About Ernie

Ernesto Villalobos Jr. is a trumpet performer and educator in the Washington D.C. metro area, originally from El Paso, TX. 

He began playing the trumpet at age 12, and after joining his middle school band, sought out free lessons from a local Lutheran church, where his first teacher, Pastor Stephen Heimer, gifted him a copy of Wynton Marsalis' Carnaval album. This moment became a turning point in his musical journey. Ernie also joined the church’s mariachi program, which was another pivotal influence in his early development as a musician.

In high school, under the mentorship of Kenny Capshaw, Ernie was named a Texas All-State Musician for three years and received the Texas State Solo & Ensemble Contest Outstanding Performer Award twice.

Ernie earned a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) in 2015. While at UTEP, he won the Winds & Percussion Concerto Competition in 2010 and 2012, and the UTEP Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition in 2014. His primary trumpet teacher during this time was Dr. Nancy Taylor.

After graduation, Ernie continued to perform and teach in the El Paso, Las Cruces, and Ciudad Juárez areas. He served as Principal Trumpet of the Juárez Symphony Orchestra, as well as a section member of the El Paso Winds. He was also the Director of Bands at Mountain View High School and an itinerant instrumental music teacher for the Ysleta Independent School District, working in the Riverside and Eastwood communities. During his last two years of teaching, Ernie returned to UTEP to pursue a Master of Music in Trumpet Performance, studying again with Dr. Nancy Taylor, and graduated in 2023.

Currently, Ernie is a trumpeter with The United States Air Force Band Ceremonial Brass in Washington, DC. In this prestigious role, he performs at military funerals at Arlington National Cemetery and at high-profile government and military events, including those at the White House and Pentagon. He has also appeared on the Today Show for its Independence Day celebration.