Teacher Profile: Niro Lopez

About Niro Lopez

Niro Lopez is a regularly performing brass musician and teacher in the Seattle area. He teaches all brass, composition, jazz, and improvisation.

Mr. Lopez started playing music professionally as a teenager in South Florida. He was principal euphonium in Florida All State wind bands, the bass trombone player in All Star jazz bands, received several superior with distinction awards at the state level for euphonium solos, and was a competitive marching band soloist for two years. While attending University of South Florida, he was principal euphonium in the Wind Ensemble and was also in the School of Composition.

After relocating to Seattle, Mr. Lopez was the euphonium soloist with the Cornucopia Concert Band for five years, was a regular on call substitute for Brass Band Northwest, Greenwood Concert Band, and other various ensembles. He currently plays trumpet and flugelhorn in several contemporary jazz, soul, and r&b groups.

Mr. Lopez’s approach to brass teaching typically begins with fundamentals, such as breathing, embouchure, tone, and posture, followed by reading, theory, technique, flexibility, range, phrasing, lyricism, and style. As students progress, they will learn both classical and modern literature. For jazz students, they are taken farther into interval, pattern, and theoretical studies, while writing transcriptions, playing by ear, and learning improvisation strategies, technique, and jazz language. For composition students, a modern approach is taken, incorporating 20th century theory and techniques, as well as orchestration, notation, and calligraphy.

Mr. Lopez’s teaching philosophy for music in general focuses on the individual’s expression, creativity, and authenticity: they are encouraged, inspired, and given the means with which to play, perform, and write something truly genuine.