Adam Unsworth
Adam Unsworth will begin as Professor of Horn at Northwestern University in September 2025. He is leaving a similar post at the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre and Dance, where he has taught since 2007. Prior to his time at Michigan Adam was a member of The Philadelphia Orchestra and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He is currently Principal Horn of the Ann Arbor Symphony.
As a soloist Adam is featured on the Boston Modern Orchestra Project’s 2024 release Masks and Machines, performing Mondrian’s Studio by Paul Dooley. He has five recordings as a leader to his credit: Snapshots, a recording of contemporary classical music with composer/pianist Catherine Likhuta; Balance for jazz sextet and chamber orchestra; Just Follow Instructions: the chamber music of composer Daniel Schnyder; Next Step; and Excerpt This!, jazz recordings which received critical acclaim from jazz and classical reviewers alike. He appeared as soloist with the University of Michigan Symphony Band on the premiere performance of Mondrian’s Studio and the first studio recording of Dana Wilson’s Concerto for Horn and Wind Ensemble.
Mr. Unsworth is a member of the New York-based Gil Evans Project big band, which received two Grammy nominations for its recordings Centennialand Lines of Color and won the 2013 Jazz Journalist Association Award for Large Jazz Ensemble of the Year. He is also part of Miho Hazama’s M-Unit band and appears on her 2023 release Beyond Orbits, and her Grammy-nominated recordings Dancer in Nowhere and Time River. He has been a guest musician with new music ensembles Alarm Will Sound, Meridian Arts Ensemble, and Ensemble Signal.
Adam received his formal training at Northwestern University (B.M. class of 1991) and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has toured Asia and Europe with the San Francisco Symphony and performs as a guest with the Detroit Symphony. For the past five years he has performed with the Grand Tetons Music Festival Orchestra and will serve as a faculty member at the Brevard Music Festival this summer.