Currently, I have a full-time job teaching general and instrumental music to students in grades 3-8. I also advise young musicians and educators who are interested in careers in music.
Before and after school, I am practicing, creating, performing, listening, and/or thinking about music. When I’m able to take a break from the above, I enjoy cooking, traveling, and taking pictures of my experiences with music, cooking, and traveling!
When I was about thirteen growing up in Virginia, I decided that I wanted to become a professional trumpet player and perform in a major orchestra.
From that moment, I committed to this path. I studied privately with a great teacher. I attended a performing arts high school and practiced everyday. I spent Monday nights rehearsing for 2 1/2 hours after school in a regional youth orchestra.
Upon graduation, I was one of three trumpet players accepted to the prestigious New England Conservatory in Boston, MA. However, I couldn't afford the tuition so, after one semester, I transferred to a state school on full scholarship and continued to develop my skills. I gained a lot of experience performing with professional groups during college, playing in brass quintets, jazz bands, musicals that came to town, and even subbed for the Richmond Symphony Orchestra in Virginia.
Everything was going as planned and I could have easily continued on this path and cement my position in a small city as one of the top trumpet players. However, one day I realized I had other interests than music that I wanted to explore. One year after graduating from college, I went to teach English in Japan through the JET Programme, which led to a five-year break from music! During that time, I traveled, studied cooking, and took journalism classes.
When I finally came back to playing music, I didn't return to classical music. Instead, I moved to Los Angeles and found work playing commercial music. I made a decent living as a sideman for several independent artists in Los Angeles. It allowed me to perform in some great venues and festivals, appear on national television, and travel internationally. I eventually I became a full-time classroom and private lesson instructor. I love preparing the young musicians of the future.
While I continue to write, play, and record on the trumpet today, I am always allowing time to explore anything that interests me. Currently, I am learning the cello! I believe that having a curious mind and a sense of discipline to practice always allows me to find success in whatever I do.
Lots of stories and hope to share them all one day. One of my favorite memories that comes to mind right now is getting hired to play a show with Ben E. King. He wrote a well-known song called, "Stand By Me". A classic. Anyway, we had to ride in a golf cart from the green room to the stage and I'm sitting in the cart chatting with him like we were old friends. In my head, I'm just freaking out that I'm with the man who wrote, "Stand By Me". He was super nice and it was pretty great to be in his band.
1. Being a musician requires you to collaborate with a lot of different people. Being humble, gracious, and open to all styles of music will get you far in this industry.
2. It is a gift to be creative, but for about 95% of us, it is not always an easy straightforward life. Success might not always look like what you originally imagined. Be kind to yourself and prepare for a marathon not a sprint!
I highly recommend the jazz afterschool and summer camp programs at Stanford University. If you are interested in developing your jazz skills and want to be fully immersed in jazz, studying with some of the finest players today, sign up! https://stanfordjazz.org/programs/after-school-big-bands/
I have also enjoyed taking some songwriting and mixing classes through School of Song.
Instagram: @lillyaycud