Gregory W. Heltman, Founder of The Santa Fe Symphony Orchestra & Chorus was born in Los Alamos to career music educators Rollie and Harriet Heltman. Greg grew up in Santa Fe and began playing the trumpet at age nine. As a 7th grader he began trumpet study with Gene Kuntz, former Trumpeter with the Metropolitan Opera and Santa Fe Opera orchestras. Greg graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree cum laude from the University of the Pacific, where he studied with Dale Fjerstad. He then moved to the New York area where he studied with Mel Broiles, Solo Trumpet of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. In 1981 he moved to Venezuela, where he taught trumpet for the famous “El Sistema” Orchestra de Juvenile program. Then, he and his wife Elaine moved to Israel for two years, where he was a member of the Israel Sinfonietta.

 

In 1983 they moved back home to Santa Fe, and in 1984 he founded The Santa Fe Symphony and continued as a musician member of the SFSO through 2022. From 1988–1999, while The Symphony was becoming established, he was also an elementary school Music Educator for the Santa Fe Public Schools. Greg has performed with the Stockton Symphony, the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, and The Santa Fe Opera, and was Principal Trumpet and Assistant Orchestra Manager with the Hidden Valley Chamber and Opera Orchestra, Carmel Valley, CA. Greg retired from his 34-year position as Executive Director of the Santa Fe Symphony at the end of the 2018 season.

 

In addition to performing on the trumpet, Greg is the Music Director of the Santa Fe Concert Band, and maintains an active trumpet lesson studio. His wife, Elaine, is Principal Oboe of the Santa Fe Symphony. Their son, Mark, is an engineer with the JMT Consulting Engineers in Richmond, VA.