In this episode, Jena Vangjel tells me the story of how she was forced to take a month off of practicing the trumpet because she had to have her thyroid removed. Jena and I dig down deep to find out what lessons she learned from taking so much time off, and what we all can learn from her.
Jena Vangjel, a native of Kansas City, Missouri, is a freelance trumpeter in Baton Rouge and the surrounding area. She has performed with the New World Symphony, the Alabama Symphony, the Charleston Symphony, the Louisiana Philharmonic, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, among others. She is incredibly passionate about how music can create community, and works extensively with Street Symphony—a Los Angeles-based non-profit that brings high-level classical performances to the city’s most underserved citizens. Vangjel is a founding member of the Los Angeles Brass Quintet and is a member of the internationally acclaimed Fountain City Brass Band. She holds a Master of Music degree in Trumpet Performance from The Colburn School in Los Angeles, CA, and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory.