Peter Pickett

Biography

Peter Pickett is a musician, engineer, entrepreneur, and founder of Pickett Brass and Blackburn Trumpets. Since founding Pickett Brass in 2003, he has dedicated his career to helping brass musicians perform with greater confidence, consistency, and artistic freedom. What began with a manual lathe, a few feet of brass, and an idea has grown into an internationally recognized manufacturer of professional brass instrument mouthpieces, accessories, and handcrafted trumpets used by musicians around the world.

A native of Virginia, Peter earned degrees in both Mechanical Engineering and Music Performance from Virginia Tech. While many people choose either the technical or artistic path, Peter pursued both. His graduate studies explored trumpet acoustics, instrument design, and active noise control systems, combining scientific analysis with the practical realities of musical performance. Those experiences helped shape a lifelong fascination with the relationship between musicians and the equipment they use to express themselves.

Before devoting himself full-time to the musical instrument industry, Peter spent more than fifteen years with Lexmark International in engineering and engineering management roles. Throughout that time, he continued developing products for brass musicians, applying engineering principles, precision manufacturing techniques, and extensive player feedback to create innovative mouthpiece and instrument designs. In 2016, Pickett Brass acquired Blackburn Trumpets, preserving the legacy of master trumpet maker Cliff Blackburn and continuing a tradition of handcrafted American trumpet building.

Today, Peter leads a team of craftsmen, machinists, musicians, and technicians in Lexington, Kentucky. Together they combine modern CNC technology with skilled hand craftsmanship to produce products for students, educators, serious amateurs, and professional performers. Whether designing a mouthpiece, developing a new trumpet, or working directly with a customer, Peter remains driven by the same goal that inspired him to start the company more than two decades ago: helping musicians find their voice and experience the joy of making music.