David Hickman

Trumpet virtuoso David Hickman has led a varied and highly active career, appearing in concert with over 500 different orchestras worldwide, authoring numerous publications on trumpet technique and pedagogy, teaching trumpet at major universities, conducting regular master classes, and founding a label, Summit Records, mostly devoted to brass repertory. Besides appearing as a soloist, Hickman has also performed as an orchestral member and chamber player, in the latter role as a member of the chamber brass ensemble he founded, <a href="spotify:artist:4zrgXdbvP13NpGuJq2S4si">Summit Brass</a>. As a cornet player, Hickman has been compared with the legendary Herbert L. Clarke. Hickman has performed and recorded a broad range of repertory, from Baroque to modern, but with a particular interest in 20th century and contemporary American composers like <a href="spotify:artist:50fzCR6OluZWGr2ggKVsio">Norman Dello Joio</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:52SryVadriXLIyUJx3pU9Q">Robert Russell Bennett</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6eMTXx5YJ9tnPyzH79iCN4">Rafael Mendez</a>, Kent Kennan, and American-born Canadian composer <a href="spotify:artist:6mbWp4k7hRm2aPwd0rg08D">Michael Conway Baker</a>. The busy Hickman also founded his own publishing company, Hickman Music Editions. Hickman has appeared on numerous recordings over the years, both as soloist and chamber player (most notably with <a href="spotify:artist:4zrgXdbvP13NpGuJq2S4si">Summit Brass</a>), the bulk of them available from Summit Records, <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Crystal%22">Crystal</a>, and <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Clarino+Records%22">Clarino Records</a>.

David Hickman was born on June 19, 1950 in Duncan, OK, and raised in Kimball, NE. He studied music with local icon Harry E. McNees (1960-1968) and earned degrees at the University of Colorado (bacheor's) and Wichita State University (master's).

Hickman was first trumpet with the National Repertory Orchestra (1971-1972) and was selected Young Trumpet Artist in 1973 by the National Trumpet Symposium. Hickman became assistant professor at the University of Illinois from 1974-1982, a period during which he studied with <a href="spotify:artist:6TD08jYeuN128P2MZTbc8E">Chicago Symphony Orchestra</a> principal trumpet <a href="spotify:artist:1oTgA3Wx8nllSkDyhod2ik">Adolf Herseth</a>. In 1977 Hickman was chosen as one of the country's top 10 new solo artists by the prestigious Musical America magazine.

From 1976-1990 Hickman was a member of the <a href="spotify:artist:5Ut2nl5C7TTM8acMXl34YV">St. Louis Brass Quintet</a>. In 1982 Hickman joined the faculty at Arizona State University, becoming a full professor the following year. He formed the <a href="spotify:artist:4zrgXdbvP13NpGuJq2S4si">Summit Brass</a> ensemble in 1984 and then founded Summit Records three years later. The label produced a number of popular recordings over the next decade or so, but Hickman sold most of his financial stake in the enterprise in 2000. In 2005 Hickman founded the aforementioned Hickman Music Editions, which offers music scores, instructional publications, CDs, and various brass accoutrements. That same year Hickman was given the International Trumpet Guild Award of Merit.