David Murray, trombone
Sophia Kim Cook, Piano
Saturday, April 8, 2023 at 4:00 pm
Ticket: $60
Virtuoso trombonist David Murray, along with pianist Sophia Kim Cook, takes us on a musical journey through time as he performs music spanning five centuries, beginning from the oldest known solo trombone piece (composed by Anonymous, of course!) and moving through the works of later composers such as Pryor, Ewazen, York, and Barfield.
David Murray
Born and reared in nearby Bel Air, Maryland, trombonist David Murray, from an early age, was impressing teachers and musicians alike with his innate and obvious musical talent. He continued his studies at Eastman School of Music where he earned a Bachelor of Music Degree with High Distinction and a Performer Certificate, as well as a Diploma from Curtis Institute of Music.
In the extremely competitive world of symphony orchestra trombonists, David played with the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Baltimore, Cincinnati, Jacksonville, San Antonio, and San Diego Symphony Orchestras, the Louisiana and Malaysian Philharmonics, the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, and the IRIS Orchestra, among others. In 2014, after serving two years as an acting member of the National Symphony, he was appointed second trombone by NSO Artistic Director Christoph Eschenbach. In addition to the NSO, Murray is a member of the Festival Orchestra at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in Santa Cruz, California. He has also participated in the Schleswig-Holstein, Spoleto USA, and Chautauqua Festivals.
Murray made his solo debut with the National Symphony Orchestra in 2018 and also has been a featured soloist with the Eastman Wind Ensemble, Eastman, Columbia, and Susquehanna Symphony Orchestras, and Capitol Wind Symphony.
As an educator, Murray is on the faculty of the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University and is a teacher for the annual National Symphony Orchestra's Summer Music Institute. He has conducted master classes at Eastman School of Music, Northwestern University, Merit School of Music, Atlanta Symphony Talent Development Program, and Curtis Institute Summerfest.
Sophia Kim Cook
Born in Montréal, Sophia Kim Cook pursued piano studies first at the Conservatoire de musique à Montréal, finishing at McGill University, Schulich School of Music, receiving both her Bachelors with Honours and Masters of Music there.
Described as “steadying presence at the piano” (Washington Post) and a “virtuosic piano backbone” (DC Arts Beats), Ms. Kim Cook is one of the region’s most in-demand collaborative pianists, having played for a myriad of soloists and ensembles, including the National Symphony Orchestra, the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, as well as Maryland and Alexandria Symphony Orchestras. She is also a favorite pianist for music conferences and workshops including the International Trumpet Guild Conference, the American Trombone Workshop, the National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute, and the Fredericksburg Brass Institute. In 2018, she joined the Boulanger Initiative as a Performance Ambassador promoting works by women composers.
