Donald Gottlieb

Flutist and Principal Piccolo (occupying the Alvis R. Hambrick and Philip M. Lanier Chairs) Don Gottlieb has been a member of the Louisville Orchestra since 1978. Originally from Lodi, Ohio, he graduated from Baldwin-Wallace College where he studied flute (with a special emphasis on piccolo) with William J. Hebert of the Cleveland Orchestra. Mr. Gottlieb has been a featured soloist with the Louisville Orchestra on both flute and piccolo on numerous occasions.

In his free time, Mr.Gottlieb enjoys upcycling, teaching young flutists, and “Making the piccolo add a sweet [and] warm voice to the orchestra.” The term “upcycling” refers to Mr. Gottlieb’s particular talent for taking PVC waste materials and creating flutes. He distributes hundreds of these instruments to delighted children throughout the metro. His favorite musical group is the Louisville Orchestra and his favorite composers are Giuseppe Verdi and Dmitri Shostakovich.  In Mr. Gottlieb’s opinion, the most interesting aspect of being a musician is all about excellence…“Playing in tune, on time, and with a beautiful tone.” His piece of advice to young musicians is “Express yourself, work hard for perfection, and enjoy the journey.”