May 05--The New York Philharmonic has made it official.
Christopher Martin, the highly esteemed principal trumpet of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for the last 11 seasons, has been named principal trumpet of the New York orchestra, beginning in September. The appointment has been an open secret in Chicago for months.
A Chicago Symphony Orchestra spokeswoman said by email that the CSO Association has granted Martin a leave of absence for the 2016-17 season but that he will retain his position here while he performs with the philharmonic.
At the philharmonic, Martin will succeed Philip Smith, who retired at the end of the 2013-14 season, after 36 years of service to the orchestra.
Widely praised as both a leader of the CSO's legendary brass section and as a soloist, Martin inherited his Chicago post from another trumpet virtuoso, the late Adolph "Bud" Herseth. Martin has held the first chair trumpet position with distinction under music directors Daniel Barenboim and Riccardo Muti, and former principal conductor Bernard Haitink.
He teaches on the faculty of Northwestern University, and in 2010 co-founded the National Brass Symposium with his brother. Before coming to the CSO, he spent four years as principal trumpet of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
