Luke Berkley
About
Luke Berkley is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Horn Performance at DePaul University where he studies with James Smelser of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He is a member of the Peoria Symphony and Lake Shore Symphony Orchestras and plays horn in the Chicago area as a freelance musician. Luke studied at Luther College in Decorah, IA where he received his Bachelor degree, winning multiple awards for his horn playing, notably the Hemp Prize for Orchestral Performance and the Engebretson Principal Horn Endowed Chair of the Luther College Symphony Orchestra for 3 years. His artistic range covers everything from Baroque to Modern, and he is noted for his ability to blend well in all manner of ensembles. He has played in multiple chamber ensembles to date, with experience in woodwind quintets, horn quartets, brass quintets, horn choirs, and brass ensembles. His horn quartet was featured as soloists while they performed the first movement of Robert Schumann’s Konzertstück on tour in 2019. Luke has performed concerts around the United States, as well as performing abroad for a concert tour in Spain, and at the Musikverein Hall in Vienna, Austria. When he isn’t playing the horn, he enjoys powerlifting and reading books.
My focus while teaching is to build a foundation of technical ability while building confidence to allow for relaxed and easy playing. Students can look forward to guided exploration to help solve problems and solidify a core of proficiency on the instrument. Being relaxed while playing is paramount to success, which is a focal point of my teaching. Lessons will include techniques to decrease tension while playing in order to achieve a clear, resonant, and focused tone while studying both traditional and modern repertoire.