BJ Hardesty is an active free-lance musician and educator based in the Chicago area. He holds a Master of Music degree in trombone performance from Northwestern University, and a Bachelor of Music in music education degree from Miami University (OH).

BJ has performed with the Chicago Symphony, Elgin Symphony, Illinois Philharmonic, South Bend Symphony, Chicago Philharmonic, Metropolis Symphony Orchestra, Lake Forest Symphony, Highland Park Strings, New Philharmonic & Northwest Indiana Symphony. In addition to orchestral music, he has performed for stage productions with the Joffrey Ballet, Chicago Opera Theater, DuPage Opera Theater & Salt Creek Ballet and chamber music with Tower Brass and various small ensembles performing at churches or ceremonies.

BJ has experience teaching students of every level including elementary, middle, and high school, as well as undergraduate students at Northwestern University and Trinity Christian College. He is the low brass instructor at Lyons Township High School and Hinsdale Central High School.

His primary teachers have included Michael Mulcahy (Chicago Symphony), Jaime Morales-Matos (Miami University), and Michael Keener. He has studied additionally with Randall Hawes, Peter Ellefson (Indiana University), Charles Vernon (Chicago Symphony), Luis Fred (Universty of Central Florida), and Kenneth Thomkins (Detroit Symphony).