Gábor Tarkövi was born in Esztergom in 1969, into a family of musicians.
At the age of nine, he received his first trumpet lesson from his father, István Tarkövi. Raised in Csolnok, he absorbed the local Schwab brass music that significantly influenced his musical career.
After graduating from the Richter János Conservatory in Győr, Gábor studied under György Geiger at the Liszt Ferenc Teacher Training College. He continued his studies with Frigyes Varasdy at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music.
Following his studies in Budapest, he gained major musical influences from György Kurtág and Hans Gansch. He began his career with the Württemberg Philharmonic Orchestra as associate principal trumpet, later joining the Berlin Symphony Orchestra (today the Konzerthausorchester Berlin) as principal trumpet, and in 1999 the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, also as principal trumpet.
From 2004 to 2019, he served as principal trumpet of the Berliner Philharmoniker. Since 2018, Gábor Tarkövi has been Professor of Trumpet at the University of the Arts Berlin. He performs chamber music in various ensembles, including Pro Brass, Austrian Brass Connection, Wien-Berlin Brass Quintet, and the Berlin Philharmonic Brass Trio.
Regularly performing throughout Europe, the United States, and Asia, he is an internationally acclaimed soloist, appearing with major orchestras such as the Berliner Philharmoniker, Bavarian Radio Chamber Orchestra, China National Orchestra, New Japan Philharmonic, and the London Symphony Orchestra.
Under exclusive contract with the Swiss label Tudor Classics since 2008, he has recorded four CDs: Italian Trumpet Concertos with Mojca Erdmann, Classical Trumpet Concertos with the Bamberg Symphony conducted by Karl-Heinz Steffens, Arioso & Brillante: Concerto for Trumpet and Organ with Peter Kofler, and Brilliant Brass with the Wien-Berlin Brass Quintett.
These recordings have received critical acclaim from both critics and the professional community.