Dontae Winslow

Dontae Winslow is a composer, conductor, orchestrator, arranger, and Trumpeter. He was trained in music at the formidable Baltimore School for the Arts. In four years he attained both a Bachelors and a Masters Degree in Classical Music Performance from the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University. He also completed post-graduate studies at the Thelonious Monk Institute at the University of Southern California. This Fellowship allowed him to study under film composer Terence Blanchard, pianist Herbie Hancock, string arranger Jeremy Lubbock, Gospel composer Dr. Margaret Douroux and trumpeter Gary Grant. He has recorded and performed music spanning every genre in the American musical landscape ranging from Pop to Country, and from Blues to Hip-Hop. As a motivational speaker Dontae openly discusses the
healing and perseverance needed to thrive through debilitating circumstances that face many of our youth today.
Dontae speaks with the compassion and sincerity you'd expect from a person who lives a life of gratitude. He performs in his family band with his wife Queen Shic, a soulful singer/songwriter, and his son Jedi (Producer/Mixer) on Piano.

Dontae Has Scored films such as : Robert Townsend's "In The Hive", HBO's "Baltimore Rising" documentary, and BET's "The New Edition Story Biopic. Recently He plays trumpet on the Main Title theme for HBO's "We Own The City".

  In 2022 Dontae was the Conductor, Lead Orchestrator, Arranger, Composer, and Trumpeter for the 94th Academy Awards ( The Oscars). As an arranger and trumpeter he played and wrote charts for The Super Bowl feat. Dr. Dre, Snoop Dog, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, 50 CENT, and Mary J Blige. He also performed on this years Grammy's with the Nas Big Band.

Dontae has toured, performed, and recorded with artists such as: Justin Timberlake, Chris Stapleton, Alicia Keys, Lady
A, Jay-Z, Queen Latifah, Garth Brooks, Kelsea Ballerini, Kamasi Washington, Kendrick
Lamar, Kanye West, Jill Scott, Common, Neyo, D’Angelo, Christina Aguilera, Lauryn
Hill, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. He designed his own custom trumpet line, the “Winslowdynasty
Model” by Adams Instruments.
He is famously known to tout the custom designed horn with the Red Bell. You can see Dontae performing on the NETFLIX
special Justin Timberlake and the Tennessee Kids. Recently He has arranged horns
and performed in three Superbowl Half-Time Shows: Dr.Dre and Snoop Dogg 2022, JLO & Shakira 2020, and Justin
Timberlake 2018. Dontae also arranged the orchestral score for Eminem’s performance at the 92nd Academy Awards. This Oscar Award winning song “Loose Yourself” was performed to commemorate Eminem's 20th anniversary of his legendary win. In 2020 He conducted
and arranged “Moonlight Sonata” at the late Kobe Bryants Memorial with Alicia Keys
on piano. He also arranged strings and co-wrote Gospel artist Erica Campbell's “Praying & Believing”.
In 2021 Dontae arranged the string orchestra for the new hit single entitled “Grey” by Pop Band WHY DON’T WE. 

In 2021 Dontae releases the highly anticipated album entitled “Walking Art” featuring
Black Music Luminaries such as Branford Marsalis, Terrace Martin, Queen Shic,
Kamasi Washington, Kenyon Dixon, Raheem Devaugn, and Gary Thomas.

In addition Dontae is a jazz improvisation, music production, film composing, and
performance clinician for institutions around the globe.

Dontae Winslow is one of the most profound and prolific artists of all time. His rigorous training, creative spirit, and unique interpretation of sound empowers him to give birth to music that speaks to your soul. He can reproduce the classics with uncanny precision, and he excels in preparing the next generation of music legends. His unshakable confidence is dressed in genuine humility that draws you deep into the sound of his horn and transports you to an ethereal dimension. You can’t help but love both the man and the music..."

~Helen Easterling Williams