Jay Villella, Trumpet

"An exuberant trumpet[er]" - ClevelandClassical.com

Jay Villella is a Pittsburgh-based professional musician, trumpet player, and teacher who can often be seen performing with:

Youngstown Symphony

Akron Symphony

Erie Philharmonic

Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Opera

Wheeling Symphony

River City Brass Band

Canton Symphony

Westmoreland Symphony

Resonance Works

The Pittsburgh Playhouse

Pittsburgh Public Theater

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Jay is currently acting principal trumpet of the Youngstown Symphony, 2nd trumpet of the Akron Symphony, and an adjunct professor of music at Chatham University in Pittsburgh. Jay is a founding member of the Pittsburgh Chamber Brass and (formerly) of the internationally acclaimed Window Trumpet Quartet. Jay has also performed on baroque trumpet with the nationally acclaimed early music and historical performance ensemble Chatham Baroque.

He serves as president of the board and a performer with the Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh. He is a former adjunct professor of music at Mercyhurst University in Erie and is a member of the International Trumpet Guild. Jay is a member of the American Federation of Musicians Locals 86-242 and 24. As a teacher, some of his former college students are currently performing professionally, and his most recent high-school student was the PMEA top ranked trumpet player in Pennsylvania for 2021.

Jay holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and Yale University where he studied with James Thompson and Allan Dean, respectively. He was a recipient of full scholarships to both schools, and was granted the Sidney Mear trumpet award and Performer's Certificate from Eastman.

Jay has studied with trumpet players affiliated with the Cleveland Orchestra, the Metropolitan Opera, Boston Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Montreal Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Toronto Symphony, and Rice University. He has performed in masterclasses for Clément Saunier, Jeroen Berwaerts, Hiro Noguchi, Thomas Stevens, Gabriele Cassone, Marco Blaauw, Ed Carroll, Stephen Burns, Paul Merkelo, Ray Mase, Jim Ross, and Kevin Cobb. 

Jay was a fellow at the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado and has performed at the music festivals in Chautauqua, NY and Norfolk, CT.  He has instructed dozens of students of all levels and coached musical groups and classrooms in several states. He was also a real estate agent for 9 years, serving hundreds of clients and negotiating almost $50 million in sales.

Equipment List:

Yamaha Xeno YTR-8445 C Trumpet

Yamaha Custom YTR-9636 Eb/D Trumpet

Yamaha Custom YTR-9835 Bb/A Piccolo Trumpet

Yamaha Custom YTR-9910 C Piccolo Trumpet

Yamaha Neo YCR-8335 Bb Cornet

Yamaha Custom YFH-8310Z Bb Flugelhorn

Shires Model AF Bb Trumpet

Weimann Passion Rotary C Trumpet

Egger 4-Hole Baroque Trumpet in D/C 415

A variety of Bach, Dennis Wick, and Vennture Custom mouthpieces