Biography of Martin Hackleman

About the Artist

Principal Horn of the National Symphony Orchestra since 2000, Martin Hackleman began playing the horn at the age of sixteen, studying with Caesar LaMonaca in Houston. Continuing his studies at the University of Houston, in 1972 he won the Principal Horn Chair in the Calgary Philharmonic at age 19. Other teachers have included Barry Tuckwell and Roland Berger (Vienna Philharmonic). Mr. Hackleman joined the Vancouver Symphony as Solo Horn under Maestro Kazuyoshi Akiyama in 1974. Martin Hackleman left Vancouver in 1983 to join the world-renowned Canadian Brass. His three years with the group saw many outstanding achievements, among them: seven recordings for CBS Masterworks, including Brass in Berlin (with the brass section of the Berlin Philharmonic); extensive tours of the U.S., Canada, Europe and the Far East; a Canadian JUNO award for "best classical record"; the group's Hollywood Bowl premiere; and the release of their first video.

Mr. Hackleman then accepted an invitation to join the Empire Brass Quintet, whose moderate concert schedule allowed him time to pursue a solo career as well as specialty interests such as the Vienna and Natural Horns. He was a member of that group for three years.

No stranger to the field of music education, Martin Hackleman has published etude books (now in their third printing) for the horn that are required repertoire at such institutions as the Royal Conservatory in London, England and the University of Michigan. He is also a frequent juror for the Canada Council. He has been on the faculty at the University of Maryland, Boston University, and the University of British Columbia as well as a frequent guest faculty at Banff Centre in Alberta in the Chamber Music Sessions as well as in the Brass Weeks. For four years he coached the Asian Youth Orchestra and participated in their annual world tours. Mr Hackleman is a member of Summit Brass where he plays and teaches every summer.

In 1990, Mr. Hackleman helped launch a nationally broadcast chamber music series on the CBC Radio called "CURIO", featuring chamber music of rare combinations and forgotten composers.

Martin Hackleman returned to Vancouver in November of 1989, where he was Principal Horn in the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra once again and Adjunct Professor of Horn at the University of British Columbia. For the 1999-2000 season Mr. Hackleman was invited to play Principal Horn in the Montreal Symphony under Charles Dutoit. He has also played as a guest Principal Horn with the Philadelphia Orchestra on two occasions since arriving in Washington, D.C. In addition to his duties as Principal Horn in the National Symphony, Mr. Hackleman also plays Solo Horn in the Washington Symphonic Brass and has recorded three cd’s with them. He has been invited to give master classes at Julliard,The Manhattan School, Curtis, and UCLA among others.

Mr. Hackleman has made numerous recordings with the Vancouver Symphony, Montreal Symphony, the Canadian Brass, the Tidewater Brass, the Empire Brass and four recent recordings with the Washington Symphonic Brass. In 1996 he recorded two solo CD's; one of his own arrangements for solo horn with piano and string accompaniment, and one of five Romantic concertos with the CBC Vancouver Orchestra. In addition, a recording of chamber music for 2 horns and bassoon was released in the spring of 1996. In November of 1998 a Christmas recording with horn quartet was released. A disc of the Brahms Horn Trio with other chamber music was released in July of 2000. In addition, he has three new solo cd’s poised to come out in the near future.

May 2009