Today we’d like to introduce you to Patrick Araujo.
Patrick, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve always had music in me. When I was a kid, my parents would work hard to buy me gifts for a holiday, but I always ended up finding interest in the pots and pans because of the sounds and rhythms I could make with them. Well, that deep-rooted love for music followed me throughout all my life even though I would not realize it until later years. I spent most of my time drumming at church when I was younger, but I never felt accepted by the older musicians because of my age. I let that get to me and I let go of music for all of middle school.
My mother would always catch me making beats with my hand or just finding rhythms and melodies in random sounds and she would always persist me to choose the band as a class selection for high school. I figured, why not give it a shot, even though I felt that most of my “friends” would think that was a very “weird” decisions. That decision to fill out band as one of my elective courses for the following school year was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life.
From that moment on, through thick and thin, I would go on to find my true purpose and meaning in life. I went through high school as an honor music student. I would be invited and would attend many music festivals in different universities such as USF, FSU, UF and UM. I remember when I was a senior, I was looking at what I wanted to as a career and life path. I had many complications, but I eventually decided to accept a full-ride scholarship to study at the New World School of the Arts. There, I spent most of my time learning how to build my technical studies while I developed my credentials.
I had accomplished so many great things in college, like performing at Carnegie Hall, The Adrienne Arsht Center, The Olympia Theatre and many more. However, I was not happy with my creative self or with the uncertainty of what to do with my talents after I graduated. I sought out as much mentorship and advice as I can and I feel like I found a deeper love and purpose to create and share the power of music with everyone!
I then became a music director at Downtown Doral Upper School and began to help build the fractured music education programs in Miami alongside the help of many hard workers that seek to create change in the artistic environment in Miami. While working as a director for over 100 students, I also manage to perform with groups such as the Miami Heat Street Band, MIA Brass Collective and Pinogrillo and assist non-profit music organizations such as Young Musicians Unite and Miami Music Project.
Thankfully, I’ve also had the opportunity to visit countries like Panama and cities like Prague to perform and to help provide strong music education and performances to students who are in need of such experiences to help encourage them to seek out better lives. It is always hard, to sum up, all the work that has been done, but I definitely feel happy, blessed and driven to continue growing in both my educational talent and creative talent over my music.
During these recent times of anxiety, fear, and disparity, I have tried very hard to spread the healing message found in music to the communities and people that need it the most. I attended and performed at protests, pop up neighborhood performances, and uplifting community events while uploading content that brings awareness and healing to current situations in our world today.
All my struggles and victories in life are reflected in my music. You can hear it in my playing and composition and you can see it in my teaching. Music saved my life and has shaped me to be who I am today! It has brought me so many blessings and my purpose is to share that with everyone who listens and allows the power of music to do the same in their life too!
It has been a journey to get to where I am now and there is still much ahead of me, but I am in no rush because I know I will get there!
Has it been a smooth road?
I have learned to take things day by day. I realized that the past is gone and the future is never promised. I would plan so much, but a lot of the time, life had its own journey for me. Looking back at it now, I understand why things come to pass. Things come to pass so that you are prepared to receive higher platforms to then help raise other people up when they face an obstacle that seems impossible to overcome.
In the last few years, I have lost family members and friends that were like family members. Losing people you love can be an ultimate set back, but I have learned to use that as fuel to create and push further and further while I am still here.
One of the biggest challenges is when I almost lost my life to a medical incident some years back. I don’t remember much from that night, but I do remember hearing how scared my family was when they really thought they were going to lose me that night… I also thought that I had reached my end too.
I spent some time in the hospital after that, but I promised God and myself that if I were to make it out, I would follow my purpose on Earth fearlessly. Since then, I have experienced so much pain and challenges, but they have all shaped me into the musician, artist and educator I am today and because of that, I am very grateful, always and forever!
Can you give our readers some background on your music?
I am a professional trumpet player and teaching artist! I have had the great opportunity to tour, perform, create and record with so many musicians of all calibers and styles of music. I have performed almost all types of music, including Jazz, Latin, Reggae, Funk, Hip-hop, Rock, soul R&B and much more. I have also had the amazing opportunity to perform in front of thousands of people at the Miami Heat arena and at venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York and the amazing Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami.
Being a music director is also a huge part of what I do. I am able to share music with over 100 kids through a wide variety of music ensembles such as jazz band, drumline, orchestra, and chorus! I believe my passion and desire to work very hard sets me apart from the pack. I feel as if no challenge that has been handed to me is too big of a challenge!
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Within the next five years, I plan on shifting most of my focus into recording, performing and creating. I am currently in the planning stages of building a music studio/music school for the underserved communities that desperately need the impact-of music in their areas.
I am currently at the beginning stages of working on my first studio album, which addresses many of the issues we see in society today and I do plan on taking that album on tour once it releases in 2021. A more long term goal is my dream to build music schools throughout territories in Africa. African music has spread across the entire world, mostly because of slave trading. I would love to visit my musical roots and give back to communities that need music in their lives by creating a program that can connect these children to create a strong sense of community and prosperity!
Contact Info:
- Email: Patrickaraujomusic@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patrickjaraujo/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PatrickjAraujo/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/patrickjaraujo?lang=en
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCo52Ata1kqo-fSXo7if7_Q?view_as=subscriber
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