Esteban Batallán (Photo courtesy Hong Kong Philharmonic)
On September 26, 2019, Chicago Symphony Orchestra music director Riccardo Muti announced that Esteban Batallán will be the Adolph Herseth Principal Trumpet Chair, filling a seat that has been vacant since the departure of Christopher Martin who left the CSO in 2017 to become principal trumpet of the New York Philharmonic.
Since his first CSO performances in June 2018, Batallán has served as guest principal trumpet many times. The Spanish-born trumpeter performed with the orchestra during its 2019 Florida tour as well as in Tokyo during the 2019 Asia tour. In June 2019, he also performed in the CSO concert version of Verdi’s Aida.
With principal guest appearances at the Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala, Filarmonica della Scala, and the Royal Orchestra of Seville, Batallán’s previous appointments include principal trumpet of the Hong Kong Philharmonic and Orchestra of the City of Granada.
Batallán has also taught at the Young Academy of the Orchestra of the City of Granada and led masterclasses at the National Youth Orchestra of Spain, the Youth Orchestra of Andalusia, the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and Roosevelt University.
The newly-appointed trumpeter will play a prominent role in Muti and the CSO’s season-long feature of Beethoven’s nine symphonies, starting September 26 with performances of Symphonies No. 1 and No. 3. Upcoming performances of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 8, beginning October 3, will also feature Batallán.
Batallán will officially assume his new post on September 30.
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article stated the incorrect departure year of former CSO principal trumpet Christopher Martin. This has since been corrected.
