Yannick Nézet-Séguin and The Philadelphia Orchestra Welcome Esteban Batallán as Principal Trumpet
August 05, 2024(Philadelphia, August 5, 2024)—Following an extensive international audition process, The Philadelphia Orchestra is pleased to announce the appointment of Esteban Batallán as principal trumpet (Marguerite and Gerry Lenfest Chair) beginning September 18, 2024. Batallán comes to Philadelphia from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, where he served as principal trumpet since 2019.
“From the first moment I heard Esteban play, I knew he was the perfect match for The Philadelphia Orchestra,” said Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin. “This is a historic appointment that will have a generational impact on the sound of the Orchestra. We look forward to welcoming Esteban to our Orchestra family and to experiencing his contributions to our work.”
“The Philadelphia Orchestra and Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, and the entire management team, make for a historic organization unique in its commitment to the musical arts,” said Batallán. “The combination of excellent musical and personal standards make The Philadelphia Orchestra a truly great musical family.” / “La Orquesta de Filadelfia junto a su Director musical y artístico, y toda la pirámide administrativa, hacen de institución histórica que sea única en su compromiso con el arte de la música. La combinación entre excelentes estándares musicales y personales hacen de la Orquesta de Filadelfia una gran familia musical.”
“That we were able to attract such a talented musician and leader speaks to the level of artistry and excellence that The Philadelphia Orchestra is known for worldwide. It is not only Philadelphia’s sports teams that attract all-star talent to the city,” said President and CEO Matías Tarnopolsky. “We look forward to welcoming Esteban Batallán to our winning team—a collaboration of the very best musicians and music director who are constantly renewing and revitalizing the art form while honoring and celebrating its traditions.”
Batallán most recently served as principal trumpet of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, having been appointed by Riccardo Muti in 2019. He was also principal trumpet of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and City of Granada Orchestra, and guest principal trumpet with the Royal Seville Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala, and Filarmonica della Scala. He has appeared with distinguished orchestras around the world, including the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Gstaad Festival Orchestra, and Sinfonieorchester Basel, among others. He has also appeared as soloist with the Ensemble Orchestre de Paris, Spanish Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic of Galicia, National Youth Orchestra of Spain, Geneva Camerata, Symphony Orchestra of India, and Bilbao Symphony Orchestra, among others, performing a large variety of works, including concertos written for him in addition to his own compositions.
Batallán is the winner of several prestigious competitions, including the Jeunesses Musicales of Spain Competition, Yamaha Xeno National Competition, Jeunesses Musicales of Europe Competition, and Yamaha International Competition. He was also a prizewinner at the 2006 Maurice André International Trumpet Competition.
A native of the town of Barro in Galicia, Spain, he began his musical studies at the age of seven. He continued his training at the Conservatory of Music in Pontevedra, Superior Conservatory of Music of Vigo, and Galicia School of Musical Studies. Batallán served as coach with the Young Academy of the Granada City Orchestra for 16 years and has led master classes at Colburn School, New England Conservatory, Paris Conservatory, Vanderbilt University, University of Illinois, Rice University, University of Houston, and with groups from the National Youth Orchestra of Spain, Youth Orchestra of Andalusia, National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America, and Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, as well as other brass festivals around the world. He was a member of the trumpet faculty of the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, and currently serves on the trumpet faculty of DePaul University and as coach of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago.