David Herbert is currently principal timpanist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO), a post he has held since 2013. Prior to joining the CSO, he served as principal timpanist of the San Francisco Symphony (SFS) and the New World Symphony. He is widely considered a leader of cutting-edge solo timpani repertoire, commissioning new works and giving world premiere performances every year. Herbert is sought after as a chamber musician and clinician around the world and has conducted master classes throughout North America, Japan, China, and Europe. He is currently a faculty member at Northwestern University. This is his fifth appearance at PMF since 2005.