by John McGuire
Hello fellow hornists!
This month has seen a flurry of activities in preparation for our August IHS 56 Symposium. The team has spent several weeks crafting what we believe will be a very strong schedule for the week. We have many wonderful performances, presentations, masterclasses, and other exciting events, and I would encourage everyone to go through the schedule—which is now posted at www.hornsonthehorizon.com—and find all the sessions and concerts that interest you. I guarantee that there are many opportunities for everyone to learn and be inspired!
Of course, we are all excited about the Featured Artists’ performances and masterclasses—who wouldn’t be! But I would like to draw special attention to a few other exciting offerings. Notably, there will be a large number of outstanding Contributing Artists sharing their talents and new works for horn, and presenting research that pertains to all of us. I personally can’t wait to see and hear them all…or at least as many as I can physically attend!
Additionally, we will be hosting late-night sessions after the evening concerts. These sessions will be informal interviews with many of our Featured Artists. It will be a chance for all of us to sit down with these icons of the horn world and get to know them in a more comfortable, relaxed atmosphere. (If you have ever had the chance to see the American television program Inside the Actors’ Studio, that’s how I envision these gatherings.)
Last, please make plans to attend what will surely be a wonderful and emotional tribute concert to Hermann Baumann, who recently passed away. Undoubtedly one of the finest horn players in history, Hermann’s impact on players around the world cannot be overstated, and it’s difficult to imagine someone who has had a greater influence on so many. This concert will be the featured evening performance on Thursday, August 1st—which would have been Baumann’s 90th birthday. There will be many terrific individual performances and tributes, and I’m sure there won’t be a dry eye in the house.
Please register now for IHS 56, if you have not already done so. We look forward to seeing you in Colorado!
