (EVI). The EVI is like a digital trumpet that you can use to control a synthesizer. In the same way that a synthesizer can be played with a keyboard, I’m essentially doing the same thing but with a trumpet, and using my breath to control the volume. It’s a relatively rare instrument that can get a lot of crazy and different sounds. I’m planning to release a record this fall which will feature this strange and exciting instrument.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
If I could give anyone advice about making music a part of their career, it’s to simply keep going, and to find something that you are obsessed with- then, let yourself obsess over it.
Contact Info:
- Email: jacob@batcheldermusic.com
Image Credits
Kevin Joseph
Melanie Marshall
