David Hickman is considered one of the world’s pre-eminent trumpet virtuosos, and through the auspices of Joanne Rile Artists Management (U.S.) and Konzert Direktion Schlotte (Europe) has performed over 2,000 solo appearances around the world with over 500 different orchestras. His tours have taken him to Japan, Korea, China, Thailand, Canada, Germany, Austria, Italy, Greece, Belgium, France, Russia, Switzerland, Mexico, Costa Rica, Australia, Sweden, and virtually every major American city.
Hickman has released 19 solo albums, presented clinics and workshops on over 400 major university campuses, and has taught at the Banff Centre for the Arts (13 summers), Rafael Méndez Brass Institute (41 summers), Bremen Trumpet Days, and dozens of other music festivals. He has published 40 articles, 350 scholarly editions for trumpet and brass, and several important texts. He has 46 years of full-time university teaching experience (University of Illinois—8 yrs., Arizona State University—37 yrs., University of Texas-Austin—1 yr.) and was previously a Graduate Teaching Assistant at Wichita State University for 2 years. He was named a Regents’ Professor at Arizona State University in 1989. Other honors include the Award of Merit and the Honorary Award from the International Trumpet Guild, elected president of the ITG (1977-79), University of Colorado Alumnus of the Year (2011), inducted into the College of Arts Hall of Fame at Wichita State University (2017), and received the C. D. Jackson Prize at the Tanglewood Music Festival (1974). In addition, he was a member of the Wichita Brass Quintet (2 yrs.), Illinois Brass Quintet (8 yrs.), and the Saint Louis Brass Quintet (11 yrs.)
Hickman’s students currently occupy hundreds of university teaching positions, major orchestra and top military band chairs, as well as memberships in touring chamber ensembles. His text, Trumpet Pedagogy: A Compendium of Modern Teaching Techniques, has become a staple among trumpet teachers.
As a businessman, David Hickman is a co-founder of the International Trumpet Guild (a 6,000-member worldwide organization) in 1975, is founder and president of Summit Brass (America’s “Dream Team” large brass ensemble) since 1985, was founder and president of Summit Records, Inc. (1988-98), and is the owner of the publishing company, Hickman Music Editions (established in 2005). He also established and is director of the Rafael Méndez Library at Arizona State University in 1993.
