Taking and Ending Breaks from Playing Horn
Thoughts from Richard King (Cleveland Orchestra), David Cooper (Berlin Philharmonic), and Jeff Nelsen (Canadian Brass).
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| Richard King Cleveland Orchestra |
As summer begins, we horn players may find ourselves gently slipping into the familiar seasonal routines. Students who are happily having a break from the classroom may also have an interruption of private lessons or not have access to their school-owned instruments.
Teachers and performers, novices or experts, amateurs and pros could have an entirely different schedule from the rest of the year—Maybe we have some outdoor band concerts. Maybe we travel to a chamber music festival. Maybe our orchestras move into their summer home. Maybe we teach at clinics. Maybe we have a various combination of all these things.
Probably the one thing that most of us will have at one point or another this summer is- a BREAK from HORN PLAYING!!! Whether or not it is intended, all of us will find ourselves with time away from our instrument now and then. Family vacation? Road trip? Cruise? Didn’t get around to it? Didn’t feel like it?
As a thirty-year veteran of the Cleveland Orchestra, I have seen most every situation that has caused me to hit the pause button and find myself on some type of horn playing hiatus. Most common to me however, especially as a twenty-year principal horn player, was the INTENTIONAL hiatus! My whole being would cry out for relief from the grind, both physical and mental. With my orchestra work schedule I eventually fell into the habit of taking two larger yearly breaks of about two weeks each. In June and December at the end of a long run of concerts, I would put my Conn 8D in the case and put it out of my mind. I closed down those weeks in my schedule book and very rarely took outside work, saving those rare exceptions for very special opportunities.
At first I would wonder if I would remember how to play at all when I returned to my instrument. Would all my skills be gone forever? How long to get back to normal--- a day? A week? A month? Would I be able to find a fingering chart? Would the valves be frozen? Where did I leave my Kopprasch and Gallay books?
Pedagogy — Javier Bonet
IHS Members Only: Bonus Video - Javier Bonet
Still waiting to join the IHS? Do it today!
English version
Mi admirado y querido amigo Ab Koster me anima a escribir un apunte pedagógico para la Newsletter de la International Horn Society.
Me gustaría hablar de la importancia que tiene para mí, el conocimiento de la trompa natural y sus fundamentos acústicos para el estudio y el desarrollo tanto técnico como musical del trompista contemporáneo.
Como muchos sabéis, en la Escuela Superior de Música de Catalunya (ESMUC) de Barcelona, donde desarrollo mi labor pedagógica desde hace casi 20 años, enseñamos tanto la trompa moderna como la trompa natural. Además en el caso de esta última, puede ser abordada no sólo como complemento de la formación en trompa moderna sino como instrumento principal. (www.esmuc.cat)
En este breve comentario y en el vídeo que se adjunta, (que recomiendo visionar pues es de gran ayuda para comprender todo mejor) trataré de explicar por qué considero que hoy en día es imprescindible para cualquier profesional conocer estos fundamentos.
Pedagogy — Javier Bonet
IHS Members Only: Bonus Video - Javier Bonet
Still waiting to join the IHS? Do it today!
English translation coming soon.
Javier Bonet began his studies in Spain under the tutelage of his father and M. Rodrigo in Valencia, continuing his studies in Essen, Germany, with Hermann Baumann. Bonet is a tireless a world-wide soloist and chamber musician. Among numerous recordings stand out a version of Mozart’s horn concertos with the Munich Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hermann Baumann and his latest recording, “Just For Fun” which contains his own transcriptions of some popular music for piano, violin, cello or voice. Being a prize-winner himself in various international competitions he is now active in the jury of the most reputed competitions (Porcia, Geneva or the ARD in Munich)Javier Bonet belongs to the national Orchestra of SPAIN and teaches natural and modern horn at ESMUC in Barcelona.
VÍ Edición del Curso Internacional de Corno Natural y Moderno
El Curso Internacional para Corno Natural y Moderno comienza como un proyecto de enseñanza del Corno en Venezuela en el año 2010.
Desde su origen, se presenta como una iniciativa que ayuda al crecimiento artístico de los alumnos y aporta un evento de talla internacional para el desarrollo cultural del país con clases, charlas, conciertos y otros eventos artísticos relacionados.
Se pretende, una vez al año, contar con la presencia de músicos de altísimo nivel para la enseñanza especializada de los instrumentos y ofrecer a través de este proyecto un aporte a la cultura musical del país
En esta primera edición en Panamá, estaremos brindando, a través de conciertos de alumnos y maestros invitados, clases magistrales, conferencias y otras actividades relacionadas, una experiencia académica intensiva para los participantes al curso y una inolvidable propuesta cultural al público en general.
Los participantes contarán con todas las comodidades en instalaciones adecuadas, equipadas con tecnología de punta, para recibir el máximo de información durante 4 días consecutivos de clases magistrales, conferencias y conciertos,
Los estudiantes recibirán certificado de participación avalado por la Facultad de Bellas Artes de la Universidad de Panamá.
Panamá por su ubicación privilegiada es uno de los centros turísticos y de negocios más importante de la región que cuenta con un excelente sistema de conexiones aéreas y comunicación marítima hacia el mundo entero. Es reconocida por sus bellísimos escenarios naturales y cuenta además con múltiples opciones de alojamiento y variedad gastronómica
Su creciente y pujante desarrollo económico, social y cultural hace de este país un destino muy atractivo.
PARA MÁS INFORMACIÓN SOBRE EL EVENTO, DIRIGIRSE A: hornstudiopty@gmail.com
IV Edition of the International Course of Natural and Modern Horn.
by Joel Arias, IHS Representative for Panama and Venezuela
The International Course for Natural and Modern Horn begins as a teaching project for horn players in Venezuela in 2010.
Since the beginning, it is presented as an initiative that helps the artistic growth of students and provides an international event for the cultural development of the country with classes, talks, concerts and other related artistic events.
It is intended, once a year, to have the presence of musicians of the highest level for the specialized teaching of the instruments and to offer through this project a contribution to the musical culture of the country.
In this first edition in Panama, we will be offering -through students and invited teachers- master classes, conferences and other related activities, it will be an intensive academic experience for the participants of the course and an unforgettable cultural proposal to the general public.
The participants will have all the comforts in adequate facilities, equipped with the most modern technology, to receive the maximum information during 4 consecutive days of master classes, conferences and concerts.
Students will receive a certificate of participation endorsed by the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Panama.
Panama, due to its privileged location, is one of the most important tourist and business centers in the region with an excellent system of air and sea connections to the whole world.
It is known for its beautiful natural settings and also has multiple accommodation options and gastronomic variety.
Panamá with its constant economic, social and cultural development makes this place a very attractive destination.
For more information about the event, go to: hornstudiopty@gmail.com
English translation by Gabriella Ibarra
Come study new music in Germany this summer!
by Christine Chapman (IHS Area Representative, Germany)
The 2018 International Summer Courses for New Music in Darmstadt (Germany), from July 14 till 28, present an exclusive academy for all brass players. The faculty is Christine Chapman- horn, Marco Blaauw-trumpet, Mike Svoboda-trombone, and Melvyn Poore-tuba. They offer their expertise and share their experience in the performance of contemporary repertoire, improvisation and the development of new repertoire. They teach playing technique, art of performance, practice and learning methods and offer healthy experiments with sound. This academy is embedded in the International Summer Courses and therefore guarantees the exchange with many composers and fellow students.
The summer courses offer a unique chance to collect new ideas, develop new projects, hear many concerts, and to meet an international network of musicians. All in all, an incredible opportunity to widen your horizons!
It is still possible to sign up for this year's academy. Please contact Christine Chapman (christine.chapman@musikfabrik.eu), the academy coordinator Marco Blaauw (info@marcoblaauw.com) or visit the website at www.internationales-musikinstitut.de/en/ferienkurse/
Third International Etna Horn Festival
by Angelo Bonaccorso (IHS Area Representative - Italy)
Preparations are underway for the third edition of the Horn Festival of Etna from 18 to 22 August 2018 promoted and organized by the FEBASI (Sicilian Bands Federation), for two years a real family of hornists has come from all parts of Italy and from abroad in a beautiful setting that is that of the Etna landscape between woods and volcanic land.
This year there will be great international guests including Hervè Joulain (first solo horn of the Orchestre Nationale de France), Guglielmo Pellarin (first solo horn of the Orchestra of the National Academy of Santa Cecilia), Giovanni Hoffer (3rd horn of the Municipal Theater of Bologna and International Jazz Artist), Angelo Bonaccorso (3rd horn of the Teatro Massimo V.Bellini of Catania), and the conductor Antonino Manuli. Here you can see their video of invitation to the Festival:
THE PROGRAM
A rich program of events kick off with the inaugural concert that will go down in the festival’s history! The legendary jazz hornist Giovanni Hoffer will play a solo concerto accompanied by the well-known HJO Jazz Orchestra from Catania in the marvelous amphitheater in Zafferana Etnea. It will be the first time that one horn player performs as soloist with a jazz big band!
The second day at the Auditorium of Zafferana Etnea will feature a recital of the festival’s guest horn players with music by R.Strauss, J.Brahms, R.Schumann, and L.V.Beethoven.
The third day will give space to the horn players who will participate in the Festival. Several young hornists will perform as soloists with piano accompaniment.
On the fourth day, the final concert will take place at the "La Cantoniera" refuge (Nicolosi Nord) in a marvelous tourist area near the extinct craters of Etna with the participation of all the hornists, directed by Maestro Manuli. In addition to the horn players, a group of Alpine horns from the Canton of Ticino will delight us with their fantastic sound.
During the Festival we will have the exhibition of various brands of horns thanks to our partners: Musical instruments Casalanguida (available free for the Festival participants to carry out repairs) and Miceli Music Store (offering many fantastic services to the participants).
5 days of music, friendship, beautiful places and great food.
So dear friends, hornists of all ages and all levels, what are you waiting for? Join the crowd!
For more information visit the FESTIVAL WEB PAGE and the FACEBOOK PAGE
