Michael Sachs with Curtis Brass

Praised by critics for exemplifying “how brass playing can be at once heroic and lyrical” (Cleveland Plain Dealer), Cleveland Orchestra Principal Trumpet Michael Sachs is recognized internationally as a leading soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, teacher, author, and clinician. He is the longest-serving principal trumpet in Cleveland Orchestra history, and recently received the International Trumpet Guild’s highest honor, the ITG Honorary Award, given annually to individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the art of trumpet playing.

Highlights of Mr. Sachs’s many solo appearances with the Cleveland Orchestra include the world premieres of John Williams’s Concerto for Trumpet and Wynton Marsalis’s Concerto for Trumpet—both written for and dedicated to Mr. Sachs—as well as Michael Hersch’s Night Pieces for Trumpet and Orchestra and Matthias Pintscher’s Chute d’Etoiles. In addition, he was the featured soloist for the U.S. premiere of Hans Werner Henze’s Requiem. Other solo appearances include those with the Houston Symphony Orchestra, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia, and Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.

From 1988 until 2023, Michael Sachs served as chair of the brass division and head of the trumpet department at the Cleveland Institute of Music. He has also taught at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music and Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. He has served on served on the faculty of leading summer festivals—including Aspen Music Festival, National Brass Symposium, National Orchestral Institute, Summer Brass Institute, and Summit Brass—and regularly presents master classes and workshops throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Mr. Sachs is the author of numerous publications with the International Music Company, Theodore Presser, and Carl Fischer Music. From 2008 to 2014, he served as editor of the “Inside the Orchestra Section” column for International Trumpet Guild Journal. Committed to the evolution of quality equipment, Mr. Sachs was extensively involved in the acoustic design and play-testing for Bach Stradivarius trumpets.

Originally from Santa Monica, California, Mr. Sachs attended the University of California at Los Angeles, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history before continuing studies at the Juilliard School. His former teachers include Ziggy Elman, Mark Gould, Anthony Plog, and James Stamp. Prior to joining the Cleveland Orchestra, Michael Sachs was a member of the Houston Symphony Orchestra.

Mr. Sachs joined the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music in 2024.
Currently serving as the principal flute of the Seattle Symphony, McGill has previously held principal flute positions with the Dallas Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Florida Orchestra, and Santa Fe Opera Orchestra. He has also served as acting principal flute with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

As an educator, Demarre McGill is committed to inspiring and nurturing the next generation of musicians. He has coached and presented master classes in South Africa, South Korea, Japan, Quebec, and throughout the United States. He has served on the faculties of the National Youth Orchestra of the United States, the National Orchestral Institute at the University of Maryland, the Orford Music Festival, Summerfest at the Curtis Institute of Music, Sarasota Music Festival, and the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival in South Africa. Previously, McGill spent seven years as the Associate Professor of Flute at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and has been a longtime artist-faculty member of the Aspen Music Festival and School since 2017.

Demarre McGill is also a founding member of the Myriad Trio and a former member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Bowers Program. He is the co-founder of the Art of Élan and is a regular participant in prestigious chamber music festivals such as Santa Fe, Marlboro, Seattle, and Stellenbosch. In 2014, McGill co-founded the McGill/McHale Trio with his brother clarinetist Anthony McGill and pianist Michael McHale. Their debut CD, “Portraits,” released in August 2017, has received rave reviews, as has “Winged Creatures,” his recording with Anthony McGill and the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra.

As a champion of accessibility, inclusion, and artistic innovation in classical music, Demarre McGill actively promotes the works of underrepresented composers and engages in projects that highlight diverse cultural perspectives. His media credits include appearances on PBS’s Live from Lincoln Center, A&E Network’s The Gifted Ones, NBC’s Today Show, NBC Nightly News, and, along with his brother Anthony, on Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.

Born in Chicago, Demarre McGill began playing the flute at age 7 and attended the Merit School of Music. In the years that followed, he studied with Susan Levitin. Demarre received his bachelor’s degree from The Curtis Institute of Music and a master’s degree from The Juilliard School. Demarre McGill is a Yamaha Performing Artist.