Julia Pilant – horn

Julia Pilant has been the acting third horn of the Utah Symphony/Utah Opera Orchestra since 2021. Previously, she was the assistant principal horn of The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra for 14 years and, prior to that, the principal horn of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra for 10 years.  

Pilant has performed with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, the New York City Ballet Orchestra, and various Broadway shows; she’s also performed as guest principal horn for the Mito Chamber Orchestra and the Saito Kinen and Tokyo Opera Nomori music festivals in Japan. Pilant frequently appears as a guest artist with The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and her festival appearances have included the Strings, Affinis, and Santa Fe Chamber music festivals; Festival Napa Valley; Classical Tahoe; Mainly Mozart; and the La Jolla Music Society’s SummerFest.   

For 16 years, Pilant was a horn instructor at the Bard College Conservatory of Music. She’s also taught lessons and masterclasses for summer music festivals and music schools throughout the country. She received her bachelor’s degree from the Eastman School of Music, where she studied with Verne Reynolds, and her master’s and doctoral degrees from The Juilliard School, where she studied with Julie Landsman.