Billy Gerlach was appointed Principal Trumpet of the National Symphony Orchestra by Christoph Eschenbach in 2014. A native of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, he studied with Mark Niehaus of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra throughout high school. He earned his undergraduate degree at Indiana University under John Rommel, then continued graduate studies at Northwestern University and Rice University, working with Barbara Butler, Charles Geyer, and Christopher Martin.
Gerlach has appeared as guest principal trumpet with the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Arizona Musicfest. He has served on the faculties of the NSO’s Summer Music Institute, Aspen Music Festival, DePaul School of Music, and Curtis Summerfest, and currently teaches at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland.
In 2021, he recorded Heroic Expressions with organist Russell Weismann, featuring works by Tomasi, Langlais, and Telemann.