Neal Berntsen , Trumpet soloist, Oct. 23
 Neal Berntsen joined the Pittsburgh Symphony in 1997, having
been appointed at the invitation of Lorin Maazel. He is a native of
Tacoma, Washington. He began his music training at age 5 with
the violin. By age 8 he advanced to trumpet and ultimately received
a degree form University of Puget Sound and an M.M from Northwestern.
A former member of the Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra, and the
Grant Park Symphony, Neal has performed as a principal trumpet
for the Ravina Festival Orchestra and the Bamberg Sinfoniker in
Germany. Other performances have included the Boston and Chicago
symphonies.
Active as a chamber musician, Neal is a member of the Pittsburgh Symphony Brass whose
recently released recording, Bach: The Art of Fugue, was described as "...a whirl with color
and rhythmic vitality-quite irresistible on every count" by the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Mr. Berntsen
is a founding member of the award winning Asbury Brass Quintet, about which Fanfare magazine
stated "Not only expert but musical...undeniable virtuosity". As a solois he recently performed the
Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra with the 76. Other solo engagements have included the Milwaukee
Symphony and Bach's Brandenburg Concerto #2 at the Sedona Chamber Festival in Arizona.
Neal Berntsen was a finalist in both the Maurice Andre International Trumpet Competition in
Paris, and the Ellsworth Smith International Trumpet Competition.. His wide ranging discography
includes the orchestras of Pittsburgh, Chicago, Manheim Steamroller, American Girl Doll Christmas
album, and Michael Jackson. Mr. Berntsen is on the faculties of Duquesne and Carnegie Mellon
Universities. He previously served of the faculty of Valparaiso University in Indiana. He has been
published in The Instrumentalist magazine and the International Trumpet Guild Journal. He has
presented a series of master classes and recitals at the Bamff International Festival. Mr. Berntsen
is an active studio musician and was featured on a national series of commercials aired during the
Olympic games in Atlanta. His performance on "America" sung by Diana Ross opened the women's
final tennis match of the 2001 US Open in Flushing Meadows.
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