Kurt Civilette

Kurt Civilette is a freelance performer and teacher based in East Lansing, Michigan. He holds several permanent orchestral positions in the area including principal horn with the South Bend Symphony and principal horn with Midland Symphony. He is also 3rd horn in Flint Symphony and Ann Arbor Symphony. As a member of the South Bend Symphony principal wind quintet and Ann Arbor Symphony Brass Quintet he performs chamber concerts and educational concerts. Other recent freelance engagements include playing sub/extra on stage with Detroit Symphony, Saint Louis Symphony, Utah Symphony, and Ft. Wayne Philharmonic and in the opera pit with Michigan Opera Theater and Santa Fe Opera. He is frequently asked to play guest principal, playing that role with Ann Arbor, Flint, Michigan Opera Theater, Kalamazoo, Saginaw Bay, Windsor (ON), and West Michigan Symphonies. He is the horn instructor at Lansing Community College and Michigan State University's Community Music School, and teaches at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in the summer.

For 15 years from 1995-2010, Kurt was full-time 3rd horn/associate principal with New Mexico Symphony in Albuquerque, substituting as interim principal horn for the entire 2001-02 season. Before winning the permanent job in New Mexico, he held temporary positions as principal horn with Charleston (SC) Symphony, acting principal horn of the Savannah(GA) Symphony, and assistant principal with Honolulu Symphony. While in New Mexico he was also 3rd horn with Santa Fe Symphony and appeared with Santa Fe Opera orchestra. As a successful freelance musician, he has appeared with Chicago Lyric Opera, Chicago Symphony, Grant Park, Jacksonville and North Carolina Symphonies, and played many commercial jingles and recording sessions.

During the summers, Kurt plays principal horn with the Southern Illinois Music festival in Carbondale, appearing as a featured soloist in 2012. He has appeared in various US and international summer festivals including Spoleto festival in USA and Italy, the Assisi festival (Italy), the Kumamoto festival in Japan, and Music from Angel Fire