Faculty Artist since 2024
SMF Alum 1990
Julia Pilant has been the acting 3rd horn for the Utah Symphony Utah Opera since 2021. Previously, she was the assistant principal horn for the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra for 14 years and, prior to holding that position, was the principal horn of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra for 10 years. Ms. Pilant has also performed regularly with Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, the New York City Ballet, various Broadway shows, as guest principal horn for the Saito Kinen/Ozawa and Tokyo Opera Nomori music festivals, the Mito Chamber Orchestra in Japan, and is a guest artist with The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. She has participated in the Santa Fe Chamber, Affinis (Nagaoka, Japan), Strings, Festival Napa Valley, Classical Tahoe, Mainly Mozart, and La Jolla Music Society Summerfest music festivals. In addition, she was a horn instructor at Bard College Conservatory of Music for 16 years, and has taught lessons and masterclasses for summer music festivals and music schools throughout the U.S. Ms. Pilant received her Bachelor’s degree from Eastman School of Music (student of Verne Reynolds), and her Master’s and Doctoral degrees from The Juilliard School (student of Julie Landsman).