Jonás Rodríguez

Jonás Rodríguez began his trumpet studies at the age of nine with the National Youth Orchestra in his hometown of Guanare, Portuguesa State, Venezuela. In 1995, under the direction of Maestro Henry Zambrano, he joined the regional symphonic movement and became one of the founding trumpet players of the orchestra.

Two years later, he was appointed assistant instructor in the trumpet department of the same orchestra, as well as at the Acarigua Nucleus, positions he held until April 2002. In addition, Rodríguez taught trumpet in several regions across Venezuela.

In 1997, he represented Venezuela at the Festival de la Orquesta Sinfónica Juvenil de las Américas (FOSJA) in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he won second place in the Intermediate Level Soloist Competition. Three years later, he was selected to participate in the Summer Camp at Baylor University in the United States, where he took lessons and workshops with trumpeter Barry Hopper.

Throughout his career, he has attended seminars and master classes with renowned national and international teachers, including Alan Cox, Michael Tunne of Sonus Brass, Carlos Benetó of Spanish Brass, Juan José Cerna, Antoine Duhamel, and many others.

In 2002, Rodríguez joined the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra through a competitive audition. That same year, he was selected to be part of both the MERCOSUR Symphony Orchestra and the CAF Symphony Orchestra, with which he toured several Latin American countries, including Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, and Colombia.

The following year, he joined the Venezuelan Symphony Orchestra as assistant trumpet, a position he held until 2018. During his time with this orchestra, he took part in numerous recordings and concerts, and toured internationally in countries such as Russia, Italy, Greece, Cuba, and Germany.

Since 2004, Rodríguez has served as Principal Cornet of the Caracas Martial Band, performing in theaters, plazas, and schools throughout Venezuela, as well as in various official state ceremonies.

In 2007, he joined the Christian Ministry “Este Es El Tiempo” — This Is the Time — led by Pastor Frankie Tovar, as lead trumpeter, participating in concerts and events for churches and conferences for pastors and Christian leaders. His performances were featured in the “Walking in the Supernatural” Conference held in Caracas and Valencia in 2010 and 2011.

In 2014, he performed with the Venezuelan Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet at the International Tourism Fair held in Germany and Colombia, giving concerts and engaging in musical exchanges with delegations from other countries.

His versatility as a trumpeter has led him to record albums with Venezuelan artists, Latin American Christian singers, and musicians from the United States, covering a wide range of genres including classical music, salsa, merengue, bolero, rock, pop, gospel, and other Latin rhythms.

Throughout his career, he has performed with major brass ensembles and popular music orchestras, including Centauro Brass, the Brass Ensemble of the Venezuelan Symphony Orchestra, the Venezuela Brass Quintet, and the orchestras of artists such as Liz and Porfi Jiménez, among others.

He has also had the honor of performing with renowned Latin music artists such as Grammy Award winner Tony Succar, Jerry Rivera, Maelo Ruiz, Tony Vega, Joao José, Billo’s Caracas Boys, C.O.T Band, Brayan Cáceres, Jessy Díaz, Sonora Cumbia de Janir Sánchez, Callanwolde Concert Band, and Atlanta Wedding Band — collaborations that have further enriched his repertoire and musical experience.

In addition to his musical career, Jonás Rodríguez has made brief but notable appearances in film and television. He has participated in productions such as “Ban Boys IV”, “Father of the Bride”, and the acclaimed series “Dynasty”, demonstrating his artistic versatility and presence across different media.

Currently, Jonás Rodríguez resides in Atlanta, where he has established himself as one of the most sought-after trumpet players in Georgia’s music scene. He is frequently invited to perform with Latin and American music ensembles, as well as in worship projects within various ministry groups across the region.

His talent and versatility have made him a key figure in Atlanta’s Latin music community. Throughout his career, Rodríguez has stood out as an influential musician due to his thoughtful approach to Latin music performance.

His innovative perspective on the history of popular music, combined with his classical training in Venezuela, has solidified him as an artist who fuses the echoes of salsa, merengue, Latin jazz, and classical music — leaving a lasting impact on the musical landscape.