Peter Tijerina

Dr. Peter Tijerina, DMA, is a trombonist, composer, and educator known for his work in both jazz and classical music. Originally from San Antonio, Texas, his early influences included Mexican folk, Tex-Mex, pop, hip-hop, and orchestral music. During middle school, he moved to Washington state, where he was deeply influenced by the vibrant sounds of the Pentecostal church. His path led him to study classical and jazz trombone with respected teachers like Keith Winkle, Richard Lopez, Ben McDonald, Ross Holcombe, Jenny Kellogg, and Michael Dease. He later earned his Doctorate in Jazz Performance from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he studied with trombone legend Jim Pugh.

Peter has performed with a wide range of groups, including Milonga, Son Dulce, the Sun Messengers, and the Katie Flynn Cabaret, and has shared the stage with jazz greats like Rodney Whitaker, Christian McBride, and Robin Eubanks. On the classical side, he has performed with the Olympia Symphony Orchestra, the Coeur d’Alene Symphony, and currently holds the principal chair with the Urbana Pops Orchestra. Peter also shares his expertise at the Community Center for the Arts (C4A), and has previously taught at Lincoln College, Brevard Jazz Institute, and the MSU Big Band Symposium. Through commissioned arrangements for top ensembles across the United States and his jazz nonet, he bridges the roles of performance and music education. Additionally, Peter is an artist with Outside in Arts and contributes insightful reviews to the Online Trombone Journal (OTJ) and Jazz Today.

Photo by Chris Brown Photography.