Matthew Ernst currently serves as Principal Trumpet of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, appointed by Edo de Waart in 2016. He was previously the Principal Trumpet of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Pops, where he performed on numerous recordings and appeared as a soloist. Ernst was also a member of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and acted as Principal Trumpet for the Virginia Symphony Orchestra and Santa Fe Opera Orchestra. He has performed with numerous orchestras across the country, including the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Florida Orchestra, and Charlotte Symphony Orchestra.

A dedicated educator, Ernst holds teaching positions at Northwestern University as well as the Cleveland Institute of Music. Matthew pursued his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Michigan, and he received two Master of Music degrees from Southern Methodist University — the first in trumpet performance and the second in wind conducting. In addition to his degree work, he was also a fellow at Tanglewood Music Center and attended the Pacific Music Festival and Brevard Music Center.