David Bilger

Hailed by the New York Times for his playing of “easy brilliance” and by the Washington Post for his “engaging legato touch,” David Bilger is also a professor of trumpet at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music. From 1995 to 2022, he held the position of principal trumpet of The Philadelphia Orchestra, having previously held the same position with the Dallas Symphony.

As a soloist Mr. Bilger has appeared with The Philadelphia Orchestra, the Dallas Symphony, the Houston Symphony, the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, the Oakland Symphony, the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Philharmonia Virtuosi of New York, and others. His solo appearances with The Philadelphia Orchestra include 2018 performances of Christian Lindberg’s Akbank Bunka, the Hummel Trumpet Concerto in E-flat in 2013, a 2008 United States premiere of Herbert Willi’s Eirene for trumpet and orchestra, as well as performances of Bloch’s Proclamation (2006), Copland’s Quiet City (2004), and Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto in E-flat (2003). In 1998 he performed Tomasi’s Trumpet Concerto at Carnegie Hall and on tour in North and South America. Mr. Bilger has performed recitals in New York, Washington D.C., Cleveland, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and other major American cities.

Mr. Bilger has appeared with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, with which he recorded Bach’s Second Brandenburg Concerto. Other chamber music appearances include Chamber Music Northwest, the New York Trumpet Ensemble, Saint Luke’s Chamber Ensemble, as well as guest appearances with the Canadian Brass and the Empire Brass. He also released a recording of electro-acoustic music for trumpet and synthesizers with composer Meg Bowles.

Mr. Bilger is a former faculty member at Temple University, the Hugh Hodgson School of Music at the University of Georgia, Rice University, and held the position of visiting guest artist at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University. He has performed master classes at dozens of institutions, including the Juilliard School of Music, Indiana University, the University of Michigan, the Manhattan School of Music, and the Peabody Conservatory. He has also taught at the Pacific Music Festival, the National Orchestral Institute, the Aspen Music Festival and School, and most recently at the Hamamatsu International Festival and Academy.

David Bilger holds a Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School of Music and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Illinois. He joined the Curtis faculty in 1997 and is a Yamaha Performing Artist.