Today we’d like to introduce you to Yankar Gonzalez.
Hi Yankar, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My story with music started when I was 10 years old in Cuba, when I first picked up the trombone. I didn’t come from a musical family, and the beginning wasn’t necessarily easy. I had limited resources, very little access to teachers, and even physically, the trombone was a challenge for me as a kid because my arms were too short to comfortably reach all the positions. But for some reason, I fell in love with the instrument and never stopped.
Over the years, that passion became a profession. Music eventually brought me to the United States and opened doors I could have never imagined as a kid. I’ve had the opportunity to perform and tour internationally, work alongside incredible musicians and artists, and experience stages and places around the world that once felt completely out of reach.
As my career developed, I also discovered that I wanted to do more than just perform. Education became a big part of my life because I wanted to share the knowledge and experience I had gained with the next generation of musicians. More recently, I’ve expanded into music direction and production, creating shows, arranging music, building live playback systems, and helping bring complete productions from an idea to the stage.
Today, I see myself not only as a trombonist, but as a musician, educator, music director, and producer. I’m still learning and evolving, and that’s probably the part of the journey I enjoy the most. Every new opportunity reminds me of that 10 year old kid who simply wanted to figure out how to play the trombone and I’m grateful that I never stopped trying.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Like most careers in music, there have been a lot of ups and downs along the way.
One of the biggest challenges has been learning to build a career in an industry where there is very little certainty. As a musician, you can have an incredible year filled with opportunities, tours, and performances, and then suddenly find yourself wondering what the next opportunity will be. I’ve experienced rejection, lost opportunities, financial uncertainty, and moments when I’ve had to question what direction I should take next.
Moving to the United States also meant adapting to a new country, a new culture, and a completely different music industry. I had to build relationships and establish myself professionally while continuing to improve as a musician. Nothing happened overnight.
Another challenge has been learning that talent alone isn’t enough. You have to be prepared, professional, reliable, easy to work with, and willing to constantly evolve. Some of the biggest steps forward in my career actually came from realizing that I couldn’t only think of myself as a trombone player. I needed to understand arranging, technology, production, music direction, business, and how an entire show works.
There have definitely been difficult seasons, but each one forced me to grow in a different way. Looking back, some of the moments that felt like setbacks at the time were actually what pushed me toward the next chapter of my career.
I still don’t consider the journey finished. I’m continuing to build, learn, and pursue bigger goals, and I think that’s part of what keeps music exciting for me.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
At the core, I’m a professional trombonist, but over the years my work has grown into much more than performing. Today, I work as a touring musician, educator, music director, arranger, and producer.
As a trombonist, I specialize primarily in Latin and contemporary music and recording sessions work, and I’ve been fortunate to perform, record and tour internationally with established artists and incredible musicians. I take a lot of pride in being the kind of musician who can walk into different musical situations, understand what the music needs, and become part of the team.
Education is also very important to me. After more than 20 years of playing professionally, I feel a responsibility to share what I’ve learned with other musicians. Through my educational content and online academy, I teach trombone players and musicians not only technique, but also musicianship, improvisation, preparation, and the practical skills that are necessary to work professionally.
More recently, I’ve expanded heavily into music direction and live production through Artist Around LLC. I enjoy building shows from the ground up arranging music, preparing musicians, creating playback and Ableton systems, designing transitions, coordinating rehearsals, and thinking about how all the musical and technical elements come together onstage.
That’s probably what sets me apart the most. I’m very detail oriented, and I don’t approach a project only from the perspective of a trombone player. I think about the entire production: the musicians, singers, technology, sound, staging, transitions, and ultimately the experience the audience is going to have.
What I’m most proud of isn’t one particular performance or tour. It’s the fact that music has allowed me to continually reinvent myself. I started as a kid who simply wanted to learn the trombone, and today I’m able to perform, teach, create, lead musicians, and build productions of my own. I’m proud of that evolution, and I feel like I’m still just getting started.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
What I love most about Houston is its diversity. You can meet people from so many different cultures and backgrounds, and you can see that reflected everywhere in the music, the food, the arts, and the community. As a musician, that has always been inspiring to me.
I also really appreciate the opportunities Houston has given me. It’s a city with an incredible amount of talent, and I’ve been fortunate to meet and work with some amazing musicians and people here. Over the years, Houston has become an important part of both my personal life and my career.
One thing I truly believe is that Houston has an extraordinary cultural potential honestly, on the same level as cities like Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago, or New York, and in many ways even beyond them. The talent here is undeniable and deeply rooted. However, I do feel that the arts are not always prioritized as much as they could be in the city’s development and support systems. Because of that, many incredible musicians and artists end up leaving Houston in search of more opportunities elsewhere. And that always feels a bit bittersweet, because the heart, creativity, and brilliance are already here. With more support and investment in the cultural scene, Houston could truly shine as one of the great artistic capitals. The potential is absolutely here, and the talent in Houston is immense, vibrant, and full of life.
What do I like least? I think most Houstonians will probably agree with me on this one the traffic and the summer heat! You definitely learn to plan your day around both. But even with that, Houston is a city I’m very grateful to call home.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.yankartrombon.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yankargonzalez?igsi=eGRpNWZsMHdzN2cz&utm_source=qr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@yankargonzalez?si=Y-dd74oGk2hxV9Kw
