David Bilger appointed Bienen School Professor of Trumpet

David Bilger has been appointed professor of trumpet at the Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, effective September 1, 2022. He has served as lecturer of trumpet at the Bienen School since 2018.

About David Bilger

Hailed by the New York Times for his playing of “easy brilliance” and by the Washington Post for his “engaging legato touch,” Bilger has held the position of principal trumpet of the Philadelphia Orchestra since 1995. Prior to joining the orchestra, he held the same position with the Dallas Symphony.

As a soloist 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). Bilger has performed recitals in New York, Washington D.C., Cleveland, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and other major American cities.

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.

A faculty member of the Curtis Institute of Music since 1997, he has also taught at Temple University, the Hugh Hodgson School of Music at the University of Georgia, and Rice University. He previously held the position of visiting guest artist at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University. Bilger received a Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School of Music and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Illinois.

About the Bienen School of Music

One of the oldest degree-granting music institutions in the United States, the Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University offers a unique education combining conservatory-level musical training with the academic benefits of a top-tier research institution. Boasting accomplished faculty and students who regularly garner major awards and honors, and offering a pioneering array of dual-degree and double-major opportunities, the school stands as a core component of Northwestern's distinctive combination of outstanding achievement in scholarship and the arts. Additionally, the world-class music making and other cultural resources of downtown Chicago provide exceptional opportunities for learning outside the classroom. 

The Bienen School of Music is home to approximately 620 undergraduate and graduate students and a world-renowned faculty of 125, many of whom are members of the Chicago Symphony and Lyric Opera of Chicago Orchestras. Entering students on average rank in the top 10 percent of their high school classes and demonstrate academic and musical ability of the highest order. A Bienen School of Music education provides students with skills and values—superb musicianship, a mastery of communication, a sense of discipline, a commitment to excellence—that prepare them for success wherever their interests may lead. Alumni hold positions as performers, administrators, and educators in leading arts and educational institutions throughout the world. Toni-Marie Montgomery has served as dean since 2003.