A graduate of both Northwestern University and San Francisco Conservatory, Chandra Cervantes has held positions with The United States Army Field Band, Tulsa Philharmonic, Shanghai Broadcasting Symphony, and Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Now an active freelance musician in the Washington, DC/Baltimore area, she is a member of the Maryland Symphony Orchestra,  American Pops Orchestra, Barclay Brass, Washington Symphonic Brass, and Inscape, a Grammy nominated chamber ensemble committed to presenting emerging American composers. Chandra also performs regularly with Wolf Trap Orchestra, Washington National Opera, Post Classical Ensemble, Baltimore Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra, and as a Guest Artist with Seraph Brass and the Little River Band.

 Chandra has been involved in several shows in the DC area including a production of Anastasia  and Sunset Boulevard at the John F. Kennedy Center, Into the Woods at Ford’s Theater, Signature Theatre and the Kennedy Center, and She Loves Me and Ragtime at Signature Theatre. With the National Symphony Orchestra she has played on three international tours, performing across Europe, Poland, South America, Mexico, Trinidad, and Oman. Since 2020 Chandra has played and spoken at the Wintergreen Music Festival, collaborating with musicians from around the country. 

While maintaining a private home studio, Chandra is also Professor of Horn at University of Maryland Baltimore County, Montgomery College, and Instructor of Horn at the Levine School of Music. She coached the DC Youth Orchestra’s top two orchestra’s sectionals for many years and was an instructor at MATS, a summer camp for adult musicians. 

Her recordings include four with the Washington Symphonic Brass: The Edge, Classic Rock for Brass, Home for the Holidays and Trumpets Ring! Voices Sing!. In December of 2013 she recorded Marcos Galvany’s internationally successful opera Oh My Son. She is heard on the album Redes, a world premiere recording of the full Revuelatas score, with PostClassical Ensemble. With Maryland Symphony Orchestra she recorded for Sharon Isbin’s Affinity. Chandra has recorded three albums with Inscape: a new arrangement of Petrushka, released in 2015, an exciting collaboration with Phillip Glass, The Fall of the House of Usher, and an upcoming album including Barber’s Medea, recorded in November, 2021. Two pieces by Florence Price are available on YouTube, recorded with Barclay Brass, and with special permission. 

During the pandemic Chandra pursued two additional degrees in both Psychology and Business Administration.