[This post is the second in a series related to events at the upcoming 47th International Horn Symposium. You can read the first one here.]

The 47th International Horn Symposium is less than two months away, and I’m very excited to attend what promises to be a huge event. The lineup of artists, presenters, and exhibitors is excellent, and I will be posting updates throughout the week. There will be a tremendous variety of performances, lectures, and other activities, and the biggest dilemma many attendees will face is deciding what to see and hear. It will be impossible to experience everything being offered, but I hope to see enough to provide some interesting commentary for readers who may not be able to attend a particular performance or lecture, or even attend the symposium at all.

In addition to attending performances and lectures, and checking out the exhibits, I’ll be participating in three separate events at this year’s symposium: a world premiere performance, a presentation, and a University of Wisconsin-Madison alumni horn ensemble, conducted by Douglas Hill (image linked from hornsociety.org). Dr. Daren Robbins, a fellow UW alum and now on faculty at Mahidol University in Thailand, has organized and coordinated what should be a fantastic program. I feel privileged and humbled to be in the company of these players, many of them good friends and colleagues. Here’s a list of the participants.

Douglas Hill, director (Professor Emeritus, UW-Madison)
Steve Becknell (University of Southern California, LA freelancer)
James Boldin (University of Louisiana at Monroe)
Peggy DeMers (Sam Houston State University)
Lin Foulk (Western Michigan University)
Gina Gillie (Pacific Lutheran University)
Claire Hellweg (Orquesta Sinfonica de la Universidad de Guanajuato)
Patrick Hughes (University of Texas-Austin)
Katie Johnson (University of Tennessee)
Kristina Mascher (Luxembourg Philharmonic, American Horn Quartet)
Daren Robbins (Mahidol University)
Amanda Skidmore Farasat (Illinois Center for Aston-Patterning)
Jeffrey Snedeker (Central Washington University)
Nancy Sullivan (Northern Arizona University)
Leelanee Sterrett (New York Philharmonic, Ghengis Barbie)
Kristin Thelander (University of Iowa)
Timothy Thompson (University of Arkansas)
Rose Valby (DMA Candidate and Teaching Assistant at UT-Austin)
Lydia Van Dreel (University of Oregon)

As you can see, the list includes freelancers, orchestral players, and university professors, spanning several decades of Professor Hill’s tenure. Our program (shown below) will consist of several works by Hill, as well as one work by Patrick Hughes from UT-Austin. It should be an exciting and fun program, and I’m especially looking forward to reconnecting with old friends and colleagues, and meeting a few new ones.

Douglas Hill (b. 1946)

• Clusters
• The Glorious Privilege of Being
• Gratitude, from Recollections for 8 Horns

Patrick Hughes (b. 1962)

• Dancing on the Hill *Honorable Mention, 2014 IHS Composition Contest, Virtuoso Division

Our performance is scheduled for Wednesday, August 5th at 4:00 p.m. local time, and I hope that you can attend!