Episode 9 // J.G. Miller – SFC, US Army Field Band
Did you know that a military musician does more than play their instrument?
As J.G. Miller shares in this week’s episode, life in a military band is all about saying yes to new challenges and staying flexible! In addition to his responsibilities as horn player, JG also works as a CompTIA Sec+ certified assistant information management officer, Unit Training NCO, and arranges for his quintet, the Federal Brass.
From Mozart to military history, cyber security to climate change advocacy, intellectual property law, healthy living, movie music, The Who, technology, vehicle maintenance and everything else in between, J.G. Miller has had a wide swath of careers and follows the guiding star of chasing happiness above all.
Born in Colorado into a family of medical professionals, he aspired to follow in their footsteps; however, he quickly discovered he did not particularly enjoy lab work and found himself hiding in a practice room to procrastinate from his medical studies.
He holds a DMA from the University of Southern California, a MM from the University of Arizona, and a BM from the Eastman School of Music in both Performance and Education, where he received the Performer’s Certificate.
A member of The United States Army Field Band, Miller logs thousands of miles over the road with this premier touring concert band – or supporting the hundreds of hours of free online content during the COVID pandemic. However, before winning this position – and even after – he has never sat still in any field of study.
Outside of The U.S. Army, he serves on the board of the non-profit Cormont Music, Vice President of Veritas Musica Publishing, enjoys driving for Uber – talking to others about electric vehicles, and has a small automotive detailing business during the better weather months of the mid-Atlantic area.
He is a passionate and active educator and offers free masterclasses for all levels, from the smallest elementary schools to the largest universities.
In the past, he freelanced in the LA movie studios, built horns for Lawson Horns, and was the first to be elected to the position of Military Liaison to the International Horn Society. He also has taught at multiple music festivals and as a high school band instructor.
He has presented research papers at conferences on topics including intellectual property law for musicians, archeological metallurgy, significant weight loss on brass pedagogy, military music history, audition strategies, his Philosophy on “The Three C’s of Artistry,” and performing and arranging for The Who’s Quadrophenia Tour.
His horn teachers include Peter Kurau, James Thatcher, Daniel Katzen, and the late Kendall Betts.
With as much time as he spends on the road, there’s no place quite like home: he enjoys spending time at home with his wife, three children, and dog in Maryland. His hobbies include St. Louis baseball, eSports, and visiting public museums and national parks.
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