BLAST OF BRASS 2023
FEATURED ARTISTS BIOS

​BRIAN HECHT
International Soloist and Trombone
Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Brian Hecht, a native of Dallas, Texas, joined the Dallas Symphony Orchestra as Utility Trombone in September 2021. Prior to joining the Dallas Symphony, Mr. Hecht held the bass trombone position with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (2013-present) and The United States Navy Band in Washington, DC (2009-2013).

He has performed with other major ensembles throughout his career including the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra (under the baton of Simon Rattle), San Francisco Symphony, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Naples Philharmonic, Washington National Opera, Lyric Opera of Baltimore, and the Kennedy Center Ballet.
HALEY HOOPS
2nd Horn, Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Horn Professor - SMU

Haley Hoops began her horn playing career at the age of 10 years old with a Holton single F horn. Her first teacher was Corbin Wagner of the Detroit Symphony, and later Bryan Kennedy, also of Detroit. At the University of Michigan, Haley studied with Lowell Greer and was also fortunate to have been in the large and small ensembles of both H. Robert (Bob) Reynolds and Gustav Meier. In the summer of 1992, Haley performed with the All-American College Band at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. It was there that she met Richard Todd, a Los Angeles-based horn player, whom told her that if she wanted to play professionally, she could, because “there’s always room at the top”. Having a great affinity for California, Haley returned the following summer of 1993 and studied with David Krehbiel at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara. In 1994 and 1995, she attended the National Orchestral Institute in College Park, Md., and in 1996 and 1997, she attended Tanglewood.Haley’s first performing jobs were as a Fourth Horn player with the Ann Arbor and Lansing Symphony Orchestras while she was working on her Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Michigan. After graduation, Ms. Hoops moved to Evanston, Ill. to pursue a Master of Music degree at Northwestern University with Professor Gail Williams.  Two years after graduation, she was named Second Horn player of both the Grant Park Festival Orchestra in Chicago and the Richmond Symphony Orchestra in Richmond, Va.  Five months in at Richmond, Ms. Hoops won her current position as Second Horn of the Dallas Symphony, where she has been since 1999.

Haley Hoops has had the pleasure to collaborate with several fine principal horn players including:
Andrew Bain, Jonathan Boen, William Caballero, Nicole Cash, David Cooper, Jasper De Waal, Jeff Fair, Elizabeth Freimuth, David Heyde, Gregory Hustis, Roger Kaza, Benjamin Jaber, Lin Jiang, Julie Landsman, Jennifer Montone, Karl Pituch, William VerMeulen, and Gail Williams
ELMER CHURAMPI
International Soloist and Trumpet
Dallas Symphony Orchestra

​A native of Lima, Peru, Elmer Churampi began playing the trumpet when he was four years old with his father who is also a trumpet player that plays on street bands. Elmer was invited to be part of the National Youth Orchestra of Peru when he was seven years old and was a soloist three times with the National Symphony of Peru at the ages of 7, 8 and 9 performing Carnaval de Venecia, the Haydn Trumpet Concerto and the Arutunian Trumpet Concerto. When he was 10 years old, he was accepted to the National Conservatory of Music from Peru. Elmer was invited to be part of the professional orchestra of the Conservatory of Peru as a second trumpet when he was 12. At the age of 13, he played concerts with the Orquesta de los Reyes, the Opera Orchestra from Peru.In 2010 he attended the Interlochen Summer Camp with a full scholarship, playing first trumpet in every concert. Elmer was accepted to the Interlochen Arts Academy with a full scholarship and studied for three years with Ken Larson. During that time, Elmer won competitions including Young Artist in 2013, Jack Kent Cooke Award in 2013 and the Interlochen Young Artist Award in 2013. Elmer was also interviewed and featured on the radio program From the Top. He was invited by Mark Gould and Jen Lindemann to perform at the Banff Center of Arts in the brass festival in 2013. During his freshman year, Elmer won the concerto competition at New England Conservatory as well as the MTNA brass competition in Chicago. In 2015 and 2016, Elmer won first place in the National Trumpet Competition in the undergraduate division. He also won the Young Artist brass award in Texas.
In 2017, Elmer was the soloist for the Boston Philharmonic in the South America tour, recently Elmer was the winner of the Boston Pops concert Competition. Elmer recently graduated from the New England Conservatory with a bachelors in trumpet performance under the instruction of Ben Wright and Tom Rolfs, Second and Principal Trumpet of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Elmer has played with the Boston Pops, the Boston Symphony and the Chicago Symphony.