Instrument: Trumpet

Styles: Classical, Jazz, Latin, Popular, and Balkan brass.

Levels: Beginner to advanced.

Julia Wakal, B.A (Trumpet), holds a Bachelor of Arts in Trumpet Performance from Northern State University in South Dakota. She studied privately there with Dr. Grant Manhart in the areas of Classical, Jazz, and Latin performance. While there she played in many ensembles including the symphonic band, principle trumpet and featured soloist in the Aberdeen Civic Orchestra, lead trumpet in the top jazz ensemble, the pit orchestra for Miss Saigon and The Mikado, the Wolf Pack Pep Band, and several Dixieland jazz combos. She also toured extensively around the Midwest with the jazz group, Dominant 7. This group had the honor of opening for Arturo Sandoval at the 2006 International Trumpet Guild Convention as well as special guests at the renowned University of Wisconsin Marching Band Concert for a crowd of 10,000.

She is currently playing around town with  Aidan Knight, Victoria’s #1 Gypsy Marching Band; Bucan Bucan, Brianne de Vertieul and Her Savvy 6,  Victoria’s own Neil Diamond tribute; Double Diamond, The Liz Beattie Band, and Batuque Axé. She has also had the pleasure of playing with The Victoria Civic Orchestra, The Sooke Philharmonic, The Commodores Big Band, Vancouver's Said The Whale, and Toronto's O’Darling. You can also hear her on recordings with bands such as, The Racoons, The Paper   Cranes, Forestry, and her own EP with Aidan Knight, Awktober. As well as trumpet, Julia plays accordion, ukulele, sings, and composes music in a variety of genres.

Julia's teaching focuses on leading with the sound. We've got to hear the notes before we play them! When we can learn to do that, the trumpet suddenly gets a lot easier. She loves to work with students of all ages and levels, and wants them all to get a chance to play the music they really love, be it jazz, classical, top 20 radio, or Balkan brass! She strives to help all her students form a daily warm-up routine specific to their skills and goals, and is always working towards pulling out her students' rich trumpet tone, whether they realize it or not!