Education

B. Mus. Peabody Conservatory (1978)
M. Mus. Kent State University (1984)

Bio

Jari Villanueva holds degrees from Peabody Conservatory of Music and Kent State University. He has taught in the Baltimore City and Baltimore County school systems, Goucher College and Loyola College. He has performed with the Baltimore Symphony, Annapolis Symphony, Baltimore Opera Company and performs as trumpet soloist at over 50 weddings a year in the Baltimore-Washington area. He served as Music Director for musicals at Dundalk Community Theater, Catonsville Summer Theater, The Young Victorian Theater and The Peabody Ragtime Ensemble. His published works include many for band, brass ensemble and brass quintet. Publishers include Ludwig Music, Musicians Publications, Music Express and JV Music. These publications include Goin’ Home, Honor With Dignity, The Music From Titanic (the movie), American Revolutionary War Medley, Amazing Grace, Overture from H.M.S. Pinafore, and English Folk Song Suite by RV Williams. He also arranged 2 volumes of Civil War Music for Brass Quintets. Many of his arrangements have been recorded.

Jari is considered one of the country’s foremost authority on US military bugle calls and the bugle call of Taps. As a writer, he published numerous articles on the history of US bugle calls and brass bands of the Civil War and is currently working on a book on the subject. His articles have been published in the International Trumpet Guild, NY Brass Conference for Scholarships, the Washington Times, Washington Post and The Navy Times. He was the curator of the Taps exhibit at Arlington National Cemetery and responsible for moving the bugle used at President Kennedy’s funeral from the Smithsonian to Arlington. A active free lance musician, Jari also finds time to pursue his hobby of Civil War re-enacting. He is the director of the Federal City Brass Band, a group that performs on 19th century instruments.  His website is www.tapsbugler.com

Mr. Villanueva has been at UMBC since 1998 as director of the UMBC Pep Band, The UMBC Wind Ensemble, and instructor of courses in music education and instrumentation.  He has also served as an advisor for the UMBC Color Guard. An active Retrievers fan, he can be found most home games with the Pep Band. His lives in Catonsville, MD with his wife, Heather and two cats.