Billy Pickus is a passionate chamber musician and a devoted advocate for contemporary music. Based in Austin, Texas, he is a founding member of Cover to Cover, a modified wind quintet, and a member of SoundMap Ensemble, an experimental new music collective. He was also an original member of Bevo Bones (2023 International Trombone Association Quartet Finalist) and Verdant Trombones (2019 International Women’s Brass Competition Ginger Turner Finalist).
He received his MM in Trombone Performance with Nathaniel Brickens at The University of Texas and a BM in Trombone Performance with Jeremy Wilson from Vanderbilt University. During his time at UT, Billy served as Teaching Assistant to the Longhorn Band and the Longhorn Pep Band. During the summers, he has been a fellow with the Texas and Round Top Music Festivals as well as the Berlin Opera Academy.
Musical storytelling specialists
Cover to Cover is an Austin-based wind quintet that creates new ways for audiences of all ages to experience classical music. The ensemble prioritizes utilizing multimedia elements whenever possible to create accessible and enriching experiences for concert-goers. Musical storytelling, immersive audio-visual performances, and inventive reimaginations of classic works are key components of Cover to Cover’s programing.
Cover to Cover’s 2023 Summer Program was a musical storytime including Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf and Ravel’s Mother Goose with projections, original and new narrations, and educational activities. The 2024 Summer Program includes Barber’s Summer Music, Brandon’s Five Frogs, and many other original arrangements of works by Price, Schumann, Willie Nelson, and more.
Performances