Per Brevig

Per Brevig was the principal trombonist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra for 26 years. He was born in Norway and his first position in a symphony orchestra was with the Bergen (Norway) Philharmonic. After eight seasons with the orchestra, he came to New York to complete his education at Juilliard, where he received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree.

While at Juilliard, he freelanced in New York City and upon auditioning for the legendary conductor Leopold Stokowski, became principal trombonist of his American Symphony Orchestra. In 1968, Brevig became principal trombonist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; he held that position until 1994, at which time he left in order to embark on a full-time international conducting career. He was the music director and conductor of the East Texas Symphony Orchestra for nine years, during which time he kept his trombone teaching positions at Juilliard, Manhattan School of Music, New York University, and the Aspen Music Festival and School.

Brevig was active as a member of the International Trombone Association (I.T.A.) since its inception and has performed numerous times at its festivals. Among the many pieces he performed was the premiere of Stjepan Sulek’s Sonata for trombone and piano (“Vox Gabrieli”), which has become a staple of the solo trombone repertoire. In 2016, the I.T.A. awarded Brevig a lifetime achievement award, the association’s highest honor.

He was one of the first trombonists to give full-length recitals in New York and has concertized worldwide and given master classes in the U.S., Japan, Korea, Brazil, and Europe. Highlights of solo performances of trombone concertos took place at Lincoln Center in New York and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

Brevig has studied medical problems faced by musicians and serves on the advisory boards of the journal Medical Problems of Performing Artists and the German publication Musikphysiologie und Musik Medizin.

The founder and president of the Edvard Grieg Society since 1990, Brevig has led the society to produce recitals, chamber performances, radio broadcasts, and symposia at Columbia University as well as orchestra concerts at Lincoln Center that he has conducted. He is a member of the board of Musicians Club of New York.