The world's most renowned trumpeters' conference invites the Ukrainian performer as keynote speaker. 7-10 June 2026 in Texas.
International Trumpet Guild Conference (ITGC) — the world's most renowned annual conference of trumpeters — announced on 22 January 2026 the invitation of Dennis Adu as keynote speaker at the 50th anniversary conference of 2026. The conference runs in San Antonio (Texas, USA) on 7-10 June 2026. This is the first-ever Ukrainian performer keynote invitation in the conference's history (previously leading speakers were performers from USA, UK, Italy, Canada). Adu's keynote theme — 'Trumpet, a Voice: Ukrainian Folk in Jazz Idiom'. The performance lasts 90 minutes (60 minutes presentation + 30 minutes Q&A) and takes place in the main hall of Henry B. González Convention Center before an audience of up to 4000 trumpeter participants. Adu will present a methodological approach he developed over 15 years of working with adapting Ukrainian folk melodies in the jazz context. Besides the keynote, Adu will participate in 3 master-class sessions (90 minutes each, for groups up to 30 participants), 2 jam sessions with renowned American trumpeters (Terence Blanchard, Keyon Harrold), and 1 final concert (festival closing concert on 10 June). Specially for ITGC Adu will write an original 8-minute composition 'Memory of Mariupol' (dedicated to those who perished in Mariupol 2022). The composition will premiere at the closing concert and will be available as free download for all ITGC trumpeter participants.
