Haidar “Hamed” Barbarji is a freelance trumpeter and educator based in Chicago, IL. Hailed for his versatility as a multi-faceted musician, Hamed has found success in classical, commercial and jazz idioms. He has performed with professional orchestras such as the South Bend Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Composers Orchestra, and the Richmond Symphony, soloed with ensembles such as the DePaul University Wind Ensemble, Virginia Commonwealth University Symphony Orchestra, Universidad de Cartagena Symphony Orchestra, and the Williamsburg Youth Orchestra, and has toured with nationally-acclaimed bands such as the No BS! Brass Band, In Layman Terms, and the Kat Wright band. As an educator, Hamed has given orchestral trumpet sectionals, jazz improvisation masterclasses, and coached ensembles such as the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet and the Virginia Commonwealth University Brass Quintets. In 2024, Hamed was appointed as a regular member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the nation’s premier training program for young professional musicians, and was selected for the Civic Fellowship Program in 2025. Hamed continues to work as a freelance musician, performing and recording with groups such as: Broadway In Chicago, Gaudete Brass Quintet, DJ Fleg and the East Coast Affair, the R4ND4ZZO Big Band, and more.
Hamed is a student under the tutelage of Stephen Burns and Esteban Batallán. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, Hamed’s former teachers include Rex Richardson, Brian Strawley, Samuel Huss, Taylor Barnett, Mark O’Keeffe, David Vonderheide, and Paul Bhasin. Hamed is currently on faculty at the Merit School of Music.
