Kendall Kress - Teacher

With a professional musical career spanning over 15 years, Kendall has had an opportunity to play a wide span of genres while seeing the world and bringing his infectious personality to the stage and the classroom. While a student at Christopher Newport University, Kendall was the principal trumpet player of the wind ensemble, brass quintet, and symphony orchestra, as well as the solo chair in the jazz ensemble. During this time he had the opportunity to perform with world renowned artists such as Kurt Elling, Ann Hampton Calloway and Dave Douglas.

After college, Kendall worked on Norwegian Cruise Lines performing shows on the main stage with various guest entertainers. Kendall was able to travel to music meccas like New York City, New Orleans, Barcelona, Venice, and cities in Mexico, Honduras, Greece, and France.

Upon returning to his home of Lynchburg, VA, Kendall established himself as an in-demand freelance artist performing in settings ranging from straight ahead jazz, to R&B and Funk, to blues, and classical to church music. He performed with groups such as Bell Avenue Blues, the Longwood University Jazz ensemble, Randolph College orchestra, and Apple Butter Soul (who had the privilege of opening for George Clinton and No BS Brass), and others.

In the classroom, Kendall has worked with brass students of all abilities and is fluent in the pedagogy of Claude Gordon. Kendall teaches all brass players the how’s and why’s behind brass playing in the context of a structured and approachable lesson plan. He truly believes that brass playing is no harder than deep breathing.

Kendall has a BM in music Education from Christopher Newport University. He has studied jazz improvisation from Bill Brown, composition from Dr. Chris Cook, and trumpet from Roy Muth and Jeff Purtle.

Teaches: Trumpet, French Horn, Arranging, Jazz, Piano, Music Theory