My name is Valentino Tischio, and I am a current college student, professional musician and Cystic Fibrosis Warrior. I have been mastering my musical craft on the trumpet since I was 13 years old. At only 19 years old, I have played at many classic jazz clubs in Detroit such as Cliff Bells, Bert’s Marketplace, Cadieux Café and have even appeared twice annually at the Detroit Jazz Festival.

I am currently studying Finance and Music Business at Wayne State University in Detroit. Through my studies I have learned resilience and dedication, which I have applied to my music and to my health, especially having to deal with a disease like Cystic Fibrosis. As I continue in my academic journey as well as my musical journey I hope to serve as living proof that not even a disease such as Cystic Fibrosis can stop my passion for music.

How I got Into Music

I was going into 7th grade and my mother asked me what I would like to do to stay involved with school. I was interested in band since I had previously taken piano lessons at an early age and wanted to possibly learn a musical instrument. I finally had decided that I wanted to learn trumpet and take up band. Of course, my mom was a bit hesitant due to my CF. I felt like no matter what I could give this new journey my all and see if it works out.

As I started my first year of concert band, I rented a trumpet and thought it couldn’t be that difficult of an instrument, right? It only has three buttons… I was wrong. After the first two weeks of band, I struggled to even make a sound on the new brass disaster that I had picked up. I looked to private lessons and instantly started improving. I was then finally able to get a sound out. Then a few notes, and as soon as I had the ability, I started learning tunes.

After progressing at trumpet and finally getting to a stage where I had felt more confident in my playing, I decided to explore jazz music. I remember going to one of my older cousins jazz concerts as a younger kid and loving jazz music. In 9th grade I decided to join the jazz band at my high school and that is where my true passion for music started. I started learning jazz and listening to it more and through high school I continued to play despite having covid twice and having a chronic lung disease such as Cystic Fibrosis. A key factor of my determination is that I never told anyone that I played with that I had Cystic Fibrosis because I wanted to be the best trumpet player I can be despite my lung disease, and I didn’t want anyone looking at me differently. I wanted everyone to judge me based on my hard work and not based on anything else.

Music in my Life

I grew up around music, listening to Frank Sinatra while eating with my family, listening to the radio on the car rides to school and ultimately being a part of a community such as band. In more recent years, I have grown to appreciate so many kinds of music and it has become more of a therapy to me. Music became something that I can turn to when I have a long day of studying.

While growing up with many kinds of music around me I found myself learning back to jazz music. Within this venture of jazz, I found myself listening to many different types of jazz music and getting familiar with some of my jazz heroes to this day such as Chet Baker, Stan Getz, Louis Armstrong, Zoot Sims, Aretha Franklin and many more. All the above-mentioned musicians have helped to shape my sound as a musician and have allowed me to get in touch with my emotions and express them musically, something that is very beneficial for me while battling a disease such as CF.

No matter how my Cystic Fibrosis progresses, I will continue to have such a passion for music because it has healed me in ways Trikafta and my VEST cannot.