Experienced International Trumpet Teachers

Estela Aragon - CEO and Founder

Trumpet Teacher and Player in Austin, Texas

Hello black belt trumpeters and parents! My name is Estela Aragon (she/her) and I am the CEO/Founder of MusicFit Academy and Trumpet Headquarters, as well as a professional trumpet player in Austin, TX. As a young musician, I frequently earned high marks on solo performances, won auditions and was the recipient of numerous awards. When I was 11 years old I decided to pursue music as a career...but little did I know exactly how.

Fast-forward 8 years and I'm going to college for a trumpet performance degree. Actively working in the Tampa Bay area in Florida allowed me to perform with a variety of wind ensembles, jazz bands and chamber groups, as well as  playing for church engagements and as a soloist. My favorite adventure was playing Principal trumpet for The Tampa Bay Symphony for four seasons and in 2010, I had the pleasure to share the stage with the pop vocal group Rockapella. I'm well-versed in Bb, C and Piccolo trumpet in a variety of styles and settings. Some of my performance locations include Italy, Peru, Montreal, England, Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Charleston, Williamsburg and more.  Performing has always and still is a passion and important factor in my career, but trumpet education was game changer for me.

When it comes to teaching the trumpet, my students experience dynamic lessons and always walk out inspired. While living in Florida I was a trumpet instructor at a local music school and had a small studio of my own while completing my undergraduate degree. Once I moved to Columbia, SC for my Masters degree I really started to spend time studying trumpet pedagogy, and coming up with innovative ways to teach trumpet and music in general. These new ways of teaching music allowed me to take home 1st place at the 2014 Savvy Arts Venture Competition; a retreat for artists with out-of-the-box ideas. After winning it wasn’t long before I started my own studio and it was the best decision I ever made.

Today, I am a successful full time private trumpet instructor and I love my job! Members of my studio quickly advance in chair placements at their schools, win auditions into county/state honor bands and are accepted into college music programs. My students occupy 1st chairs in their local youth symphonies, compete in concerto competitions and excel in summer programs, not to mention they somehow manage to be valedictorians! The age and skill levels of members of MusicFit range from 8 to 75 years old, and from absolute beginners to professional trumpet players and Grammy-winning musicians from world renowned orchestras. I am a judge for the two most renowned and prevalent trumpet organizations in the world; the National Trumpet Competition and the International Trumpet Guild Competitions. I teach in English and Spanish, and as of today, I have taught over 6,000 lessons and counting. 

Outside of private trumpet lessons I strive to share my knowledge through a variety of mediums. I’m active in social media, often sharing tips and challenges for my audience. I have also been very humbled by invitations from trumpet groups, college professors and renowned trumpet players to run masterclasses for their students. I have conducted masterclasses for the Colorado State University trumpet studio, the Denis Wick Artist Summit, the Shenandoah Conservatory Music Entrepreneurship program and many more. These experiences are always a treat as they allow me to connect with future leaders. Topics of masterclasses and podcasts I have been a guest on include trumpet pedagogy, music careers, entrepreneurship and more.

In 2018, I founded the website Trumpet Headquarters to aid trumpet players with everything they might need. It’s a website jam-packed with trumpet information and a self-paced trumpet course for those who do not have the means to take face-to-face instruction. I believe anyone who wants to learn should be able to without having to worry about paying a high monthly fee. While face-to-face private instruction provides the highest quality of lessons, the course I created covers all of my teachings for a very small fraction while keeping the professionalism and quality content of my private lessons. The site also boasts tons and tons of free resources with the goal of educating the learning trumpet community with factual and curated resources.

I also became a Denis Wick Artist in 2018. Denis Wick Products is one of the most well-known companies for mutes and accessories for brass. I am very honored to be represented by this company and to play exclusively on their mouthpieces.

Let’s see…a few facts about me. On my down time I love practicing trumpet, playing with my dog, exploring Austin’s wonderful food and playing video games. I also enjoy cross-stitching and meditation as relaxation hobbies, as well as learning new languages.

Enough about me, come join the studio and start your trumpetfit journey! Click here to learn more about what it means to be "MusicFit" and check out what students, directors and parents are saying about MusicFit right here.

Now what are you waiting for?! Get on board and let's get you TrumpetFit!

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Estela Aragon received her B.M from the University of Tampa and M.M in Trumpet Performance from The University of South Carolina School of Music. Her former teachers include Aric Brian (professor of trumpet at the University of Tampa and active freelance musician),  James Ackley (former Principal of the Bogota Philharmonic Orchestra and internationally acclaimed solo artist) and world renowned trumpeter Allen Vizutti.

Kayla Solomon - Adjunct Trumpet Coach

Trumpet Teacher and Player in Los Angeles, California

Hello fitness and music enthusiasts! My name is Kayla Solomon (she/her) and I am the founder of Power of Two Duo (a Canadian trumpet and piano chamber group focused on performing and commissioning works by new and underrepresented Canadian composers), professional trumpet player, and Doctoral Candidate at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I grew up in Winnipeg, Canada and participated in both band and choir from 7th through 12th grade. I attended Brandon University for a bachelor’s degree in Trumpet Performance and then attended the University of California, Los Angeles for a master’s degree in Trumpet Performance and Literature. I am in the final year of my Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and my research is focused on the prevention of overuse embouchure injuries for trumpet players.

Throughout my career I have prepared for many auditions and competitions including the National Youth Band of Canada, where I was appointed principal trumpet in 2017, and the Federation of Canadian Music Festivals, where I placed 1st in the Brass Division in 2017. I have had the pleasure of attending many conferences and competitions since I moved to the United States in 2018 including the National Trumpet Competition, International Women’s Brass Conference, International Trumpet Guild Conference, and the Midwest Band Clinic.

My performance experience includes performing and touring with Market Street Brass, a brass quintet based in North Carolina and led by my former teacher from Brandon University, the UCLA Gluck brass quintet, and the UIUC graduate brass quintet, as well as recording and performing with the Seocho Philharmonic in South Korea in 2019.

In addition to performing, I have also spent the last 9 years teaching music and other subjects to students of all ages, and I have students ranging from age 7 to 60+. During the pandemic, I taught at the Killarney School in Manitoba, Canada as band director and math teacher. My teaching philosophy is to meet students where they are at and to guide them towards reaching their goals. Everyone has a different path in music, and that is what makes music so unique and fulfilling. My goal is to help students follow their dreams and provide them with a solid foundation for any path they end up choosing.

Growing up I was focused on athletics, and I was a member of the Women’s Volleyball Team at Brandon University for my first year. I have always loved sports and with my research on injury prevention and rehabilitation for musicians, I have been working on bringing my love of sports and music together. Musicians are athletes and we need to approach our training like athletes. I love working with students and incorporating athletic analogies and concepts with trumpet playing. My lessons include learning about the technicality of playing the trumpet as well as the physical aspect of the muscles that support our trumpet playing.

Outside of music, I love being active. You can often find me playing volleyball, waterskiing, lifting, and gymnastics. I’m a huge Disney and Pokémon fan as well and I am always excited to chat about Disney music, or the newest Pokémon game that is coming out.

I am super excited to be working with Estela through MusicFit Academy and I can’t wait to share my love of trumpet with you!

Click here to learn more about what it means to be "MusicFit"and check out what students, directors and parents are saying about us right here.

Jacquelene Falcon - Adjunct Trumpet Coach

Trumpet Teacher in Orlando, Florida