By Joshua Koch
Public Communications
Evan Salas understands the power of music.
The Atascocita High School junior has learned over his years of playing the trumpet that the music comes first in everything he does. Bringing music to the audience is his focus because of how it touches people.
“I’ve seen firsthand how powerful music is, and I want to be a part of that,” Salas, who is the drum major for the Atascocita Military Marching Band for 2025, said. “I want to bring people to tears when they need to cry. I want to bring people joy on their worst days. I want to make a difference in people through the power of music.”
In his high school career, Salas has already been named to the All-State Symphony Orchestra; is a member of the Houston Youth Symphony; attended Brevard Music Center’s six-week orchestral summer institute; and has been one of six finalists in the Young Artist Solo Competition of the US Navy Band.
This summer, Salas added another musical accomplishment to his resume – being selected for the Chosen Vale International Trumpet Seminar at the Center for Advanced Musical Studies in Enfield, New Hampshire.
At first, Salas was told he was too young to submit and attend. Despite this, Salas decided to submit and “let my playing talk for me”.
“This turned out to be one of the best decisions in my life, as during one of my final Houston Youth Symphony rehearsals, I received an email detailing my acceptance into the Trumpet Seminar. I was overjoyed,” Salas said. “Getting a position in the organization meant that no one was pitying me for my age, and I was able to let my playing speak for me.”
Salas, at just 16-years-old, was the only youth trumpet player to make the Chosen Vale International Trumpet Seminar.
“Being the only high schooler chosen for the seminar in the country meant that I was at a level where I could play next to true professional players,” Salas said. “I wouldn’t say I was at their level, but I was comparable enough to have an opportunity to learn from them at a young age.”
One of the highlights of the experience for Salas was meeting and talking with former principal trumpet of the Philadelphia Orchestra David Bilger, who is now a professor at Northwestern University.
“He is one of the people I look up to most and had very insightful advice directly to myself and to others that I could learn from,” Salas said. “Those experiences getting to know and make music with these professionals were absolutely life-changing and were likely the highlight of my Chosen Vale experience.”
Other Chosen Vale International Trumpet Seminar faculty included Ole Edvard Antonsen, Esteban Batallán, Edward Carroll, Gabriele Cassone, Mireia Farrés and Clément Saunier – all world-renowned trumpet players.
Entering his junior year at Atascocita High School, Salas aims to be first in the State of Texas through the TMEA All-State Process, getting a position in the National Youth Orchestra of the United States and making music at the National Trumpet Competition.
“These goals seem very performance-based, but truly, in my junior year, I want to expand my skills further into a professional level while truly enjoying making music through the Trumpet,” Salas said.
After graduating from Atascocita High School, Salas hopes to pursue Orchestral Trumpet studies at Northwestern University under Bilger and continue his musical career beyond that.
“It is a dream of mine to do so, and I work every day to make it happen,” Salas said. “Looking forward into the future, I hope to one day earn a full-time position in a professional orchestra to bring music to even more people throughout the world.”
In August, Salas performed Abblasen by Gottfried Reiche in front of large crowds of staff at the 2025 Humble ISD Convocation.