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47th International Horn Symposium: Final Update and Summary

August 10, 2015

University of Wisconsin-Madison Alumni Ensemble Performance. Douglas Hill, conductor

University of Wisconsin-Madison Alumni Ensemble Performance. Douglas Hill, conductor

With the LA symposium now behind me, I thought it might be nice to post a few random thoughts about the entire experience. These are in no particular order, with a few pictures as well.

  • The atmosphere at the Colburn School was friendly and helpful, making for a very pleasant experience. Los Angeles was perhaps not the easiest city to navigate – especially for us small town folks – but the symposium staff and volunteers went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. Thank you!

    Downtown Los Angeles, as seen from the gardens at the top of Walt Disney Concert Hall.

    Downtown Los Angeles, as seen from the gardens at the top of Walt Disney Concert Hall.

  • I haven’t compared the actual number of lectures, recitals, and other events at IHS 47 to previous symposiums, but my perception was that the pace and sheer volume of activities this year exceeded anything in the past. For me, this was a double-edged sword, and I had to be careful throughout the week to pace myself and carve out time for rest and at least some semblance of peace and quiet. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend all of the events that looked interesting to me, especially the screenings of Annie Bosler’s documentary film 1M1: Hollywood Horns of the Golden Years. I missed the very first showing, which happened in the afternoon, and all of the other screenings took place at 11:00 p.m. By the end of the day I had just enough energy to post a quick update and then fall into bed. Perhaps the film can be made available for purchase on DVD or digital download?
  • In an effort to manage the expenses for this trip, I elected to stay in the dorm rooms on the Colburn campus rather than book a hotel. The dorms were clean, spacious, and extremely convenient. Though the dorm experience depends almost entirely on the symposium site, it is an option I would definitely explore for future symposiums. I also heard from quite a few people that Airbnb was a reasonably priced option.

    Front steps of Walt Disney Concert Hall

    Front steps of Walt Disney Concert Hall

  • Social media and other online technology played a big role, mostly with a positive effect I think. The live-streams were much appreciated by those who could not attend the symposium, and facebook, twitter, and other outlets kept the horn world updated on the day-to-day news and events at IHS 47. The issue of photography and filming at performances is interesting to note. All symposium participants signed a disclosure agreement allowing the Colburn School and the International Horn Society to use images from the week’s events, but the symposium program book included a statement asking that audience members not film, photograph, or otherwise record the performers. This rule was largely ignored, and I noticed at least a few people at every concert openly recording large portions of the concert on video. I know of one case in which the person filming obtained permission from the performers beforehand, but it is unlikely that this happened in every case. Furthermore, it is unclear how much legal weight a casual verbal agreement would carry. I am not an intellectual property lawyer, but would offer a quick word of caution to those making bootleg recordings of live performances. Making a recording just for your own personal use is probably fine, but attempting to distribute it online could result in some legal issues, especially if the artist or artists you have recorded are under management.
  • One event that I neglected to mention in my previous updates was a meeting of several IHS area representatives from the United States, coordinated by Elaine Braun. The meeting went well, and my take on things was that membership is good, but could be better. I will definitely be exploring some new strategies this coming year to boost membership in the Horn Society. It is very affordable, and puts you in touch with a great group of people. There are still a number of spots open for area representatives, so if you see a vacancy in your state please consider serving.
  • Low horn playing was featured in a big way at this symposium. Sarah Willis, Denise Tryon, Daniel Katzen, Charles Putnam, and many others showed us that the horn’s low register can be just as expressive and nuanced as the high register. It was nice to see so many younger players exposed to this level of low horn playing.
  • Though I didn’t attend every solo recital, I made it to several, and was particularly interested in each player’s stage presence and positioning relative to the piano. Most of the American players tended to face the bell away from the audience, either at an angle to the piano or with the bell perpendicular to the full-stick piano lid. Many of the Europeans faced the bell towards the audience, standing near the keyboard. There was definitely a difference in sound, though I’m not sure I had a preference for one over the other. Each player seemed to make their positioning work, with varying degrees of clarity and contrast. I’ve always been hesitant to face my bell towards the audience, except when playing solo in front of a large audience, but I plan to experiment with the more direct, “bell-out” placement in the future. Stage presence was interesting to observe as well, and the most enjoyable performances I felt were those in which the players seemed generally relaxed and comfortable on stage. For some this is probably a natural by-product of their personality, but for others this takes preparation and lots of experience.

Again, I extend my deepest thanks and appreciation to Annie Bosler, Andrew Bain, and the numerous volunteers and staff at the Colburn School for hosting a fantastic symposium! Next year’s symposium will be June 13-18, hosted by Alex Shuhan at the Ithaca College of Music. For more information, visit http://www.ithaca.edu/music/ihs2016/.

Horn Symposium Update No. 5

August 8, 2015

IMG_0946Today, my last day at the 47th International Horn Symposium, was certainly memorable. I’ll post again in a few days with summary comments about the entire week I’ve spent here in Los Angeles, but I also wanted to write a few things about today in particular while they were fresh in my mind. Here we go.

  • Lecture – An Introduction to Solo Duet Training for Horns My presentation went very well, I thought, and had good attendance. The duets seem to be interesting to a wide range of horn players, which was definitely my intention. Thanks again to Gina Gillie for volunteering to demonstrate some of the duets with me.
  • Recital – Denise Tryon and Stefan Dohr This was my first time hearing Denise Tryon perform live, and her playing was superb. She premiered several new compositions that she recently commissioned, as well as the Neuling Bagatelle. She shared the recital with Stefan Dohr, who I have had the opportunity to hear multiple times this week, first on the Schumann Konzerstuck, then in the Berlin Philharmonic Horn Quartet, and on two solo recitals. Rarely have I heard a horn played with so many colors, contrasts and varieties of shading and nuance. His playing is incredibly interesting to listen to!
  • Recital – Chamber and Solo Music I attended this performance primarily to support my colleague and friend Gina Gillie, but I also heard some great playing by the other performers on the program. It was an interesting mix of the following: a familiar work; Mozart Horn Quintet (Emily Reppun, horn); an old work in a new guise; Bach’s Chaconne from the Violin Partita No. 2/arr. by David Jolley for brass trio (Tawnee Pumphrey, horn); original contemporary works, including two selections from Ricardo Matosinhos’s Low Horn Etudes (Marc Gelfo, horn) and Gina Gillie’s The Great Migration for Two Horns and Piano (Gina Gillie and Jeffrey Snedeker, horn). Though all of the performances were pretty solid, I especially enjoyed hearing the new works performed by Gelfo, Gillie, and Snedeker. There was a freshness and energy about their playing that really made these works stand out.
  • Evening Concert – A Sojurn, A Celebration, and A Farewell: A Night Honoring the American Horn Quartet I could write a lot about this evening’s performance, the final live concert by the AHQ, but I will try to keep my comments brief. I’ve written about the group before here, so if you would like more information please follow the link. For many reasons this was a very important and special concert, and the AHQ rose to the occasion with a brilliant performance featuring new and old selections from the group’s repertoire. The emotion and energy they brought to the stage was heightened, and it came across to the audience, who gave the group an extended ovation. They played two encores, and I think their second selection, an arrangement of Carly Simon’s “Nobody Does it Better,” aptly sums up the entire program and career of this singular ensemble.
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I will be leaving Los Angeles tomorrow, but the sounds, emotions, and other experiences from this week will stay with me a long time. As always, my thanks go out to Annie Bosler and Andrew Bain for putting together a fantastic symposium. [Photos above: Interior of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, venue for the AHQ’s final concert, and a picture of a lit building in downtown Los Angeles.)

Horn Symposium Update No. 4

August 7, 2015

IMG_0937Today was a little bit different in terms of what I attended, but it was still a very productive day at the symposium. I’ll give my customary recap below, but have also included a list of some new music and equipment purchased during the week. Although I have been pretty selective at this symposium with buying books, sheet music, and other merchandise, I did pick up what I hope will be a few very useful items.

  • Concert – Timothy Thompson, Travis Bennett, Daren Robbins A fantastic concert of new and/or little known works for horn ensemble, horn with piano, and horn with chamber ensemble. Timothy Thompson (University of Arkansas) conducted a horn ensemble in his composition Hornscape for Eight Horns. A very effective work incorporating extended techniques and antiphonal effects. Next, Travis Bennett (Western Carolina University) gave a great performance of the seldom heard Sonata for Horn and Piano by York Bowen. I really enjoyed this work, which is written in a neo-Romantic style. Daren Robbins (Mahidol University) closed the concert with a new work for horn, trombone, tuba, and piano by Australian composer Christopher Gordon. Another great performance, especially in the lyrical second movement.
  • Lecture – Recovering from Lip Injury: The Long Road Back (Bruce Atwell) Several months ago I posted an interview with Bruce Atwell, who teaches at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and is a very active freelancer in Milwaukee and the surrounding area. For some background on Bruce’s story, feel free to check out the interview. I haven’t spoken much to Bruce since our interview, and it was great to catch up with him and hear some more details about his recovery.
  • Theatrical Production: I Found My Horn This was a fantastic performance, and really a tour de force for the actor. If you ever have the chance to see this show performed, I highly recommend it! Here’s a summary, which can be found on the IHS 47 website.
    Jonathan Guy Lewis is directed by Harry Burton in an updated production of this wryly funny and infinitely touching story about making music and confronting one’s private demons. Adapted from Jasper Rees’ popular book, A Devil to Play, the play was premiered in 2008 at the Aldeburgh Festival in Benjamin Britten’s home town. It was performed to great acclaim at the 2014 International Horn Society workshop in London.
    A man wakes up at forty to a broken marriage, a beckoning bedsit, and the realisation that he has done nothing to make himself memorable. Then he clambers into the attic… After a lay-off of 25 years, he seeks redemption via the sixteen feet of treacherous brass tubing he never mastered in his youth. Resuming his old French horn, he sets himself an impossible task: to perform a Mozart concerto in front of a paying audience of horn fanatics.

This was the last major event of the day for me, although I did stop in briefly to hear a bit of the Berlin Philharmonic Horn Quartet. It was a packed house (standing room only) so I elected to step out early and get some dinner. Earlier in the day I had the opportunity to read through a new horn quartet composition by Gina Gillie with Daren Robbins and Lin Foulk. We were also joined by Douglas Hill, who listened and provided feedback. The quartet is really well done, so be sure to look for it in publication soon.

Here’s a list of the few items I’ve purchased from the exhibitors this week. Watch this page for reviews in the future!

  • Bandera for Trumpet, Trombone, Horn and Piano, by Kerry Turner (A new work to read with Black Bayou Brass, the faculty brass ensemble at my university.)
  • Unlikely Fusion: Chamber Works by Kerry Turner (A CD which contains lots of great stuff, including a recording of Bandera.)
  • Musician, Heal Thyself, by Kristy Morrell (A new horn method book by a member of the LA Chamber Orchestra)
  • 30 Etudes for Stopped Horn, by Robert Ward (Who doesn’t need more stopped horn practice?)
  • To the Seasons for Soprano, Horn and Piano, by Gina Gillie (A relatively new work for horn/voice/piano. My colleagues and I are planning a recital tour next spring for this combination, and this piece might make a nice addition to the program.)
  • Engelbert Schmid Digital Mouthpiece, 17.5 mm ID, medium cup (Let the mouthpiece wheel of doom begin! Actually I’ve been hearing very good things about these mouthpieces, and I’m looking forward to doing some more extensive playing on it.)

Tomorrow will be my last day at the symposium, and events will include my presentation on pedagogical duets for the horn, more concerts and lectures, and a very special concert, the final performance of the American Horn Quartet. Update to follow!

Horn Symposium Update No. 3

August 6, 2015

Day 3: Another exciting day at the 47th International Horn Symposium! Here’s what I attended during the morning and early afternoon.

  • Lecture – Contemporary Solos for Low Horn (Robert Stonestreet) A fascinating presentation focused on little known works which feature the horn’s low register. I knew a few of the works mentioned, but discovered some new ones, including several which were commissioned by Denise Tryon of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and which will be premiered at the symposium.
  • Recital – Stefan Dohr and Arkady Shilkloper Both of these renowned musicians played great sets. Dohr’s included two works which were unknown to me; Lewy’s Divertissement Op. 13 on Themes by Franz Schubert, and Haas’s Sonata No. 2 in F, Op. 29. Shilkloper’s virtuosity and sheer inventiveness on both the horn and alphorn were impressive as always. Though their musical voices are quite different, I took note of several common elements between the two which I think have contributed to their success as musicians and soloists. 1) A confident and comfortable stage presence 2) A distinct musical voice 3) Great sounds on the horn, but even more important, the use of different colors and interesting sounds. These include the full range of articulations, dynamics, timbres, etc.
  • UW Madison Alumni Ensemble “Hill’s Angels” This was certainly the highlight of the day for me. Getting to catch up with old classmates and meet some new faces was fantastic, and we played some great music as well. The concert was well attended, and the audience seemed to enjoy the repertoire we performed. Here’s a picture of the group, taken just after our morning rehearsal.
hill_alumn
  • Concert – Genghis Barbie I’ve heard recordings of this quartet, but until today had not seen them perform live. They put on a great show, and can really play! In addition to having great chops, another element worth noting is their energetic and unique stage presence. Their show included a number of pop tune arrangements, many with vocals. It’s a good combination, and I highly recommend this group!
  • Evening Concert – Then & Now: A Night Honoring the Horn in Hollywood This was a very special night, bringing together most, if not all, of the main studio horn players working today. Studio playing legends Fred Fox and Alan Robinson were honored with both words and music. Like many horn players, my first experience with being thrilled at the sound of the instrument came from movie scores. It was a real treat to see and hear so many of the players who recorded this important and inspirational music. It was a big program (approximately 2.5 hours), and my favorite works were James Horner’s Titanic Fantasy, performed in honor of the late composer, with James Thatcher performing the solo part; and George Hyde’s Color Contrasts, which was one of the first works I played which required extended techniques. Here’s a shot of the marquee for the concert venue, the Los Angeles Theatre. Follow the link to see some amazing images of the interior of this historic building.
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Horn Symposium Update No. 2

August 5, 2015

 

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Day 2 of my time at the 47th International Horn Symposium was great. As I have an early morning rehearsal tomorrow for the University of Wisconsin Alumni ensemble, my summary tonight will be fairly brief. While most of yesterday was spent attending presentations and lectures, today I listened to several concerts and checked out a few exhibits. (Above image: the Hollywood Bowl, just prior to the evening’s LA Philharmonic concert.)

  • Chamber Music Concert – Contemporary Works for Horn Some really wonderful and sensitive playing by Bill Scharnberg (University of North Texas), Katie Johnson (University of Tennessee), and Peggy Moran (University of Central Oklahoma). All three performed contemporary works; Scharnberg performed the premiere of Paul Chihara’s Willow Wood, along with Haydn’s Divertimento a tre. Johnson performed Ann Callaway’s Four Elements for horn and piano, a striking and very effective piece that really deserves to be played more. And Peggy Moran performed two charming works for horn and flute, including the premiere of Jason Barabba’s Visiting with Cecil Forsyth, 1914, on the occasion of the 101st publication of his book Orchestration. This piece utilized a narrator to read several descriptive and often humorous passages from the aforementioned orchestration text, with the instruments providing the musical demonstrations.
  • Lecture Recital – Horn, Oboe, and Piano Trios in the Late 19th Century A very interesting presentation by Stephen Lawson (Marshall University) focused on the works of Adolphe Blanc, Carl Reinecke, and Heinrich Herzogenberg. The oboe and horn parts were both performed on period instruments, including a French piston horn.
  • Chamber Music Recital More great playing on this concert! James Naigus (DMA graduate, University of Iowa), Patrick Smith (Virginia Commonwealth University), and Lisa Bontrager (Pennsylvania State University), premiered Naigus’s Landscapes for Horn Trio and Piano, and Peter Kurau (Eastman School) performed several new arrangements for horn, soprano, and piano. I especially enjoyed his arrangement of Schubert’s Der Hirt auf dem Felsen, Op. 129 (The Shepherd on the Rock), originally for clarinet, high voice, and piano.
  • Lecture –  Compose Yourself: Exploring Composition for the Horn Player Gina Gillie (Pacific Lutheran University) gave a great presentation with encouragement, tips, and advice for horn players interested in exploring composition. It was great to catch up with Gina, and we will be performing several excerpts from my duet book Solo Duet Training for Horns on Friday.
  • Evening Concert – “Hail the Mighty Horn” LA Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl A monster horn program featuring a new work by Bruce Broughton for 16 horns and Robert Schumann’s Konzertstück on the first half, and Richard Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier Suite and Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks on the second half. The cast of this Hollywood horn concert was certainly star studded. Here’s a listing of the performers from the program book.

Bruce Broughton, Fanfare for 16 Horns (world premiere)

  • John Cerminaro
  • James Thatcher
  • Ethan Bearman
  • Amy Jo Rhine
  • Brian Drake
  • Kerry Turner
  • Geoffrey Winter
  • Charles Putnam
  • Kristina Mascher-Turner
  • Stefan de Leval Jezierski
  • Andrej Žust
  • Jeff Nelsen
  • Robert Ward
  • Jonathan Ring
  • Bruce Roberts
  • Jessica Valeri

Robert Schumann, Konzertstück for Four Horns

  • Stefan Dohr
  • Andrew Bain
  • Timothy Jones
  • Sarah Willis

The concert was every bit as good as you would expect, and it was the perfect ending to a day filled with the sound of the horn. More tomorrow!

 

Horn Symposium Update No. 1

August 4, 2015

After traveling to Los Angeles yesterday, today was my first full day at the 47th International Horn Symposium, hosted by Andrew Bain and Annie Bosler at the Colburn School. I plan to post daily updates to this website, and while these can’t provide a complete picture, hopefully they will at least give a general sense of the wide variety of events taking place this week.

General Thoughts

  • My general impression upon arriving at the Colburn School was that the symposium was in full swing! I found out at the registration desk that there were over 600 horn players in attendance already. The official registration numbers are not in yet, but suffice it to say that this year’s symposium is very well attended!
  • The facilities, staff, and overall organization at the Colburn School have been fantastic so far. Bravo to hosts Bosler and Bain for putting together a terrific week of lectures, concerts, master classes, and other activities. Everything I’ve attended thus far has run very smoothly, with the transitions between events happening quickly and seamlessly. This is not always the case at large conferences.
  • While a majority of the events at the symposium are held on the Colburn campus, a few concerts will IMG_0917take place in the surrounding area: Disney Concert Hall (seen from my dorm window in the picture at right), The Hollywood Bowl, and other assorted venues. For someone not used to negotiating travel in a large city, this can be a little daunting. However, the symposium hosts have gone above and beyond to ensure that plenty of information is available for those who are unsure of how to get around.
  • This is a very tech savvy symposium, with a great website and several events being live-streamed at http://ihs-live.com.
  • Travel – my experience getting to this year’s symposium was pretty good. Air travel can be challenging with a musical instrument, but I’ve had success with a Marcus Bonna ultralight case. Though this “soft top” case doesn’t offer the same protection as a completely fiber glass one, it does have the advantage of being able to fit either under the seat or in the overhead compartment of many small commercial aircraft, including the Embraer ERJ 145 and similar.

What I did Today

Choosing which concerts and events to attend at an IHS symposium is like picking a meal from a menu filled with only your favorite dishes. There is no way to fit in everything, even though all of the choices look appealing. That being said, I tried to attend a variety of events today, choosing to leave some events a few minutes early to sneak into others. Here’s a rundown on what I attended today, with brief summaries.

  • Lecture: Combining Modern Acoustics: A Horn Player’s Experience and Craftsmanship at Horn Making (Engelbert Schmid) Since I play a Schmid double horn, I was very interested to attend Herr Schmid’s presentation. It was fascinating to hear how his philosophy on horn playing and building has influenced his horn designs over the years. Though others may disagree with his views on horn sound, weight, and general design, I think we could all agree that he executes his horn designs with precision, confidence, and artistry.
  • Lecture: Time Spaces/Sound Spaces/Harmonielehre (Randall Faust) This interactive session was presented by my friend and colleague Dr. Randall Faust of Western Illinois University. Using his own etudes as demonstration materials, Dr. Faust explained various ways that horn players can improve rhythmic and pitch accuracy.
  • Lecture: Low-Horn Playing in a Major Orchestra (Daniel Katzen) This was a very interesting talk, presented by Daniel Katzen, former second horn of the Boston Symphony, and now on the faculty at the University of Arizona. Having never met Mr. Katzen, I wasn’t sure what to expect. He began his session by playing a portion of a Bach Cello Suite in the original key. His playing in the low register was expressive, fluid, and quite impressive! He followed up with some anecdotes and helpful hints based on his 40 year career as an orchestral musician. In addition to being a remarkable horn player Mr. Katzen also has a keen sense of humor!
  • Performance: World Premiere of Gary Schocker’s In Arkadia: Our afternoon performance of Gary Schocker’s In Arkadia for Horn and Harp was very well received, and I’m excited that so many seemed to enjoy the piece. Several people spoke with me after the performance, and expressed interest in performing it themselves. Thanks again to composer Gary Schocker, and to the IHS Meir Rimon Commissioning Assistance Fund for helping to make this performance possible!
  • Evening Concert: Frank Lloyd, Jeff Nelsen, Gail Williams, Julie Landsman, Jennifer Montone, Tim Jones, and more! Today finished up with a concert featuring some of the stars of the horn world, playing a variety of virtuosic music. It was particularly interesting to hear so many different sound concepts, ranging from big and warm to clear and distinct. I heard several pieces which were new to me on the first half of the program, including James Stephenson’s Sonata for Horn and Piano (performed by Gail Williams and Kay Kim), and David Ludwig’s Six Haikus for Horn and Piano (performed by Jennifer Montone and Jennie Jung). Though I would have liked to stay for the entire concert, I was already exhausted from a long day and decided to head back to my room at intermission. The upside of leaving a bit early is that I had time to put together today’s report.

Tomorrow will be another busy day, full of many more exciting events. Highlights for me will be checking out some of the exhibit rooms, and attending the LA Philharmonic concert at the Hollywood Bowl. Stay tuned for more updates!

Upcoming Presentation: An Introduction to Solo Duet Training for Horns

July 12, 2015

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

I will round out my week at the 47th International Horn Symposium with a presentation titled “An Introduction to Solo Duet Training for Horns.” In addition to providing some background and more information about my new book from Mountain Peak Music, I’ll also demonstrate several excerpts, assisted by Dr. Gina Gillie from Pacific Lutheran University. Here’s an overview of the main topics to be covered in the lecture.

  • What is Solo Duet Training for Horns?
  • Pedagogical Duets: A Brief Historical Background
  • Contemporary Pedagogical Duets
  • Creating Solo Duet Training for Horns, with Demonstrations
  • Suggestions for Use, Other Comments

My goal for this presentation is to hopefully go beyond just plugging the new book – although I will have a few copies for sale afterwards! Duet playing has a long history in horn pedagogy, and I think attendees will come away with a better understanding of the history and practical applications of these materials, both past and present. There are lots of great online resources with sheet music and background information on historical horn duets, including the PDF library at Horn Matters and the horn page at IMSLP. In addition to these, one other site I plan to mention is “Plays Well with Others: Duets in Instrumental Treatises,” an online exhibit at the Yale University Music Library (curated by Eva M. Heater). If you haven’t visited this exhibit yet, make sure to check it out because it’s really well done!

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, creating these duets was a great learning experience, and at the very least I want to share some of the information gleaned along the way. The presentation handout will contain lots of examples, including some free samples from the book and suggestions for creating your own duets.

The presentation is scheduled for Friday, August 7th at 9:30 a.m. in the Grand Rehearsal Hall at the Colburn School. I’m really looking forward to presenting, and hope that you can join us. To close out this post, here’s a video demonstrating excerpts from a couple of the duets.

Upcoming Performance: University of Wisconsin-Madison Alumni Horn Ensemble

June 22, 2015

[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!

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