Mark Ridenour is assistant principal trumpet of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, a position he has held since his appointment by Daniel Barenboim in 1994. From 2003 until 2005, he served as acting principal trumpet of the CSO.
Ridenour began his professional career as third trumpet in the Lexington Philharmonic while a senior in college. He continued in this position through graduate school and also became a member of the Dayton Philharmonic. He was then appointed to the trumpet section of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, where he also served as acting principal trumpet his first season, before accepting the position of principal trumpet with the Florida Orchestra, where he spent six seasons before coming to Chicago.
He has appeared as soloist with the CSO, Florida Orchestra, Highland Park Strings, and Roosevelt University Orchestra, as well as with brass bands in the United States and Canada. He is heard on the Telarc release of Prokofiev’s Symphony no. 5 and Lieutenant Kijé and the Grammy Award–winning recording of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition and Night on Bald Mountain with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
Ridenour began playing the trumpet at the age of 10. His first private lesson came when he enrolled at Asbury College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He earned a Master of Music degree at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and completed two years of doctoral studies. He is currently on the faculty of Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. He teaches and gives master classes in Canada, Europe and Asia.
