Cordi DeDecker
Trumpet, Recorder, Percussion
Cordi DeDecker is a multi-talented musician who performs as a trumpeter, recorder player, percussionist, and computer musician. He recently graduated from Arizona State University where he worked as a teaching assistant and earned his Master’s degree in Trumpet Performance. Throughout his performing career he has flourished as a soloist. He was invited to compete at the Girolamo Fantini International Competition in Italy and has won prestigious awards from the National Trumpet Competition, International Trumpet Guild, and International Women’s Brass Conference. As a chamber musician, Cordi regularly performs in Broadway musical pits as well as regional orchestras.
Cordi teaches privately and has also been invited to coach sectionals for the Phoenix Youth Orchestra, the Harmony Project, and to give masterclasses for several middle and high schools in the Phoenix metroplex. His favorite part about being a teacher is helping students find their voice and providing a space to explore sound-based creativity. As a teacher who has worked with elementary schoolers to senior citizens, Cordi understands the importance of flexibility. He is able to adapt and customize lesson plans in order to make sure his students are meeting their goals and feeling excited about their progress.
One of the concepts Cordi prioritizes is connecting students with their breath. As a wind instrumentalist, the skill of measuring your air capacity is important for producing a beautiful tone. He has seen firsthand that teaching students how to cooperate with their breathing gives them more confidence about forming and connecting multiple phrases. Cordi also strives to develop a strong sense of rhythmic groove in his students. Fostering this skill is often achieved by strengthening the body-mind connection. Through dancing, clapping, and using sticks/mallets, students are able to develop an abstract concept into a physical understanding of rhythm.
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In addition to his musical endeavors, Cordi enjoys mountain biking, gardening, practicing yoga, and taking hikes in the beautiful mountains of Arizona.