Bill Klingelhoffer, with his Nutcracker mascot
William Klingelhoffer studied in Chicago, Illinois with Stu Liechti, Nancy Fako, Frank Brouk, and Dale Clevenger and graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Music degree.
Bill began playing professionally with the Chicago Lyric Opera at the age of 19. Since then, he has played Principal Horn for the Opera Companies of Chicago, Houston, and Santa Fe, and has played extra and toured with the Chicago and San Francisco Symphonies. His career includes having played for films, radio/ TV commercials, and in numerous musical productions. Bill has toured and recorded with the Summit Brass Ensemble, appeared as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, and has given masterclasses at International Brassfests. In addition to his role as a member of the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, Bill recently retired as Co-Principal Horn of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra. Also, notably, he has performed and recorded with cabaret singer Wesla Whitfield.
His wife Jill Brindel is a cellist with San Francisco Symphony and the Trio Navarro. Daughter Sarah teaches at Berklee College of Music in Boston, sings and composes. He has two sons, Louis and Jacob.