Biography

Joshua Puente is a versatile trumpet performer and educator whose career spans through classical performance, mariachi, and the marching arts. His approach to music is rooted in a belief that every artistic discipline offers something valuable, continually drawing from diverse experiences to shape his playing, teaching, and artistry.

Joshua was born in Miami Florida and moved to Atlanta Georgia at age 7. He started trumpet lessons in 7th grade and studied under Patrick McAvoy up until 9th Grade. Patrick is an incredible educator who helped Joshua learn practice didn’t have to be boring. Eventually while at Lassiter High School, he began to study with Dr. Douglas Lindsey, a passionate educator who helped Joshua take things more seriously. Joshua participated in the Georgia All-State ensembles from 8th through 12th grade. He also participated in the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra program from 2021-2022. As a high school freshman, he performed with Lassiter in the 2019 Tournament of Roses Parade and his senior year served as marching band vice president, Tri-M co-president, trumpet section leader, and ran a trumpet ensemble.

Joshua continued his studies at Florida State University, pursuing dual degrees in Trumpet Performance and Instrumental Music Education under Dr. Christopher Moore. Joshua has competed in the National Trumpet Competition for 6 years in all divisions. Joshua has also competed in the FSU Bryan Goff Trumpet Solo Competition for several years. Entering his college era, Joshua received recognition for the 2023 International Trumpet Guild Young Artist Award. He received the 2024 ITG Richard B. Lehman Memorial Fund Scholarship and 2025 Marvin Wilt Memorial Fund Scholarship, further recognizing his development as a young professional trumpet player. In his last two years of undergrad, Joshua joined a student-ran mariachi organization where CarlosManuel Aceves took him as an underling. Eventually leading to Joshua continuing the org as their president. Joshua took lessons for over a year and worked one year with Mariachi Tallahassee building his mariachi foundation.

His experience in the marching arts has become a defining part of his career, including five years of drum corps performance and World Championship experience with the Phantom Regiment, the Blue Devils, and the Bluecoats. Beyond the field, Joshua has developed his career as an educator, currently serving as a High Brass and Movement instructor with Silent Command and working with Lassiter High School as a marching band technician.

Joshua's work ultimately centers on being more than a performer. As his professor Dr. Moore once said, “He strives to be a catalyst for change”—continually learning from different musical disciplines, challenging traditional approaches, and transforming those experiences into meaningful instruction and performance.