The Jacksonville Symphony strives to make a difference in the arts so that musical opportunities are accessible to all, both on and off the stage, through its robust Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

Part of the Symphony’s DEI Strategy is to diversify audiences who attend the Symphony’s concerts and to recruit and retain musicians from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. Partnering with the Symphony to create an orchestra that is reflective of the community it serves is Sphinx, a social justice organization whose mission is to “transform lives through the power of diversity in the arts.”

Musicians who are just beginning their musical journeys, seasoned professionals, administrators and entrepreneurs are among the many individuals who Sphinx supports. The organization provides a wide variety of services that highlight musicians’ achievements and foster their artistic growth. These include year-round tuition-free education, performances, tours of four premiere ensembles, creative youth development, sector-wide partnerships with 300+ organizations, new commissions by Black and Latinx composers and many other initiatives.

Trumpetist Adrian Speyrer has participated in Sphinx’s programs for several years and will be joining the Jacksonville Symphony for its two Mozart, Brahms & Shepherd concerts on May 19 and 20.

Adrian Speyrer is a professional trumpetist and native of New Orleans, Louisiana, who earned a bachelor’s degree in Music Performance from Louisiana State University in 2009. Before graduating from Chicago College of Performing Arts with a master's degree in Music Performance in 2011, he served as third trumpet with the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra and was appointed as a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. After completing his appointment with the Civic Orchestra, Speyrer went to China to play principal trumpet with the Beijing Symphony Orchestra and toured with the organization in Austria, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Mexico, the United States and across eastern China. Also active in chamber music, he has taught masterclasses throughout China, Korea, Mongolia and Singapore with a brass trio.

Upon returning to America, Speyrer played second trumpet with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and many other orchestras around the United States. Speyrer is currently active in Chicago based chamber music ensembles. He is also a founding member of the New Chicago Brass ensemble as well as an active freelancer and educator in the Chicago area.

His musical journey began when his mother came to the United States from Argentina and quickly gained a profound appreciation for the diverse music, art and cultures that she encountered. Speyrer explains that she would take him and his brother to many different types of concerts, which ultimately inspired Speyrer’s passion for playing the trumpet.

“I can remember regularly going to listen to my local orchestra since I was a young child. Eventually, I couldn’t bear only watching and hearing this wonderful music. I had to be a part of it,” explained Speyrer. “Through my experiences in music, I have been fortunate to meet and work with many amazing people both in my community and around the world.”

Speyrer’s passion for pursuing music across the globe lead to his involvement with the Sphinx organization starting in the fall of 2020. Since then, with Sphinx’s sponsorship, he has been able to perform with several orchestras throughout the U.S. including the Milwaukee Symphony, Kalamazoo Symphony, Elgin Symphony and Southbend Symphony. Through his involvement, he has also met many high-caliber musicians as part of the Sphinx Orchestral Partners Auditions (SOPA) Excerpt Competition. SOPA is a unique opportunity for Black and Latinx orchestral musicians to audition for a panel representing several orchestras that seek to invite musicians to auditions, pre-advancement at auditions and/or placement on substitute player lists.

“Music can be one of the most inspiring things in any person's life, regardless of background,” said Speyrer. “Having the accessibility and opportunity to be able to perform with such prestigious orchestras can hopefully inspire others to keep listening and performing orchestral music. Being able to connect and relate to a wider audience is paramount in continuing the growth of symphonic and orchestral music.”

In sponsorship with Sphinx, Speyrer will be joining the Jacksonville Symphony for its two Mozart, Brahms and Shepherd concerts on May 19 and 20 to perform the world premiere of Sean Shepherd’s original commission, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 and Johannes Brahms’ Double Concerto featuring violinist Simone Porter and cellist Joshua Roman.

“The Jacksonville Symphony is a fantastic organization with a very high level of performing. Being able to work with these musicians for a week will be such a valuable learning experience as well as a tremendous joy,” said Speyrer. “I am incredibly excited to be able to perform with the Symphony in Jacoby Symphony Hall and play my part in this impressive lineup of pieces.”

Speyrer notes the importance of organizations like the Symphony who strive to make the arts accessible to all musicians and listeners and hopes that more arts organizations will join its mission to create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive world.

“The inherent qualities of music promote unity,” said Speyrer. “Everyone, performers and audience members alike, can make a world of difference by cooperating to create art that both embraces and transcends cultural differences.”