Gabriel Herrera is a versatile trombonist, educator, and arts administrator proudly representing his hometown of State College, PA. As an emerging trombonist, he has performed on world-renowned stages including the Montreux, Litchfield, and Jazz à Vienne jazz festivals, as well as Lincoln Center, the Arsht Center, and ShapeShifter Lab. He has shared the stage with celebrated artists such as Ravi Coltrane, Etienne Charles, Veronica Swift, Emmet Cohen, John Fedchock, Jennifer Wharton, Vince Mendoza, Marshall Gilkes, Fabian Almazan, Terri Lyne Carrington, Gilad Hekselman, Obed Calvaire, and Craig Taborn. His classical experience includes performances with the Pennsylvania Chamber Orchestra, Nittany Valley Symphony, and Centre Brass, with additional work in fusion and pop settings including Dark Sky Hustlers and StevenCharles.

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Herrera is an active educator with collegiate teaching experience at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music and Penn State University through graduate assistantships in jazz studies, jazz trombone, and classical trombone. He has directed or coached ensembles such as the Frost Jazz Octet, Frost Jazz Trombone Ensemble, Inner Dimensions Big Band, the Penn State Trombone Choir, and multiple jazz combos. In addition to teaching applied trombone and jazz lessons, he has taught or assisted courses in jazz improvisation, jazz arranging, jazz trombone studio, and trombone methods. Herrera has also worked with pre-college students, having gone on an educational outreach tour of East Coast high school band programs with the Penn State Graduate Brass Quintet and adjudicated middle and high school jazz ensemble performances at the Penn State Jazz Festival. 

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Beyond his work in performance and education, Herrera has significant experience in arts administration. He previously served as Executive Director of the Nittany Valley Symphony, where he gained comprehensive experience in concert production, nonprofit fundraising, marketing, budgeting, board relations, personnel management, volunteer coordination, and website administration. He has also founded and directed several ensembles, including the Happy Valley Jazz Octet, Happy Valley Trombone Quartet, the Gabriel Herrera Big Band, and the Gabriel Herrera Quartet.

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As an arranger and composer, Herrera has written dozens of works for big band, jazz octet, trombone ensemble, and classical chamber ensemble. His study of arranging, composition, and engraving includes lessons or masterclass work with Don Sickler, Ole Mathisen, David Gibson, Jihye Lee, and Ben Patterson.

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Herrera is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Jazz Trombone Performance at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music as a Henry Mancini Institute Fellow and Jazz Trombone Graduate Assistant. He holds a Master of Music in Trombone Performance from Penn State University (where he served as Jazz Studies and Trombone Graduate Assistant) and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy with a Special Concentration in Jazz Studies from Columbia University, where he graduated with departmental honors in music. Herrera is currently a student of Dante Luciani and previously studied with Jennifer Wharton, Daniel Twentey, Mark L. Lusk, Joshua Davis, and David Gibson.

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For all booking requests, please contact Herrera directly at gabe@gabrielherreramusic.com.