Erick Valentín López Hernández (he/him) is a trombonist, conductor, and first-year DMA candidate at the Eastman School of Music. A first-generation university student Originally from Oaxaca, Mexico, his work centers on performance, music education, and the role of cultural heritage and accessibility in the training of young brass musicians. Erick is especially committed to expanding access to music education in underserved communities across Mexico and beyond.
Prior to his studies at Eastman, Erick earned his Bachelor’s degree in Music from the Universidad Veracruzana in Xalapa and completed a Master of Music in Performance at the University of New Mexico, where he was a winner of the 2022 Concerto Competition. As a soloist, he has performed with orchestras including Trinitate Philharmonia, the Chamber Orchestra of Coahuila, the Puebla Symphony Orchestra, the Symphony Orchestra of the University of New Mexico, and Banda Guelaguetza. He has also given solo recitals across Mexico, the United States, and Europe.
As an orchestral musician, Erick has held principal trombone positions with the Boca del Río Philharmonic Orchestra, Chihuahua Philharmonic, Puebla Symphony Orchestra, the Symphony Orchestra of Coahuila, and the Symphony Orchestra of the State of Mexico. In the US, he has also performed with the Santa Fe Opera, New Mexico Philharmonic, and the San Juan Symphony Orchestra in Colorado.
Erick is co-founder of the Trombontepec Festival, a national trombone and chamber music festival launched in 2022 to promote brass education in Mexico. He has served as faculty at festivals such as Vientos de la Montaña (Texcoco) and El Nevado Festival (Toluca), and has led masterclasses at the Conservatorio Nacional de Música (Mexico City), Escuela Música y Vida (San Luis Potosí), and the Facultad de Música y Danza (Monterrey).
Erick’s ongoing collaboration with the Guelaguetza Symphonic Band reflects his deep connection to his Oaxacan roots. In 2019, he toured France with the ensemble and recorded an album that celebrates the traditional music of Oaxaca. His creative work continues to explore ways of fusing classical performance with the cultural legacy of his home region.
Outside of music, Erick enjoys riding his bike, doing a good hike and discovering new cafés. He believes deeply in music’s power to create transformative change and seeks to build a career that reflects that belief.