Private lessons with Anastasia Gaddis

A native of Mississippi, Anastasia has been playing trumpet for nearly 15 years. She attended East Central Community College where she received an Associate of Arts degree in music, concentrating on trumpet performance. There, she received several honors including academic awards and recognitions and winning a place in the college’s hall of fame. She was section leader of the Wall O’ Sound Marching Band and Wind Symphony. Anastasia also participated in choir, musicals, holiday bands, rock bands, and percussion ensembles. She took private lessons in trumpet, percussion, piano, and voice.

After graduation at her community college, Mrs. Gaddis attended university at Mississippi College where she received a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education, specializing in instrumental instruction, and graduated magna cum laude. There, she studied under Wayne Linehan, co-principal of the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra. She also received instruction on percussion, strings, woodwinds, piano, and other brass instruments. She was principal trumpet in the pep band, jazz band, brass quintet, and Mississippi College Wind Symphony during her full time there. Throughout her time there, she regularly taught brass classes in local schools.

During her student teaching time, Anastasia helped to lead the Florence High School Marching Band to earn an all superior rating during state marching evaluations. She also taught all brass and woodwind beginner instrument classes and instructed all bands 7th-12th Grade. During her career, Anastasia has taught master classes for both high and low brass instruments. In the spring of 2021, she assisted the East Ranken Academy High School Band, who won superior ratings during their concert evaluation. During the same spring, Anastasia assisted the Mississippi College Jazz Band as a guest trumpeter and flugelhorn player. Anastasia has also played, both as a soloist and in small ensembles with her family, for churches, memorials, and other small concerts.