About David

Horn player David Cooper, widely recognized for his lyrical phrasing and exceptional technique, was appointed Principal Horn of the New York Philharmonic in May 2026 by Tang Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel.

Cooper’s orchestral career began as acting principal horn with the Victoria Symphony (British Columbia) and co-associate principal horn of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. He became principal horn of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in 2013 after joining the orchestra as third horn in 2011, then served as solo horn of the Berlin Philharmonic, principal horn of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and associate principal horn of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He has won principal horn positions with the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington, DC (2013), and San Francisco Symphony (2023), and has been guest principal horn with numerous orchestras worldwide, including the Bavarian Radio Symphony, London Symphony, Utopia, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Saint Paul Chamber orchestras; New York, Hong Kong, and Seoul philharmonic orchestras; Liceu Opera in Barcelona; and Sinfónica de Minería in Mexico. He joined the Oslo Philharmonic as principal horn on its 2024 European tour led by chief conductor Klaus Mäkelä.

David Cooper maintains an active international schedule as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, and festival orchestra performer. He has also participated in numerous film and television soundtracks, including Minions and Monsters, Superman (2025), Moana 2, Hoppers, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and The Mandalorian and Grogu. His discography includes the album Berkeley, Brahms, Leshnoff: Horn Trios with violinist Alexander Kerr and pianist Orion Weiss, as well as two solo albums, Impressions and A French Horn and Piano Collaboration, with pianist Cary Chow. These are available on all streaming platforms.

Dedicated to inspiring and cultivating the next generation of musicians, Cooper coaches and presents masterclasses internationally. He founded Horns for Hope, Inc., a nonprofit supporting young musicians in underserved communities, and served as artist faculty at Roosevelt University and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago.

Born in Lansing, Michigan, into a musical family, David Cooper began horn studies with Dr. Dale Bartlett and joined the Michigan State University Orchestra while in high school. He received his bachelor’s degree from the Curtis Institute of Music, where he received a Tanglewood Fellowship, and spent three summers at Marlboro Music Festival. His primary instructors have been former New York Philharmonic Associate Principal Horn Jerome Ashby and Eric Ruske.