James Hacker

Teaching Professor, Trumpet

Conductor of University Brass Choir & FIU Studio Jazz Big Band

Tel:305-348-2140

Email: hackerj@fiu.edu

WPAC 156A

Jim Hacker has been a faculty member at the Herbert and Nicole Wertheim School of Music & Performing Arts since 1996 as the Trumpet Instructor, Conductor of the University Brass Choir and Director of Brass Chamber Music.  In the fall of 2010, Mr. Hacker was appointed as the Director of the FIU Studio Jazz Big Band and also served as the Associate Director of Marketing for the School of Music from January 2011-May 2012. He has served periodically as Area Coordinator for both the Wind and Percussion Studies area and the Jazz Studies area.  In 2014, Mr. Hacker was promoted to the rank of Senior Instructor of Trumpet and in 2020, promoted to the rank of Teaching Professor of Trumpet.

In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Mr. Hacker currently holds trumpet positions with the Boca Symphonia and Atlantic Classical Orchestra and is a founding member of both the Miami Brass Consort and the Florida Trumpet Quartet.  Since coming to Miami in 1986, he has been a regular performer and/or soloist with the Miami City Ballet, Florida Grand Opera, Florida Philharmonic, Naples Philharmonic, Seraphic Fire, Miami Chamber Symphony, Miami Symphony, Palm Beach Symphony, Orchestra Miami, Palm Beach Pops, Miami Bach Society and Palm Beach Opera as well as other orchestral and chamber ensembles throughout the South Florida area.

Mr. Hacker also performs regularly with many artists’ concert tours and Broadway shows throughout the state, and can be heard on numerous CDs, television and radio commercials as a studio musician including The Latin Grammy Awards, American Idol, The Dove Awards, The Orange Bowl, Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, America’s Got Talent, PBS, MTV and the Original Broadway Cast Recording of The Scarlet Pimpernel.  His talents and versatility have enabled him to travel throughout the U.S., Europe, and Asia and to perform and/or record with such noted artists as Frank Sinatra, Frank Sinatra Jr., Luciano Pavarotti, Timbaland, Madonna, The Woody Herman Orchestra, Pharrell Williams, The Neptunes, Diddy, Prince, Busta Rhymes, Ricky Martin, Shakira, Ricardo Montaner, Doc Severinson, John Pizzarelli, Bucky Pizzarelli, Barry Manilow, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, The Bee Gees, Bruce Hornsby, The O’Jays, Andrea Bocelli, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Flo-Rida, Wyclef Jean, Joan Rivers, Kenny Rogers, Ray Charles, Anthony Newley, Shirley Bassey, Henry Mancini, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, The Russian National Orchestra, Natalie Cole, James Galway, Jon Secada, The Temptations, Pat Metheny, Randy Brecker, Bernadette Peters, The Four Tops, Marvin Hamlisch, Englebert Humperdink, Gregory Hines, Chita Rivera, Pia Zadora, John Rutter, Toots Theilman, Rob McConnell, Tommy Tune, Bob Brookmeyer, Paul Anka, Lionel Hampton, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Bob Mintzer, Peter Allen, Lucy Arnez, The Moody Blues, Gloria Estefan, Chayanne, Raul DiBlasio, Willie Chirino, Celia Cruz, Paquito D’Rivera, Peobo Brison, James Ingram, Roberta Flack, Sheila E., Sheena Easton, Liza Minelli, Connie Francis, Nancy Reed, Vicki Carr,  Clarence Clemons, Lalo Schifrin, Quincy Jones, BeBe & CeCe Winans, Tito Puente, Ed Calle, The Jaco Pastorius Big Band, Luis Enrique, Pimpinela, Jon Faddis, Vic Damone, Regis Philbin, Michel Camilo, Ignacio Berroa, Arturo Sandoval, Nestor Torres, James Taylor, Barry White, Keely Smith, Jim McNeely, John Fedchock, Ira Sullivan, Maria Schneider, Jaci Valesquez, Deana Martin, Cleo Laine, John Dankworth, Maureen McGovern, Jack Jones, Lena Horne, Meatloaf, The Spinners, Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rydell, Fabian, Stephen Marley, El Puma, Inner Circle, KC and the Sunshine Band, Baha Men, Thalia, Cristian Castro, Debbie Boone, Patti Austin, Gladys Knight, Taylor Hicks, Perry Como, Little Richard, Juan Luis Guerra, Juanes, Donna Summer, Kevin Spacey, Jose Luis Rodriguez, Giovanni Hidalgo, Dave Samuels, Tommy Mottola, Darius Rucker, The Radio City Rockettes, Richie Suppa, Victor Manuelle, Romes Santos, Alejandro Sanz, Leslie Grace, Maluma, Malu and Melendi, Diego Torres, Carlos Vives, Julieta Venegas, Rita Moreno, Myriam Hernandez, Alvaro Torres, Fonseca, Alejandra Guzman, Beto Cuevas, Rudy Perez,

Café Tacuba, Joey Alexander, Bobby Caldwell, Michael Feinstein, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Branford Marsalis, Gabriel Mores, Danny Rivera, Yo Tuel, Pedro Martinez, Pedro Capo, Ruzzo, Miguel Luna, Sam Moore, Emily Estefan, Ender Thomas, Draco Rosa, Claudia Brant, La India, Tito Puente Jr., Marlo Rosado, Danny Suarez, Luis Fonsi, Leslie Grace, Larry Harlow, Erika,  Carlos Rivera, Kany Garcia, Horacio Palencia, Ana Gabriel, Fernando Varela, Maisy Kay, Soledad Pastorutti, Mirela Cesa, Daniel Betancourt, Marilyn Maye, Roberto Carlos, Steve Tyrell, Stokoff, Charlie ZAA, Roberto Livi, Camilo Sesto, Danny Daniel, Claybourne Elder, Bia Skonberg, Nova Y. Payton, Michael Martocci, Marger Sealey, Verpers Nine, Ednita Nazario, Descember Bueno, Raphael, Chucho Valdes, Fernando Osorio, Sergio George, Gente de Zona, Charlie Calello, Pablo Benegas, Ricardo Arjona, Karol G., Olga Maria Guillot Touzet, Leonel Garcia, David Lawrence, Maisy Kay, Valerie Simpson, Erika Ender, Israel Brito, Susan Quiroga, Gloria Trevi and Silvestre Dangond, Willie Colon, Luciano Luna, Banda Fortuna, Lena Burke, Michael Sullivan, Anayle, Pablo Montero, Emmanuel, Cami, Antonio Orozco, Greeicy, Pablo Lopez, Ivy Queen and Elvis Crepo among others.

Mr. Hacker received a Bachelor of Music Degree in Trumpet Performance from the University of Miami in 1989 and then continued his studies at UM by pursuing a Master of Music Degree as the teaching assistant to Gilbert Johnson for two years.  While in school, he was also the lead trumpet for five years with the University of Miami Concert Jazz Band, directed by Whit Sidener.  Prior to joining the FIU faculty in 1996, he taught at Miami Dade College, Wolfson Campus for 5 years.