José Arvelo was born in Baruta, state of Miranda. He began his musical studies in Acarigua (Portuguesa) at a music education center of El Sistema. Years later, he moved to the city of Barquisimeto, where he obtained a university diploma in Music Education. He is a member of the trumpet section of the Lara Symphony Orchestra, the Youth Orchestra of Lara, and the Lara Brass Ensemble. Arvelo has studied with professors Jonás Rodríguez, Leonardo Méndez, Gary Núñez, Alfredo D’addona, Giancarlo Castro, Pacho Flores and Allen Vizzutti.
He has also taken courses offered by El Sistema and taught by the Empire Brass Quintet, the Sonus Brass Quintet, the Canadian Brass Quintet, the Los Angeles Brass Quintet, Thomas Clamor, Max Sommerhalder, Fernando Ciancio, and Rafael Zambrano. Arvelo is now pursuing postgraduate studies in instrumental performance at the Universidad Simón Bolívar with maestro Pacho Flores. He also carries out an important work as educator at El Sistema’s music centers in Lara.
