JUAN POSSO CORDERO

Composer · Performer · Educator

I am a composer, drummer, and educator originally from Quito, Ecuador. I was born in a city located at the middle of the world, a place naturally shaped by the influence of many cultures. My musical identity reflects this diversity, blending elements of jazz, metal, and Latin American music, with improvisation and rhythmic exploration at the core of my work.

I began my musical path playing metal and hardcore music empirically, performing at international festivals such as Rock al Parque in Colombia, Makinaria Fest in Brazil, and in venues across Peru, Chile, Venezuela, and Ecuador. Later, while pursuing classical music studies, I was awarded first prize in the “Best Soloist” competition in 2007 at the Mozarte Conservatory in Quito.

I went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance from Universidad San Francisco de Quito (BIN). During my undergraduate studies, I participated twice in the Jazz Envoys program, organized by the United States Embassy in Quito, which allowed me to attend seminars at the University of Louisville and perform at venues such as the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Parallel to my jazz training, I performed classical repertoire with the Metropolitan Symphonic Band of Quito and salsa music with Orquesta La Malamaña, appearing in national and international theaters such as Teatro Sucre in Quito and Tianqiao Theatre in Beijing, China. I later joined the world music project Sarazino (Cumbancha Records), touring the United States and Canada and performing at venues including the Kennedy Center and the Nuits d’Afrique Festival in Montreal.

I earned my Master’s degree Magna Cum Laude in Contemporary Performance from Berklee College of Music – Valencia Campus, where I participated in projects led by Víctor Mendoza and Perico Sambeat. During this period, I performed at events such as the Yamaha Convention in Madrid, the European Conservatory Convention in Valencia, and the Inclusion Festival in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

After completing my master’s degree, I began teaching at the University of the Arts of Ecuador, where I taught instrument lessons, ensembles, and arranging. During this time, I released my first EP as a solo artist, Resiliencia, which received positive national and international recognition. I presented this project at venues such as Teatro Centro de Artein Guayaquil, Teatro Nacional Sucre during the 2019 Quito International Jazz Festival, and Universidad El Bosque at the Bosphorus Cymbals Fest in Bogotá, Colombia.

During the pandemic, I released my second recording, Ciclos, a six-track album recorded at Runa Studios in Quito, Ecuador. This jazz trio project explores diverse harmonic languages, odd meters, and a wide range of timbres and dynamics. The album includes my composition Reencuentro, which reached the semifinals of the 7 Virtual Jazz Competition in Italy. This recording documents a mature period of the trio formed by Rafael Guzmán (piano), Giovanni Bermúdez (double bass), and myself (drums and composition).

As the project evolved, I collaborated with Miguel Gallardo (piano) and Fernando Alvarado (double bass), based in Guayaquil, and presented the music in national and international virtual and in-person festivals, including the Festival de Música de Vanguardia (FFF) in Ecuador and the 7 Virtual Jazz Club in Italy. At the latter, we were selected as finalists and received the Web Community Prize, awarded by the audience.

In 2025, I participated in a collaborative tour in China focused on performing and sharing original compositions with fellow musicians Tianyu Zhang (bass) and Taibai Moe (piano). This experience emphasized artistic dialogue, listening, and intercultural exchange, and continues to influence my approach to composition, improvisation, and collaboration.

Currently, I am completing my Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Jazz Performance at the Frost School of Music, University of Miami. Alongside my doctoral studies, I teach and mentor students at the South Florida Center for Percussive Arts (SFCPA). I continue to compose new music and develop original projects, while also beginning my work as a research scholar focused on cross-cultural rhythmic systems and their application to contemporary jazz composition, improvisation, and education.

I am an active performer and educator and perform using Canopus Drums, Bosphorus Cymbals, and Vater Drumsticks.