Gilbert is an active composer, performer, writer and teacher. Gilbert has been a guest composer at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and composer-in-residence at Treehaven. Recent performances include the Bulgarian festival ppIANISSIMO at the National Radio Hall in Sofia, the One World Symphony Chamber Players in New York City,Terry Everson (Boston University) and Mary Ruth Ray (violist in the Lydian Quartet ). Recent premieres have been made by the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra, the Mostly Modern Chamber Music Society, the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra Percussion Ensemble at Severance Hall, and the Carmel High School Orchestra, recent winners of Indiana's State High School Orchestra contest.

Gilbert was recently the recipient of the Williams Mitch Fund at Harvard. At the Cleveland Institute, Gilbert was awarded the Donald Erb prize, the Alumni Graduate Valedictory Award, and the Marcel Dick Scholarship. At Illinois Wesleyan he was awarded the Katherine Baker, Joseph P. Knight, and Pi Kappa Lambda Awards and performed the Strauss 2nd Horn Concerto's finale with the orchestra as a winner of the concerto competition.

Gilbert's works have been performed by the Indianapolis Brass Ensemble, the Cleveland Chamber Symphony , the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra, the Music 2000 Festival in Cincinnati, the Illinois Wesleyan University Wind Ensemble , the Butler University Wind Ensemble , the Case Western Reserve University Symphonic Winds , the Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and the University Circle Wind Ensemble in Cleveland. He has filled commissions for film, theater, academic ceremonies, and the State Farm Insurance National Headquarters, as well as for individuals and ensembles.

Pursuing multiple musical interests, Gilbert has studied at the Conductors Institute at Bard and as a horn player he has studied at the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival and the Domain Forget Academy in Canada. He currently sings with the Harvard Glee Club and has also sung male alto in the Early Music Singers (in Cleveland), directed by Ross Duffin. He helped edit a trumpet method book by Michael Sachs (Principal Trumpet, Cleveland Orchestra) and executive produced the CD Mendelssohn Rediscovered for Novitas Records. A frequent annotator of programs, Gilbert has written book, concert, and media reviews for the Cleveland Free Times (Village Voice Media).