David Kidd, trombone

David Kidd is the newly appointed Principal Trombone of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, where he will begin his tenure in the fall. He previously performed as an acting member of the orchestra and has also served as Acting Principal Trombone with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra for the 2025–26 season.

A native of Huntsville, Alabama, David began playing trombone in the seventh grade. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Alabama, studying with Dr. Jonathan Whitaker, and went on to earn a Master’s degree from the New England Conservatory under Boston Symphony principal trombonist Toby Oft.

While in Boston, David performed with the Boston Pops, and his trombone quartet won the American Trombone Workshop’s National Quartet Competition two years in a row. He later joined The Orchestra Now, performing at Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Bing Concert Hall at Stanford University. Additionally, he has toured Japan with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, appearing in major works including Mahler’s Sixth Symphony and Strauss’s Eine Alpensinfonie.

Outside of music, he enjoys cycling, smoking barbecue, and following college football.