Yamaha Performing Artist Eric Berlin has made the music of our time the focus of his career. As a soloist, he has commissioned, premiered and recorded new works for trumpet from some of today’s most important composers, including Christopher Rouse, George Tsontakis, Stephen Paulus, Joseph Turrin, Anthony Plog, Eric Ewazen, and
James Stephenson. Much of this work has been documented on his solo releases on MSR Classics; End of the Matter, Calls and Echoes, Fantastique and Along the Continuum with UMass colleagues Greg Spiridopoulous on trombone and Ludmila Krasin on piano. Fantastique documents works Berlin commissioned for trumpet and wind ensemble including Stephen Paulus’ Concerto for Two Trumpets which received a Grammy Nomination in 2014 for Best Contemporary Classical Composition.
In March 2012 Mr. Berlin premiered and recorded “True Colors for Trumpet and Orchestra” by George Tsontakis which was commissioned for him by the Albany Symphony Orchestra. This release on NAXOS was named one of the “Top Ten Classical Recordings of 2017” by National Public Radio. In December of 2021, Professor Berlin recorded Christopher Rouse’s Heimdall’s Trumpet with the Albany Symphony Orchestra which is scheduled for release in late 2022.
He has performed as a soloist in recital and with ensembles around the world. Berlin has been a featured soloist at many International Trumpet Guild Conferences including a full recital of commissions in 2005 in Bangkok, Thailand, concerto performances in 2004, 2007, 2012 and 2013 and most recently a recital with Greg Spiridopolous and Ludmila Krasin in 2017.
As Principal Trumpet of the multiple Grammy Award winning Albany Symphony Orchestra since 1998, Eric Berlin can be heard on more than two dozen acclaimed recordings that include works by John Corigliano, Aaron Kernis, Morton Gould, Roy Harris, John Harbison, Christopher Rouse and William Schuman to name a few. He held the same position with the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra from 2005-2017 and is a member of the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, where he can be heard on over 70 recordings by living American composers including Elliot Carter, David Del Tredici, Jacob Druckman, Robert Erickson, Lukas Foss, Charles Fussell, Steven Mackey, Gunther Schuller and Charles Wourinen. Since 2006, he spends his summers performing as Assistant Principal Trumpet of the Colorado Music Festival in Boulder, CO. In addition to his regular positions, he has performed most notably with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic and St. Louis Symphony.
Mr. Berlin enjoys international regard as a trumpet pedagogue as Professor of Trumpet at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He served two terms as a member of the Board of Directors of the International Trumpet Guild and hosted the 2007 ITG Annual Conference. He has given masterclasses worldwide, wrote a recurring column in Brass Herald, the world’s largest brass magazine, and is extraordinarily proud of more than a hundred alumni working as performers and teachers around the country and beyond. A testament to his stature in his field was his service as a finals judge in the 2018 ARD International Music Competition in Munch, the most important solo competition in the world.
A native of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Mr. Berlin attended the New England Conservatory of Music, where he was a student of Charles Schlueter, former Principal Trumpet of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Robert Nagel of the New York Brass Quintet. He has also studied extensively with Vincent Penzarella of the New York Philharmonic, Tom Rolfs of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and Frank Kaderabek, former Principal Trumpet of the Philadelphia Orchestra.
While not performing, teaching or playing daddy to his beloved daughter Stella, he can be found photographing the wonders of nature in the Rocky Mountains and Western Massachusetts.
