Born on May 24, 1993, Mr. Marc Gruber was interested in horn from a very early age. At three years old he began playing hunting horn, and at age four, started receiving horn lessons. From 2009 to 2012 he studied with Professor Joachim Pöltl, Professor at the Robert-Schumann-Hochschule in Düsseldorf, Germany. Since 2012, Marc studies with Professor Paul van Zelm at the Hochschule für Musik in Cologne. He has also participated in numerous masterclasses with such renowned hornists as Hermann Baumann, Erich Penzel, Christian Lampert and Froydis Ree Wekre. In the spring of 2011, Mr. Gruber became the first brass player to win the prize “Debut um elf.” In October of the same year he won the Förderpreis from the Rotary Club for outstanding musical achievements. As concert soloist he has performed with such reputable orchestras as the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra, Orchesterzentrum Dortmund and Würtembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen. In the 2013 to 2014 season, he was the fellow of the prestigious Dortmund Mozart Society. Mr. Gruber started playing in regional youth orchestras in 2007. By 2009, he was Principal Horn of the Youth Orchestra NRW. In 2012, he became Principal Horn of the National Youth Orchestra of Germany. In March of 2013, he became a member of the European Union Youth Orchestra and in 2014 Mr. Gruber became Principal Horn of the Beethoven Orchestra Bonn. Since April 2016 he serves as Principal Horn of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra. Marc Gruber also plays frequently with such orchestras as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam, WDR Symphony Orchestra of Cologne and Gürzenich Orchestra. His musical career has taken him to performances throughout Asia and Europe. Not only is Mr. Gruber an avid orchestral musician, but he is also heavily involved in chamber music as a member of the Monet Quintet. In 2016, this ensemble was awarded the scholarship from the German Music Competition. As a guest he has performed with the Linos-Ensemble, Consortium Classicum, Schumann Quartet and Mannheimer String Quartet. Marc Gruber won the 2nd prize (no 1st prize was awarded), the Brüder-Busch-Preis and the Audience Award at the 2016 ARD International Music Competition in Munich