This week, Karen speaks with her long time friend and Costa Rican trumpet player, Brian Garcia about their history as friends, his career as a musician, and what he has learned in the process.
Karen and Brian first met in 2007 at Interlochen summer camp where they bonded over the struggles and challenges that they faced when it came to understanding the language and the culture that surrounded them.
Growing up in Costa Rica, Brian loved music and the trumpet and fondly looks back at the days he would get to go to the music store and scour the shelves for hours looking for CD’s of his favorite orchestras and musicians. Once arriving in the US for the Interlochen Arts Summer Program, he quickly realized how many resources he suddenly had at his disposal and how common it was for those surrounding him to take these resources for granted. He found that the environment at Interlochen was an explosion of creativity and that everyone around him was just as inspired and motivated as he was.
After graduating from the Interlochen Arts Academy, Brian attended Lynn University in Florida for his Bachelors, then SMU in Texas for his Masters, then returned back to Lynn for a Performance Certificate. Brian is now in the process of pursuing a Masters in Musical Arts at Yale University.
After all his years of schooling and looking back on the mental and emotional struggles that he has faced, Brian gained a great deal of wisdom when it comes coping with hard times and maintaining the strength to believe in yourself and carry on despite the circumstances. He emphasizes the importance of seizing the day and making the most of what you have.
His advice for young aspiring musicians? “Believe in yourself!”
You can find Brian on Instagram and Facebook
