Walter Simonsen
High Brass Instructor
WALTER SIMONSEN, DMA, grew up in Mission Viejo, California, where he attended Mission Viejo High School. Following graduation, Walter went on to earn his BM in Jazz Studies at the University of North Texas, where he spent four years at the first trumpet player in the award winning 2 o’clock lab band. During his undergraduate years, he was also the first trumpet player in the 2002 All American College Band at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA.
After his time at UNT, Walt went on to earn his MM and DMA in Jazz Studies from the University of Southern California. While at USC, he was a teaching assistant and instructor in the jazz department. Walt also spent 10 years with the USC Trojan Marching Band as a teaching assistant and later as an assistant director.
Currently Walt works as a freelance musician in Los Angeles, performing with artists such as Radiohead, Alicia Keys, Alan Silverstri, Bill Holman, Beck, Dream Theatre, Steve Miller, and others. He is also a show, visual designer, and brass instructor in the Southern California area, working with several high schools and college marching bands.
Walt also has a jazz project paying homage to the history of great jazz trumpet players called Trumpetology. He is also on faculty at the Colburn School in downtown Los Angeles and serves as the musical director and arranger for the LA Laker’s house band.
