by Ken Bell

Ken Bell

My friend, George McCracken, left us all in early 2024. He left a tremendous legacy of horn design and creation, and a wealth of knowledge about repair, music, and acoustics.

He had several fine apprentices and protégés, one of which, Douglas Hall, has bought George’s business and will carry on the name McCracken Horns from his new shop in San Diego.

This will be a personal reminiscence of my moments with George.

I first met him on a trip to the King factory in Eastlake, Ohio. At the time, he was chief design engineer for brass instruments at King. George had worked with acoustician Arthur Benade to develop the famous “Eroica” bell. This was the late 70s and, on the advice of a fellow classmate from the Eastman School of Music, Brian Drake (retired, Los Angeles Philharmonic), I went to try George’s newly designed “Fidelio” model. He met me at the factory, gave me a tour and a selection of the new horns to try. The horn I settled on was perfect for my needs at the time, and I won my first 2 jobs on this instrument. George was friendly, gregarious and down-to-earth from our first meeting.

George McCracken

I met George again a few years later in his horn shop in Barhamsville, Virginia. My wife and I traveled to meet him to put a patch on an old Kruspe that I had acquired. The patch was practical yet elegant. He took plenty of time, showed us some new designs, chatted about his work on historical instruments and Williamsburg, and introduced me to A Prairie Home Companion, Garrison Keillor’s famous radio show.

About 15 years ago, I was reacquainted with George by our mutual friend, Doug Hall, who made twice-yearly trips from San Diego to help George in his new shop in West Point, Virginia. I had started doing instrument repair in Baltimore around this time, so I truly looked forward to my frequent trips to visit and learn. George was extremely knowledgeable, clever, and a quiet genius in my opinion. He loved the art of fine-tuning and improving an instrument. By his own admission, he preferred coming up with new solutions rather than assembly-line production. This explains why there are so many different McCracken horns. (Exceptions are the model 7 and the triple which were made multiple times). No matter how crazy some of them looked, everyone that I have played was superb. He built one of the finest “Geyer” wrap horns that I have ever played—but only one. There was little guess work; he knew what he was doing.

George attempted to help me in person or over the phone with any horn questions I had. I was able to incorporate many of his suggestions, even quick remarks, into my own business. Early on, George explained to me his bell cutting method. I have used his step-by-step advice for years, and never had a bad cut. If George couldn’t get done what he wanted to do, he would spend hours designing and making jigs and tools that would get the job done. A few years ago, I gave him an old King Kruspe model that had seen better days. Just for fun, he completely redesigned the horn with a new convertible leadpipe, cut bell, new trigger geometry, and redesigned third B-flat slide. He loved his work, and he helped me feel the same passion for mine.

Aside from horn making, there was much more to him. George was the choir director for many years at St. John’s Episcopal Church across the street from his home in West Point. He loved vocal music, and like his spouse, was an expert at it. I enjoyed playing at his church occasionally, along with several of his friends from the area. He was kind, thoughtful, and welcoming to visitors (like my wife and me), and devoted to his family members.

Two favorite memories: going to lunch at one of his favorite lunch spots. “Hot tea in a travel cup, please.” All of the waitresses knew and liked him. This is where he would tell stories of his youth in North Carolina…or the time when he was late for his ship in the Navy and ran to the ship, climbed the cargo net, and started playing with the band, the tardiness unnoticed by his superiors.

The last few years, as he slowed down a bit, George would enjoy talking with my wife and me in the shop about all sorts of things, but particularly music. George was a voracious listener of European classical radio broadcasts and streaming orchestral and opera broadcasts. He could share for hours what he discovered. One afternoon when he was too tired to work, we sat as he explained the fundamentals of acoustics for about 2 hours. I felt as if I had just taken an advanced college class, and most of it was over my head.

I will miss the visits and the answers to my horn questions, but mostly the friendly hello from George every time he answered the phone.

Ken Bell is a long-time professional hornist in the Baltimore/Washington D.C. area and has himself been in instrument repair for about 15 years.

by Myrddin Rees Davies

Hello everybody,

Those of you who follow the IHS on social media may have seen that our story was rather busy during IHS 56! For those who couldn’t make it, here’s a collection of photo highlights showing what an IHS Symposium looks like.

It goes without saying that, with so many wonderful events over the course of the five days, there is not nearly enough space to squeeze photos of everything into one report, and I hope nobody feels left out. I have tried to present symposium highlights rather than a documentation of everything that happened.

We would, of course, like to reiterate a huge thank you to the literal hundreds of wonderful guest artists, lecturers, competitors, exhibitors, organisers, and participants who made this such a success.

Day 1

Day 1 of an IHS Symposium is always special, whether you’re an established veteran meeting up with old friends or a “newbie” attending for the first time, it’s a unique feeling to arrive on campus and discover all that’s in store for you over the coming days.

This year, in addition to the usual opening concert, exhibit halls, lectures, and recitals, participants were in for a special treat: the first ever collaboration between the IHS and the International Horn Competition of America saw the finals of the IHCA’s University and Professional divisions.

Exhibits, panel talks, lectures, performances, competitions…IHS 56 had it all!

Day 2

Day 1 had set the bar high, but day 2 showed no signs of slowing! The day started with warmups and the Octet Horn Ensemble Competition, and among its many highlights were a performance by the US Airforce Academy Band, the University Horn Quartet and Jazz Competitions, and lectures on everything from the natural horn in fin-de-la siècle Paris to how to best select a mouthpiece.

The featured artist concert with the US Air Force Academy Band on Day Two
A panel from the Chromatic Brass Collective discussed their experiences and wonderful work that they do with their group	Participants immersed in another wonderful lecture

Day 3

Day 3 started with an important fixture of the annual calendar: the General Meeting. (IHS members, by now, you will have received a link to a video recording of this meeting, report documents, and details of how to get in touch with suggestions and other comments you may have).

Outgoing President Radegundis Feitosa hosts the general meeting
Embracing social media is more and more important fopr horn players of today - as Scott Leger explained in his lecture	Featured artist Radovan Vlatković in recital

Day 4

Massed horn choirs, the Premier Soloist competition, masterclasses from featured artists, and, of course, several lectures were all features of day 4. Part of the evening was dedicated to recently-departed horn legend Hermann Baumann, with a lecture on his relationship with the natural horn by Anneke Scott before featured artists took to the stage for the Hermann Baumann memorial concert.

The NUCORNO ensemble performed an arrangement of Holst's The Planets	IHS Symposiums can be a space for unusual collaborations!
Participants making the most of the Fort Collins sunshine	Featured artists in the Hermann Baumann memorial concert

Day 5

All good things must come to an end, and IHS Symposiums are no exception…but at least they come around once a year. It's a pleasure to share this year’s wonderful group photo, with a very full stage of happy horn players from all over the world.

If you couldn’t make it and looking at these photos is making you feel left out, don’t worry—check out details of IHS 57 below! 

Our wonderful IHS Community!

by Inman Hebert

The task of preparing for college auditions can seem daunting to any student. These auditions hold the power to alter a student’s immediate and long-term futures. Regardless of the stakes, taking a calculated approach makes the audition process more manageable.

Start early. That simple phrase can save immense hassle. At the beginning of September, students should already have a list of schools and an idea of what to play for each audition. For students not yet decided, see the Horn and More student column Deciding Where to Audition for College, published September 2023. Students who still need to finalize their audition material should review the institution’s requirements and follow the listed guidelines, which often require contrasting selections. Creating a chart will highlight potential overlap to narrow audition lists and focus preparation. Choose music that showcases your current strengths as a musician and stretches your potential but does not exceed your ability to polish each selection. With these ideas in mind, students have four to five months to prepare their lists fully.

The first part of college audition preparation involves working up each piece's basic notes and rhythms. As simple as it sounds, many students go into auditions rhythmically imprecise. Practicing with a metronome is paramount to rhythmic accuracy during the audition. The tempo of every audition piece needs to be checked metronomically on a near-daily basis to ensure that poor rhythmic habits never emerge. Slowing down the music can help students work on technical accuracy. Students can significantly improve their precision by practicing correctly at slower tempos and gradually increasing the tempo as capable. Paying careful attention to rhythmic and technical details of pieces creates a solid foundation on which to build.

Audition preparation requires dedication, consistency, and thoughtful practice. Attention to detail from the beginning will prevent mindless, repeated playing of the same music without improvement. Record and listen to yourself. Is the sound solid? Is the music in tune? Are the breaths being incorporated as marked? Break apart the different components of the music and put it together step by step.

When feeling overwhelmed, a student may be tempted to neglect fundamentals; however, some challenges in repertoire preparation may occur due to gaps in ability. For example, a student with struggles in the high range should address this issue daily with high-range exercises. Trying repeatedly to hit high B-flats in a Mozart concerto will be useless if the note is not achievable in fundamental sessions. The same concept applies to articulation, stopped horn, low horn, and many other fundamental areas of horn playing.

Another major challenge of college auditions can be knowing how to divide practice time to prepare all music to the same standard. Many professors recommend dividing pieces into three categories grouped by proficiency. In a week, most preparation time should be spent on the weakest of the three categories, with progressively less time on the more prepared categories. At the end of the week, reevaluate preparation levels and regroup the music. Then, “rinse and repeat.”

After a certain level of technical preparation, focus on musicality. College audition repertoire can generally be divided into three major categories: etudes, solo repertoire, and excerpts. Each category holds its musical challenges which require different styles of preparation.

Etude preparation is often seen as a battle for technical accuracy. However, even the most straightforward Kopprasch etude contains musical phrases that can be brought out. Preparing technical etudes as lyrical pieces brings out their musicality and makes the piece's technical challenges seem less daunting. Rather than focusing on each note of the piece, focus on creating longer musical phrases; this actually assists overall accuracy.

For solo repertoire, listen to recordings to understand their musicality. Listening to performers’ musical interpretations can help shape the way you perform. In practice, after having reasonable technical control over the repertoire, work on the phrasing of the music. Create broad musical phrases which convey your musical self in performance.

Most orchestral excerpts, on the other hand, offer less musical freedom. Orchestral excerpts require an extraordinary amount of attention to detail. In addition to practicing the correct notes and rhythms, preparing excerpts involves comprehending their context. By listening to the orchestra parts, one can learn to play the excerpt in an appropriate style.

Students worried about college audition day might want to reference Be Yourself: A Constructive Approach to College Auditions in the January 2024 Horn and More Student Column; however, do not neglect performance before auditioning. Play audition selections for anyone willing to listen, from band directors to music teachers to parents. Practicing the art of performing for others can help assuage the nerves of audition day. With repetition and simulation of audition day conditions, one can maximize their chances of success.

by Marty Schlenker

Dear Fellow Amateurs,

This month, amateur Jay Kosta is featured. Jay contributed to this column two months ago with a helpful embouchure treatise. Now, more about Jay.

Jay grew up in Cleveland and began his musical life playing the trumpet. His first lessons were at the music shop where his trumpet was purchased. These were followed by lessons from a faculty member of the Cleveland Institute.

After college, Jay relocated to Binghamton NY, which was a hub of employment for IBM. He sought to join the IBM Band there, which had been active since 1915. The trumpet section was full, but the band needed horn players, and they loaned him a single F horn.

The appeal of the horn grew, and Jay purchased a King double horn and later a Yamaha 668. While Jay doesn’t try to emulate the sound and style of any specific professional, his Cleveland roots influence him to go for a big, rich sound, which the 668 enables. Jay has been through a few mouthpieces before settling on a Conn 7. Jay found that its narrow throat improves upper register intonation.

The IBM Band reflected the company’s penchant for organization. Jay recounts that the band put on 20 performances annually, with music chosen specifically for each week, on a three-year programming cycle. The sixty programs were filed with folders for each chair. Concerts would be preceded by a single rehearsal—a whirlwind for new members, but “all in a week’s work” for band veterans.

In 2001, economic conditions led IBM to eliminate the Band. The grand finale of the IBM Band was Jay’s most memorable performance. Their weekly outdoor concerts had been drawing 30-40, but news that the band was shutting down spread far and wide, and a standing-room crowd of 500+ bid them farewell. The program included the IBM march, Ever Onward, and Billie Holiday’s I’ll be Seeing You.

A few years before, Jay had also joined the Maine Community Band, an even older institution, operating continuously since 1861. In addition to concerts, the Maine Band participates in parades on a band wagon pulled by a pickup.

Jay observed this about his role in his section: “I play second these days. My job is to make the first horn sound great.” And about his section’s role within the community band: “The role of trombone and horn is to reinforce the trumpet section…provide them a foundation to ride on.”

Jay credits The Trumpet Herald and its well-organized forums for horn-transferable insights. Jay sees many more similarities than differences in trumpet and horn pedagogy, noting that both teachers and students have to overcome the fact that fine movements are hidden and difficult to describe.

High register playing is a universal topic, in addition to balancing pressure between the upper and lower lips, and the role of the tongue. Jay once was stuck at G or A above the staff. “I was doing the ‘Armstrong Method,’ and it wasn’t going anywhere. But playing isn’t about pain tolerance. It’s finesse, a skill game with very fine movements. Now when I’m fresh, I can reach the upper C. When I’m in my basement, I can play Wagner’s horn call.”

Jay’s experience reminds us that the internet can be a great gift to those who strive for self-improvement. Jay read, listened, watched, experimented, trialed, and achieved.

How many of you out there have been led to playing opportunities at work? What forums have helped you improve your playing? Please let us know by contacting me at marty.schlenker@cavaliers.org.

Your servant and kindred spirit,

Marty Schlenker
Amateur hornist