Forrest Powell

Born in Coos Bay, Oregon, Forrest Powell is a freelance trumpet player with musical roots in Northern and Southern California for over 20 years.  He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from California State University, Northridge and a Master of Music degree from UCLA, having studied with William Bing, Jens Lindemann, Uan Rasey, Howie Shear, and Gerard Presencer.  In 2014, Forrest was invited to join Banff Center for the Arts’ Brass and Percussion Artist Development program in Alberta, Canada.

Forrest has toured nationally and internationally with the Glenn Miller Orchestra (solo chair, split lead), A Chorus Line (lead trumpet), Legally Blonde (lead trumpet), Orgōne, Dreamgirls, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, 42nd Street, Metalachi, and The Purple Ones Prince tribute band.  Forrest’s Bay Area lead trumpet and soloist credits include Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Tito Puente Jr., Momotombo, Luis Enrique, Mendocino Music Festival Big Band, and Transcendence Theater Company.  Additional recording and live performance / media credits include The Queen Latifah Show with Karmin, Center Stage Opera, Southern California Brass Consortium, Louie Cruz Beltran, Latin Sol, Son Mayor, Jungle Fire, For The Record: Scorsese, 3D Theatricals (Orange County, CA), Musical Theatre West (Long Beach, CA), Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley, Steve Huffsteter Big Band, Dirk Fischer Nonet, Bruce Lofgren Big Band, Skip Spiro Little Big Band, Urban Renewal Project, Jens Lindemann, Philip Lassiter, and Golden State Pops Orchestra.

Forrest is a passionate music educator who draws from his own childhood experience. During the pandemic, Forrest worked as Program Director for Sacramento Mandarins Music Academy, a nonprofit whose mission is centered on transforming the lives of youth through performing arts.  Over the course of one year, he helped the organization grow from 100 students to now over 1200 students in more than 42 elementary schools throughout his hometown.  There, he also enjoyed furthering his leadership skills by completing Third Plateau’s leadership development program.

In September 2022, Forrest joined the contemporary music program education team at Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) through LA Philharmonic’s YOLA program teaching Brass, Jazz Ensembles, and Music Theory. He enjoys visiting his family in the Bay Area, golf, and touring the globe.mm