This clinic is a detailed, under the hood look at what it takes to not only be a great lead trumpet player, but a great player on every part in the section. How do teachers develop their young players (at any level) to eventually access the upper register of the horn efficiently and build the kind of consistency and endurance that will make them a reliable leader of their ensembles. Bijon Watson will share the wealth of his expertise and experience to help us understand that process.
Bijon Watson
- Biographical Information
Grammy® Award-winning trumpeter Bijon Watson’s career as a musician and educator spans more than 30 years and has taken him around the globe to perform for audiences worldwide. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Bijon attended the New England Conservatory of Music Preparatory School, and the University of Southern California, and was a member of the 1994 Disney All-American College Band and 1995 Disney/Grammy® All-American College Jazz Band. While classically trained, his love of Black-American music, Latin music, Jazz, R&B, and other diverse musical genres, inspired him to become a student of the great bands of the past and present. As a result, he has become a sought after and in-demand lead trumpet player that can be heard on television, in films, and award-winning recordings with iconic and world-class artists. Bijon plays lead trumpet for the Grammy®-nominated Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, the Grammy®-winning John Davers a Progressive Big Band, the Grammy®-winning John Beasley’s Monkestra, José Rizo’s Jazz on the Latin Side All-Stars, the late Gerald Wilson Jazz Orchestra, and many other jazz, salsa, and pop bands throughout the United States. Most recently, in 2023, as co-leader with pianist/composer Steven Feifke, Bijon can be heard showcasing his talents not only on lead trumpet but as a featured soloist as well with their Grammy® Award-winning Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra. Bijon’s recording and/or live performance and touring credits are vast and the short list includes iconic artists such as Natalie Cole, Michael Bublé, Justin Timberlake, Harry Connick, Jr., Diana Krall, Michael Jackson, Arturo Sandoval, Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, Joe Williams, Queen Latifah, Earth, Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder, Nicholas Payton, Rosemary Clooney, Steve Tyrell, Eric Benét, Jamiroquai, Prince, Barbara Morrison, Dianne Reeves, Nancy Wilson, Alicia Keys, Chaka Khan, Luis Miguel, Enrique Iglesias, The Temptations, and Gladys Knight.On television, Bijon has performed on episodes of American Idol, The Voice, and The Tonight Show, as well as Grammy® Awards shows, The BET Music Awards, and Dancing With The Stars. Bijon’s film appearances include the award-winning film La La Land and recording on several soundtracks with studios such as Paramount, Fox, and Disney, including Epic, Despicable Me 2, and The Secret Life of Pets. As a classically trained musician, Bijon has had the opportunity to perform as a guest with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, the Los Angeles Opera, the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, the San Diego Symphony, and the San Francisco Symphony. A dedicated educator, Bijon is an Associate Professor at the Berklee College of Music, as well as a sought-after clinician who gives master classes and clinics to colleges, and high schools throughout the United States, and Europe. Bijon also maintains a private lesson studio. Bijon is a Stomvi USA/Spain performing artist and performs on the VRII Custom Big Bell Bb Trumpet, the Titan 4-valve Bb Trumpet, as well as the Stomvi Titan Bb Flugelhorn, the Master C trumpet, and the Stomvi Elite Piccolo. Bijon also uses the Stomvi “DaVinci” Mouthpiece System.