“David Cooper, principal horn of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra since 2013, has won one of the most prestigious orchestra posts in the world: principal horn of the Berlin Philharmonic,” writes Scott Cantrell in Monday’s (12/19) Dallas Morning News. “He’ll take the job in September 2017. The Berlin orchestra is among the world’s most famous, touring and recording extensively—and, in more recent years, streaming concerts over the internet. Simon Rattle will remain as the orchestra’s chief conductor until 2018; in 2019 he’ll be succeeded by Kirill Petrenko.… Cooper initially joined [the DSO] in 2011 as third horn after serving as associate principal horn of the Fort Worth Symphony. He won the principal chair in the National Symphony in Washington in 2013, but elected to stay with the DSO and assume the first chair here. A third-generation horn player in his family, he was trained at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. A player of satin-finished tone, astonishing breath control and elegant expression, Cooper has led the DSO horn section to new heights…. Cooper is the second DSO principal recently tapped by top-tier orchestras. Former principal flute Demarre McGill left at the end of last season for the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.”
Posted December 20, 2016
