AJ Bernal, horn

AJ Bernal, biography

AJ Bernal is an avid horn player and educator. Since 2013, AJ has maintained private horn and brass studios in the states of Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana. He is highly sought after as a private instructor; his students have received superlative ratings at their respective state solo and ensemble festivals. AJ is currently expanding his teaching credentials as a Part-Time Instructor at the University of Kentucky, working alongside his mentor Dr. Margaret Tung. Previously, AJ had the opportunity to teach undergraduate music theory at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

As a performer, AJ is an active freelancer. He currently gigs around the Lexington, KY area, and has recently began performing with the Southern Illinois Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, he has performed with many chamber groups, including the Wildcat Winds (Lexington, KY) and the Victory Brass Choir (Lexington, KY). AJ has also been a member of the Southern Illinois Music Festival (Carbondale, IL) since the summer of 2020, where he has held the role of Operations and Personnel Manager since 2021.

AJ is a doctoral candidate at the University of Kentucky, where he has been awarded the Lyman T. Johnson Diversity Fellowship to continue his education. AJ holds a Master of Music from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and a Bachelor of Music Education from Indiana State University (Terre Haute). His teachers include Dr. Margaret Tung, Jennifer Presar, Dr. Brian Kilp, and Donna Briggs.