Jeffrey Girdler, Horn
A former member of the prestigious United States Navy Band, Jeff Girdler joined the Columbia Orchestra horn section with the 2008-2009 Season. A native of Farmingdale, New York, he began his horn studies at the age of 12. His teachers include Harry and Arthur Berv, former members of the NBC Symphony under Arturo Toscanini; Samuel Ramsay, former member of the National Symphony Orchestra and the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra; Forrest Standley, former principal horn of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra; and Philip Myers, principal horn of the New York Philharmonic.
He attended the Manhattan School of Music in New York City, and has earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities from the University of Maryland University College, College Park, Maryland; a Master of Music degree in horn performance from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC; and a Master of Divinity degree in Theology from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He also was recognized as a “distinguished graduate” of the United States Navy Senior Enlisted Academy at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.
Prior to joining the Navy Band, Jeff performed in the horn sections of the New York Youth Symphony and the National Orchestra Association. He also served on the staff of the Armed Forces School of Music in Little Creek, Virginia and was the principal horn with the NATO Band in Naples, Italy. While a member of the Navy Band, he performed with the Navy Concert Band and was the horn player with the Navy Band Brass Quintet for 25 years.
As a studio musician, chamber performer and soloist in the Washington, DC area, he has performed on numerous soundtracks and recordings some of which include: Smithsonian Institute’s Air and Space Museum Planetarium and movie productions, TV’s America’s Most Wanted and the multi-Grammy platinum album, The Symphonic Enya. He can be heard on numerous recordings of the Washington Winds and the Washington Pops Orchestra.
Jeff devotes much of his time to teaching privately and coaching student chamber ensembles. Many of his former students perform professionally with ensembles such as the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Maryland Symphony, the National Philharmonic, major armed services bands, and as successful music educators all over the United States. He has been on the faculty of Prince Georges’ Community College, Howard County Community College, and The Catholic University of America. From 1996 through 2000, he was the adjunct professor of horn at the University of Maryland School of Music, College Park where he taught private studio lessons and conducted the horn ensemble and brass ensemble. While at the University, he was the coordinator of the very popular University of Maryland “Horn Fest” which drew such artists as Barry Tuckwell, Erick Ruske, David Jolly and Peter Landgren.
Jeff lives in Columbia, Maryland with his wife Barbara who plays English horn with the Columbia Orchestra. He is an Educational Specialist/Artist for the C. G. Conn Company. Jeff Girdler performs exclusively on the Conn 8-D French horn.
