Billy Ray Hunter

A native of Austin, TX, Billy Hunter has been Principal Trumpet of the Metropolitan Opera 管弦乐队 since 2004.  He enjoys a versatile career in the classical music world that includes 管弦乐队l, 室, 和 Solo performances. He has recently rejoined the faculty at the Manhattan School of Music.

In addition to his yearly work with the MET, Mr. Hunter has appeared as Guest Principal Trumpet with The Philadelphia 管弦乐队, The Malaysian Philharmonic in Kuala Lumpur, The Frankfurt Radio Symphony in Germany, The Spoleto Festival 管弦乐队 in Italy, the Charleston Symphony 管弦乐队 in South Carolina 还有中国佬! 管弦乐队 in London. He has also had concerts with the New York Philharmonic, 新泽西, 达拉斯, 和 Boston symphonies throughout his professional career. He has held previous positions of Principal Trumpet, 第二个小号, 和 Third Associate Trumpet with the New World, 巴尔的摩, 和 Grant Park Symphony 管弦乐队s respectively.

As a chamber musician Mr. Hunter has concertized with the MET 室 Ensemble, Classical Tahoe 室 管弦乐队, Stellenbosch International 室 Music Festival, Martha’s Vineyard 室 Music Festival, Walla Walla 室 Music Festival Napa Valley 室 管弦乐队 和 with the Music Kitchen concert series in Lower Manhattan which

features free lunchtime performances of various types of music for different homeless shelters across Manhattan.

作为一名独奏家. Hunter has performed with several different ensembles including the UT Wind ensemble 和 Symphony, 纽约交响乐团, Chattanooga Symphony, NJCU wind ensemble 和 Symphony, Lake Tahoe 室 管弦乐队, Prizm festival 管弦乐队, the New World Symphony, Serafic Fire 和 Firebird 室 管弦乐队, Stellenbosch International 室 Music Festival, 还有中国佬!管弦乐队. In addition to this, Mr. Hunter has also appeared as recitalist at several venues nationwide, in Europe, Africa 和  Asia. His awards include the Roger Voisin Outst和ing trumpeter prize from the Tanglewood Music Center in the Berkshires 和 first prize in the Kingsville International Solo Competition Brass Division. In 2010 he was granted the University of Texas Outst和ing Young Texas-Exes award, one of the highest honors granted to alumni.  He is also the recipient of 3 Grammy Awards for playing Principal Trumpet in the MET Opera performances of John Adams “Doctor Atomic”, Richard Wagner’s “Ring Cycle”, 和 most recently George Gershwin’s “Porgy 和 Bess”.

Mr. Hunter has  given masterclasses nationally 和 internationally with several universities 和 schools including Curtis, 朱丽亚音乐学院, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, 耶鲁大学, 詹姆斯·麦迪逊, 密歇根州立, Memphis 和 Pittsburgh State universities, Stellenbosch University in South Africa 和 various venues in Tokyo, 日本. In addition to this he is a frequent coach for the New York Youth Symphony in Manhattan, The New World Symphony in Miami,  和 the National Youth 管弦乐队. He been on faculty in the past with the Peabody Institute, Aspen Music Festival, NJCU 和 the University of Texas at Austin. His teachers were Raymond Crisara, Raymond Mase, Harry Shapiro, 和 Mark Gould.