MaxFMusic
Trumpeter
Biography
In addition to the compositional side of his musical career, Max is also a well-established trumpeter. Specializing in classical works, he also has significant experience within the world of jazz, latin, pop, and other styles of music.
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Max began playing the trumpet in 2012, at 11 years old, and instantly fell in love with the instrument. Entering middle school, he played the trumpet for the school's beginning band, very quickly excelling above his peers. Fast-forward to present day, and Max has now expanded his trumpeting skill set and performed with and for some of the industry's biggest names in music.
In regards to private lessons, Max has studied with the lead trumpet player of Gloria Estefan's "Miami Sound Machine," Doug Michels (2012-2015) and with one of the experienced laureate trumpeters of the U.S. Marine Corps, Mike Shaw (2015-2019). Continuing his private instruction into his undergraduate education, Max had the privilege of studying from three esteemed trumpeters at the University of Miami's Frost School of Music (2019-2023). He studied and took lessons from the Classical Trumpet Professor and laureate Principal Trumpet of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Craig Morris, from the current Associate Principal Trumpet of the Omaha Symphony, Federico Montes, and from the current Principal Trumpet of the Jacksonville Symphony, Kevin Karabel.
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Throughout his growth as a trumpeter, Max has performed at various well-known venues and locations throughout the United States. This includes at theme parks such as Universal Studios in Universal Orlando Resort (2013) and at Downtown Disney in Walt Disney World Resort (2014 and 2015), as well as concert venues such as the prestigious Carnegie Hall for the New York Wind Band
Festival (2018), the coveted McCormick Place for Chicago's "The Midwest Clinic" (2019), and the desirable Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall for the College Band Directors National Association's National Conference (2023).
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Max has always been a highly competitive trumpeter, consistently performing at an exceptional level and earning positions within honor bands, student orchestras, music festivals, music camps, and more. From 6th grade through 12th grade, he would perform and be adjudicated at the Florida Bandmasters Association's Solo & Ensemble Assessments, earning the highest "Superior" rating as a classical trumpet soloist every single year (both at the district and state levels). Within the state of Florida, he would earn spots for the Broward All-County Honors Band (7th, 8th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade), Broward All-County Jazz Band (12th grade), Florida Youth Orchestra's Principle Orchestra (10th, 11th, and 12th grade), FMEA All-State Symphonic Band (11th and 12th grade), and FMEA All-State Intercollegiate Band (senior year of undergrad.). At various colleges, he would earn spots within the University of Miami's Frost Young Musicians' Jazz Camp (2017), University of Florida’s Gatorland Concert Band Camp (2017), University of South Florida’s Festival of Winds (2017), University of Miami’s Frost Honor Band Festival (2018), Florida State University's Tri-State Band Festival (2018), and Indiana University's Summer Music Clinic (2018).
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Performing at such a high level has led Max to perform with some incredible musical talents such as Ira Sullivan, Joseph Alessi, Anthony McGill, Tito Puente Jr., Herbie Hancock, Wycliffe Gordon, Paquito D'Rivera, Karina Iglesias, Ed Calle, Mason Bates, and Hilá Plitmann. In addition to this, Max has been under the baton of esteemed maestros as Thomas Sleeper, Johan de Meij, Col. Jason Fettig, and Gerard Schwarz. As a special and heartfelt performance of advocacy for gun violence prevention, Max performed on Shine MSD's "Instrument of Hope" (a specially-designed trumpet made from emptied bullets) with singer-songwriter and advocate Michael Franti (2019).
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When it comes to formal education, Max received a Performance Certificate in Classical Trumpet from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami (2023). In addition to the previously mentioned lessons that took place at Frost, he also participated in various ensembles at the school including the reputable Frost Wind Ensemble directed by Dr. Robert Carnochan and the highly-reviewed Frost Symphony Orchestra under the direction of maestro Gerard Schwarz.
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Today, Max continues to perform as a freelance trumpeter on Fiverr, which he has been doing so since 2020. He has completed over 85 orders on the platform, currently standing with a perfect 5-Star Rating and as an earned "Level 1 Seller." Max also composes, arranges, and records trumpet music from time to time as a way to keep his passion for the instrument alive.