As we count down to Play On 2026, our 8th annual benefit concert hosted by Merit’s Associate Board, we had the pleasure of sitting down with acclaimed trumpeter, composer and educator Victor Garcia, who will headline this year’s celebration with his electrifying Latin orchestra. A Merit alum, Victor was delighted to join us at the school on a busy Saturday and share how excited he is to be a part of this year’s Play On.
Victor discovered Merit as a teenager and quickly found a community that helped shape his future as a musician. A graduate of the Alice S. Pfaelzer Conservatory, he has built an acclaimed career as a performer, teacher, and bandleader while remaining deeply connected to Chicago’s thriving music scene.
In this interview, Victor reflects on the mentors and experiences that influenced him, shares advice for the next generation of musicians, and discusses what success means to him today. He also offers a preview of the high-energy performance audiences can expect at Play On.
Tell me about your relationship with Merit. How did you get started, and what kind of impact did your time studying here have?
I was introduced to Merit my sophomore year of high school. I started playing trumpet on my own with no guidance, just figuring it out and playing in my school band at Lane Tech. Then two of my friends in band told me, “Man, Merit is the place.”
Luckily, I was able to go with them as a trial one Saturday morning for the Conservatory, and I was just blown away. These are my people. I could sense it.
So I signed up immediately, and I also started taking private lessons, where I met Mike McLaughlin. He was shocked because I had no prior experience with a teacher. He’d ask, “Who taught you that?” and I’d say, “Nobody. I just made it up.”
He broke down all my bad habits. I was playing with wrong fingerings, I couldn’t play without gum in my mouth—yeah, perfect embouchure! He immediately made me spit it out. I wasn’t very good. I couldn’t make a decent sound. My trumpet was garbage; it was a made-in-China horn that didn’t even have a brand. He didn’t mind. He loved working with me. I’m so grateful for him. He was one of the main reasons why I’m doing what I’m doing.
My time at Merit shaped me. It meant so much to have this place, this safe haven where I could just be myself, hang out with other kids, and make music.
Do you have any favorite Merit memories that you’d like to share?
After I joined the Conservatory, I auditioned for the Honors Jazz Combo, and that’s when it all changed for me. I remember our first gig at some little Italian restaurant. We finished our set, so I packed up my horn and started to head out. Mike McLaughlin stopped me and asked, “Wait, you’re not going to wait to get paid?”
I said, “We get paid?” My mind split in two. I’ve never been so happy to receive $30 in my entire life.
The light bulb went off. At that point, I was planning on following my dad’s footsteps as an acupuncturist. He always wanted to be a musician, but in Mexico, you can’t make a living doing it; it’s just for fun.
But after getting paid for that first gig, I thought, I might have to reconsider this acupuncturist thing, because this is way more fun. That’s the first time that doing music as a career seemed like a real possibility. It’s the absolute best feeling, to be able to share music with the world and make a living blowing hot air through a cold piece of plumbing.
One other favorite memory was another one of my first gigs with the Honors Jazz Combo, this time outdoors in a park. I was super nervous because my solo was coming up. I was shaking wildly, thinking, Oh, this is going to go terribly. But I closed my eyes and started playing, and after about eight measures, I heard people cheering and yelling, which I very much appreciated. It was awesome.
Our current Honors Jazz Combo is excited to open for you at Play On! As someone who’s built a career in the music industry, do you have any advice for our students?
The older I get, I realize there’s a piece of the puzzle that’s missing for a lot of artists: they don’t know how to be business people. But you can get a little training and hone those skills, just like you’ve done with your instrument.
Nowadays, I’ll still take lessons from people, but it’s not necessarily always about playing. Sometimes it’s “How did you break into the scene?” or “What do you recommend in terms of marketing?” You can transcribe solos, you can study artistry, but I think you should also spend some of your practice time transcribing what your favorite artists are doing business-wise.
Because learning how to make a living matters, too. It’s hard to say that because I’m an artist through and through, but it can be a tough industry, and if you don’t get the business side together, the music itself can lose its luster. You don’t ever want it to get to the point that playing music becomes a drag because you’re stressed about paying your mortgage.
My other piece of advice is to find a balance between music and the rest of your life. I was obsessed with music when I started, and I spent all my spare time playing. Looking back, I wish I had occasionally put the trumpet down and spent more time with the people I love. We all have the same amount of time, and whatever matters most to you gets your time. So make sure you give time to all the things that you love, not just one thing obsessively.
How has the Chicago music scene shaped your artistic identity?
Over the years, I’ve spent a lot of time in New York recording and performing, and one thing’s clear to me: that same level exists here. There are world-class musicians living and working in Chicago. I’m in a city where I can make a living playing music, raise a family, teach, perform, and build a career.
One of my favorite things is the variety of work available in Chicago. You can play Latin gigs, jazz gigs, wedding gigs, classical gigs. It’s always different, and there’s not as much pressure to stay in one lane. I like all the different kinds of playing I get to do, and I’m really excited about all the opportunities I’ve had because I live here.
So I’m like, man, I’m in the right place. I’m in the right place because I get to play with these incredible, world-class, inspiring musicians in a thriving scene in a city where you can make a living playing music and raise a family.
How do you define success for yourself as a musician today, and has that changed over time?
Years ago, I probably would have said success meant touring with a major artist. I’ve done some of that, and I’ve traveled with my own bands and performed in different parts of the world.
Those experiences are wonderful, but the question becomes: What is the actual feeling you’re chasing? For me, the answer has changed. The real wealth in life is doing what you love and making a living doing it. I’m incredibly grateful that music has allowed me to pay my bills. To me, that’s success.
I always joke that I’m nowhere near being a millionaire – but in my heart, I am! I wake up excited. I get excited about the musicians I’m playing with. I get excited about new music. I get excited about being challenged. And that’s the feeling I hope people pursue. Not status, not titles, just asking themselves: “Do you feel happy doing what you’re doing?”
What are you most excited about performing at Play On?
It’s my Latin big band, and I’m excited to take it out for a spin because it really feels like a Cadillac. Three trumpets, three saxophones, two trombones, piano, bass, drums, timbales, congas, and a singer. This full band doesn’t get to play very often. I’m so excited.
And everything we’re playing is danceable! I’m really looking forward to feeling the energy in the room and seeing people dancing and having a good time. I love that energy.
Join Us At Play On!
Come hear the Victor Garcia Latin Jazz Orchestra on October 28 at City Winery Chicago, as we celebrate the power of music education and the incredible talent of our Merit students past and present.
