Gábor Tarkövi

Trumpet

Gábor Tarkövi was born in Esztergom in 1969, descendant of a family of musicians. At the age of nine, he received his very first trumpet lesson from his father, István Tarkövi. Raised in Csolnok, absorbing the local “Schwab” brass music substantially influenced his musical career. After graduating at the Richter János Conservatory in Győr, Gábor became a student of György Geiger at the Liszt Ferenc Teacher Training College, and continued his studies under Frigyes Varasdy at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music. After his time in Budapest, he absorbed important musical influences from György Kurtág and Hans Gansch.

He started his career at the Württemberg Philharmonic Orchestra as co-principal trumpet, then moved on to the Berlin Symphony Orchestra (today Konzerthausorchester Berlin) as principal trumpet, and in 1999 to the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, again as principal trumpet. Between 2004 and 2019 he was principal trumpet player of the Berlin Philharmonic. Since 2018, Gábor Tarkövi has been Professor of Trumpet at the Berlin University of the Arts.

A passionate chamber musician, he plays in various ensembles including Pro Brass, the Austrian Brass Connection, the Wien-Berlin Brass Quintet and the Berlin Philharmonic Brass Trio. Performing regularly in Europe, the USA and Asia, he is a renowned soloist worldwide, appearing with orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic, the Bavarian Radio Chamber Orchestra, the China National Orchestra, the New Japan Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestra.

Since 2008, Gábor Tarkövi has been under exclusive contract with the Swiss label Tudor Classics, for which four internationally acclaimed CDs have been produced: “Italian Trumpet Concertos” with Mojca Erdmann, “Classical Trumpet Concertos” with the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra conducted by Karl-Heinz Steffens, “Arioso & Brillante” for trumpet and organ with Peter Kofler, and the “Brilliant Brass” recording with the Wien-Berlin Brass Quintet. The productions have received acclaim from both critics and the trade press.