Mauricio García de Jesus, trumpet

Meet Mauricio

Mauricio García de Jesus, 17, is a trumpet player from the small town of San Felipe Otlaltepec, in the state of Puebla in Mexico. He will soon begin his final year of high school at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Interlochen, Michigan, under the tutelage of Ken Larson. Coming from a musical family, Mauricio began learning the trumpet at the age of 5. His father and grandfather taught him the fundamental aspects of music, and at the age of 11, he entered the music conservatory in his town. The enthusiasm he had for learning led Mauricio to take his first audition in 2019, to perform in a children’s orchestra as part of “Semilleros Creativos” – an event organized by an institution in Mexico called Sistema Nacional de Fomento Musical. Participating in that event motivated Mauricio to continue his music studies, and in subsequent years, he auditioned and was accepted into the Children’s Symphony Orchestra of Mexico (OSIM), also organized and run by “Fomento Musical”.

In 2020, Mauricio learned about, and had the opportunity to audition for the Interlochen Arts Academy. His acceptance led Mauricio to make the challenging decision to leave his family, community, and his country at the age of 15, to begin his scholastic studies at the Interlochen Arts Academy in the fall of 2021. Through an audition process, he was given the opportunity to tour with the Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra to New York City in 2023, where he was able to perform side-by-side with members of the New York Philharmonic. Also in 2023, he was selected as a winner of the YoungArts Competition, run by The National Foundation for the Advancement of Artists. This coming summer of 2024, Mauricio will be attending the Boston University Tanglewood Institute.

Outside of music, Mauricio is passionate about photography. He turns to photography when he needs to think about things, or simply when he needs to relax. He is also a big fan of soccer and enjoys playing with friends when he gets the chance.

Mauricio is a recipient of From the Top’s Tim Banker Talent Development Award which will make it possible for him to attend the Boston University Tanglewood Institute this coming summer. The funds will also cover the cost of important consultation lessons in his upcoming senior year in high school, as he prepares for his college auditions.