David Hickman is considered one of the world’s pre-eminent trumpet virtuosos, and has performed over 2,000 solo appearances around the world as a recitalist or guest soloist with over 500 different orchestras. His tours have taken him to Japan, Korea, Spain, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Belgium, France, Austria, Canada, Mexico, Switzerland, Greece, Russia, Thailand, Costa Rica, Australia, and virtually every major American city.
“David Hickman, playing as soloist with The American Sinfonietta in the Musikverein, played the trumpet concerto by Hummel. Spectacular was his playful change from staccato to a songful, soft legato with almost unending arches of phrasing and virtuosic agility of his delivery.”
– Weiner Zeitung (Vienna, Austria)
Hickman has released 19 solo albums encompassing a wide variety of repertoire—from cornet solos by Clarke, Levy, and others, to modern concerti by Planel, Baker, and Plog; from Baroque works of Bach, Telemann, and Hertel, to recital pieces by Chance, Dello Joio, and Mendez.
“David Hickman is an astounding musician. His articulation and phrasing are impeccable. More importantly, the wide affective range he coaxes from his instrument is continuously revelatory.”
– Fanfare
As a noted clinician and author, Hickman has presented workshops on over 400 major university campuses. He has taught at the Banff Centre for the Arts (13 summers), Rafael Mendez Brass Institute (31 summers), Bremen Trumpet Days, and dozens of music festivals. He has published over 40 articles, 250 scholarly editions of trumpet music, and several important trumpet and music texts including Trumpet Pedagogy: A Compendium of Modern Teaching Techniques, Trumpet Greats: A Biographical Dictionary, The Piccolo Trumpet, The Piccolo Trumpet Big Book, Trumpet Lessons With David Hickman(vols. I – V), and Music Speed Reading, a sight reading method used by hundreds of public school systems and universities or conservatories including The University of North Texas and The Juilliard School. His 500-page book, Trumpet Pedagogy: A Compendium of Modern Teaching Techniques, is the number one text for university study and is used at over 200 schools of music around the world.
David Hickman received his B.M. degree at the University of Colorado in 1972. He continued graduate work at Wichita State University where he was a Graduate Trumpet Teaching Assistant for two years. He taught at the University of Illinois from 1974 to 1982, and since then has been teaching at Arizona State University where he is a Regents’ Professor of Music. He has been a member of the Wichita Brass Quintet, Illinois Brass Quintet, Saint Louis Brass Quintet, Baroque Consort, and the Illinois Contemporary Chamber Players.
Hickman is founder and president of the acclaimed Summit Brass, a large all-star American brass ensemble that has released 11 CDs, toured the world, and hosted annual brass music institutes for thousands of aspiring musicians. He is also a past president of the International Trumpet Guild (1977-79). Mr. Hickman is a Shires Performing Artist. In 2005, Hickman established his own music publishing company, Hickman Music Editions.
“The most difficult task facing any trumpeter is not the production of bright, assertive fanfare, but rather the task of coaxing agile, cantabile lines from the most stentorian of instruments. David Hickman proved himself expert in both capacities.”
– New York Times
Hickman’s teachers include Harry E. McNees, Frank W. Baird, Walter J. Myers, Roger Voisin, Armando Ghitalla, and Adolph Herseth. His former students occupy or have occupied hundreds of orchestra, band, chamber music, and university positions at such institutions as the Philadelphia Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, New Mexico Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, Dallas Symphony, Berlin Philharmonic, Mexico City Philharmonic, Atlanta Symphony, New Jersey Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, Denver Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, Omaha Symphony, Houston Symphony, US Marine Band, US Army Band, US Coast Guard Band, US Army Field Band, Wichita Symphony, Tulsa Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Lyric Opera Orchestra of Chicago, National Repertory Orchestra, Canadian Brass, Meridian Arts Ensemble. Markus Stockhausen Ensemble, Dallas Brass, Tucson Symphony, San Diego Symphony, New Mexico Philharmonic, Oregon Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra. Columbus Symphony, Florida Gulf Coast Symphony, Charleston Symphony, Mälmo Symphony (Sweden), Midland-Odessa Symphony, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Woody Herman Big Band, Meridian Arts Ensemble, Side Street Strutters, Arizona Opera, Cincinnati Conservatory, Michigan State University, University of Arizona, UCLA, Southern Methodist University, University of Denver, University of Oregon, Washington State University, Georgia State University, West Chester University, University of Arkansas, Kent State University, Southern Illinois University, University of Illinois, Western Illinois University, University of Nebraska-Omaha, Middle Tennessee State University, Towson University, Peabody Conservatory, Northern Arizona University, Western Washington University, Montana State University, Wichita State University, Boise State University, University of Florida, Texas Pan-American University, Ball State University, University of New Mexico, Grand Valley State University, Brigham Young University-Idaho, Mahidol University (Thailand), Hirim College, University of Kansas, Murray State University, Arkansas State University, Texas Christian University, Brigham Young University, Bemidji State University, University of Western Louisiana, Bowling Green State University, Northeast Missouri State University, Millikin University, SUNY-Potsdam, San Diego State University, Boise State University, and many others.
Hickman received the International Trumpet Guild’s prestigious “Award of Merit” for outstanding service to the trumpet world in 2005, and in 2017 will be awarded ITG’s highest award, the “Honorary Award,” for legendary status as a performer and teacher. He is the only person to have received both of ITG’s top awards.