Douglas Rosenthal

Douglas Rosenthal was appointed Associate Principal Trombone of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in 2023 by Music Director Manfred Honeck. Previously, he served for 11 years as the Assistant Principal Trombonist of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra in Washington, DC. This is the designated orchestra for the Washington National Opera as well as ballet, musical theater, chamber music, and other in-house productions and presentations at the Kennedy Center, including the annual star-studded Kennedy Center Honors. While in Washington, Douglas performed around town with groups such as the Smithsonian Chamber Players, the Post-Classical Ensemble, and the Washington Symphonic Brass. He has also frequently been a guest musician with other orchestras across the country, including those of Baltimore, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Cincinnati, Colorado, Dallas, Harrisburg, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Music of the Baroque (Chicago), Nashville, National (Symphony Orchestra), Phoenix, St. Louis, Sun Valley, and Utah. 

Douglas has become a specialist in the Bass Trumpet, a European military band instrument that Richard Wagner brought into the orchestra pit in the mid-1800s as one of the most prominently heard instruments in his four-opera “Ring Cycle.” It has subsequently been included in works by Janacek, Strauss, Stravinsky, and others. Douglas enjoys the nobility, excitement, brilliance, and beauty of sound that one can achieve on the Bass Trumpet. It is a challenging instrument, but the artistic rewards are well worth the effort.

During his time in Washington, Douglas participated in union and community activism. He served on the Executive Board of Directors for the DC Federation of Musicians (AFM Local 161-710) for nine years and was a delegate to the Metropolitan Washington AFL-CIO and DC Jobs with Justice. He enjoyed participating in labor actions as well as social justice marches and rallies at and around the White House, Supreme Court, and US Capitol Building. 

Douglas is married to Garrett Law, Principal Horn of the Erie Philharmonic. They have two cats, Sophia and Casserole, who remind them often about what’s most important in life: food, napping, and looking out for one another. 

Douglas was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. He attended public schools in Northbrook and was a member of Midwest Young Artists Conservatory. Douglas pursued Trombone Performance at Northwestern University, receiving a Bachelor of Music (cum laude). He sought further training in the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Florida. As a student, Douglas participated in the summer music festivals at Aspen, Roundtop, the National Orchestral Institute, Music Academy of the West, and Tanglewood.

• B.M., Northwestern University

• Music Performance