USCENTCOM AOR -- U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Nicolas Ayala Ceron, AFCENT Band conductor, was selected to conduct the Junior Fine Arts Festival concert held at the American School of Doha, Qatar, this year. The festival brought together middle school musicians from different schools, offering them a collaborative platform to perform for the local community.
“As usual, the officers AFCENT sends to work with our kids are top-notch,” said Jim Kulpa, band director at the American School of Doha. “He did a wonderful job preparing the students with the music he selected for the performance. We would love to have him back in the future.”
The Fine Arts Festival for the Middle East and South Asia conference, which included the American School of Doha, American Schools of Dubai, Community School of Abu Dhabi, and other schools from the region, gathered all the fine arts disciplines and prepared for a gala performance with students from all schools, giving them the opportunity to collaborate in creative ways using their skills in different fine arts disciplines.
“The experience was phenomenal,” Ayala said. “I’m grateful the U.S. Air Force allowed me to come here and further the mission in a very small but meaningful way, touching the hearts of children through music. They’re highly qualified middle school musicians, well-prepared and attentive to everything we were doing. It was easy to work with them to assemble this musical product together.”
As a conductor, Ayala was responsible for leading and directing the musical performance, using gestures and signals to guide the tempo, and structure of the musical pieces.
Ayala earned a bachelor’s degree in music composition, a master’s degree in instrumental conducting from Brigham Young University, and a doctorate in instrumental conducting from the New England Conservatory of Music. During his time at the New England Conservatory of Music, retired Air Force Senior Master Sgt. William Drury, a professor who served as a bandsman in the Air National Guard, introduced him to the idea of serving as a musician in the U.S. Air Force.
Intrigued, Ayala began researching. After auditioning, testing and interviewing, he received an offer and was invited to join the Air Force band in 2024.
Music has always been present in Ayala’s life. He recalls discovering his passion for music as a child in Colombia while listening to the music playing on his mother’s stereo. “I remembered standing in front of my mom’s stereo, waving my arms in the air,” Ayala said. “I didn’t know what I was doing; I was just reacting to the music. I started to build a relationship with music from that young age.”
Originally from Colombia, Ayala immigrated to the U.S. with his family in 1999 at the age of 10. Becoming a U.S. citizen was a pivotal moment in his life. He remembers walking into a courtroom, raising his hand and swearing allegiance, a moment he had been waiting for since he arrived.
“One of my proudest moments was saying, ‘Yes, I want to do this. I want to be here; this is my homeland now. I’m part of this enormous culture that’s constantly growing and expanding. It’s beautiful, I’m proud to serve and help promote that ideal everywhere I go,” Ayala said.
Ayala sees his job as much more than just music. He continues to grow as an officer and musician upholding the Air Force mission and promoting the values that serving the U.S. represents, something he takes very seriously.
“Being able to serve my country while doing what I love is a perfect match,” he said. “The band is instrumental in building community relationships, especially the deployed band, which fosters interactions with partner nations, does community outreach, and supports the troops, making sure the world sees we’re here and we’ve got their back. The band is an invaluable asset for the Air Force, projecting power and strategic messaging all over the world, and connecting people.”
Ayala advises those interested in joining the band to prepare as well as possible as musicians and encourages them to study. Although a degree is not necessary, the band selects the highest quality talent because they want to present the best possible product to the public.
“It’s one of the best jobs you can have,” Ayala said. “Not only do you get to do what you love, but you also get to do it while serving your country and traveling the world. Don’t hesitate to audition, even if it takes you two or three tries to get in. It’s worth it, being a musician in the Air Force is a worthwhile experience.”