Entrevue du mois – Gene Berger, hôte du 50e symposium
Traduction de Marie-Michèle Bertrand
Kristina Mascher-Turner: Pouvez-vous nommer trois bonnes raisons de se rendre au 50e symposium cet été?
Gene Berger: Le thème est « Le cor : une histoire en or » (The Golden History of Horn). J’ai eu l’idée de revisiter les traditions et la merveilleuse histoire de notre répertoire et de nos interprètes. Puisqu’il s’agit du 50e anniversaire, je voulais inclure l’or dans la thématique. Nous ferons donc un retour sur les 50 dernières années de la société (IHS) et nous soulignerons les personnalités et évènements monumentaux qui ont marqué ce demi-siècle. Il y aura, entre autres, des conférences quotidiennes qui revisiteront certains évènements de notre passé. Un merci tout spécial à Jeffrey Snedeker, président, pour avoir peaufiné les détails de cette série de conférences. De plus, il y aura plusieurs ensembles auxquels les participants seront invités à se joindre pendant le symposium. Je rêve de voir tous les cornistes jouer, peu importe leur niveau, et rencontrer de nouveaux amis ou renouer avec d’anciennes connaissances.
KMT: Qu’est-ce qui vous a surpris le plus de votre rôle d’hôte jusqu’ici?
GB: Les surprises du monde moderne. Il y a eu, entre autres, des problèmes d’un point de vue juridique. Les universités sont très prudentes face à la question des mineurs, des transactions monétaires, et par rapport aux embauches d’invités par contrat sur le campus. Plusieurs détails sont continuellement en changement dans le système opérationnel d’une université. Les politique sont modifiées et c’est parfois impossible de le savoir avant de remettre un formulaire. La plupart du temps, il s’agit de changements dûs à des questions juridiques ou au fait que les institutions tentent de protéger et de comprendre les modifications des lois ou des règlements au niveau de l’État ou au niveau national.
KMT: Pouvez-vous nous parler un peu des artistes invités qui nous inspirerons pendant le symposium?
GB: Tout d’abord, nous recevrons le gagnant du International Horn Competition of America, Joshua Williams, qui se produira en récital et qui présentera la première d’un concerto de Amir Zaheri avec le US Army Field Band. Puis, lors de la dernière soirée du symposium, Frank Lloyd se joindra au même ensemble pour la première d’une composition d’Howard Buss. David Amram se produira avec l’ensemble de jazz Edlon Matlick et présentera une conférence pour tous intitulée « Les principes de base du jazz, blues en Fa » (Jazz Fundamentals, Blues in F). J’ai également invité Frøydis Ree Wekre, Gregory Hustis et Carolyn Wahl qui présenteront des cours de maître et conférences aux membres de IHS. Plusieurs nouveaux visages se joindront aux artistes invités dont Robert Danforth du Indianapolis Symphony, Kevin Rivard du San Francisco Opera, Jonathan Hammill du Tokyo Symphony et Leelanee Sterrett du New York Philharmonic. Bien sûr, nous retrouverons certains visages connus comme Karl Pituch, Elizabeth Freimuth et Denyse Tryon. Finalement, le Alloy Horn Quartet de la région de Chicago se joindra à nous comme ensemble invité sans oublier le fait que nous sommes très chanceux d’avoir le US Army Field Band en résidence pendant deux jours au symposium. Les activités se termineront d’ailleurs avec un concert de l’ensemble.
KMT: Tous ceux qui ont déjà organisé une conférence de cette taille connaissent bien l’énorme quantité d’heures qui doivent être mises dans la préparation. Comment conciliez-vous travail/famille cette année?
GB: J’ai veillé à être davantage disponible tôt dans la journée. En général, je réussi à abattre plus de travail et de pratique aux premières heures. J’essaie de me coucher tôt et de commencer tôt avec les détails. Je commence toujours avec mon réchauffement, avant même d’ouvrir mes courriels.
KMT: Parlez-nous du thème de la semaine, « Le cor : une histoire en or ». Que signifie-t-il pour vous et comment sera-t-il représenté pendant le symposium?
GB: Je voulais inclure le concept de l’or dans l’idée puisqu’il s’agit du 50e symposium. Puis, j’ai toujours été intrigué par l’histoire et les coutumes de l’instrument. Nous avons énormément de magnifiques traditions et compositions pour le cor. Je veux que les gens jouent et parlent de l’histoire et des traditions qui forment notre métier. Nous avons besoin de nous rappeler les raisons pour lesquelles nous jouons de cet instrument afin de bien lancer les 50 prochaines années. Les temps changent et nous avons une richesse de connaissances à notre disposition, mais il arrive que notre histoire perde de son éclat devant tant de nouvelles idées émergentes et peu de temps pour explorer le passé.
KMT: Y aura-t-il des excursions ou d’autres activités? Y a-t-il des attractions locales à ne pas manquer?
GB: Pour le moment, nous voulons organiser une pause-café tous les après-midis dans le centre étudiant où auront lieu les expositions et conférences. De plus, nous avons un magnifique marché public ouvert les mercredis soir et samedis matin pendant l’été. Je souhaite également organiser une grande réception après un des concerts où nous pourrons assister, je l’espère, aux finales de la compétition jazz. Finalement, le prix de la nourriture est relativement bas à Muncie et il y a plusieurs bars, microbrasseries et restaurants à distance de marche du pavillon de musique et/ou du centre-ville.
KMT: Qu’est-ce qui vous a inspiré à commencer le cor et qu’est-ce qui vous a motivé à continuer?
GB: Depuis la première année, j’ai toujours voulu jouer du cor. J’ai débuté avec la trompette, en 6e année, et après seulement trois mois, j’ai réussi à convaincre le directeur de mon harmonie de me laisser jouer du cor. J’ai eu la chance d’avoir un professeur incroyable comme chef d’orchestre qui a suggéré que je prenne des cours de cor avec Frederick Schmitt. Si vous ne connaissez pas Fred, faites vos recherches.
KMT: Quels conseils offririez-vous à ceux qui pensent devenir hôte d’une conférence?
GB: Assurez-vous d’avoir tout par courriel. La plupart des gens restent vagues à propos de leur prix et de leur fonctionnement dans de grandes institutions. Je suggère de vous rendre au bureau des opérations de votre établissement et de demander à votre président de négocier un contrat. Vous vous lancez vraisemblablement dans une situation unique et il se peut que l’université ne sache pas entièrement comment gérer l’idée. Rappelez-vous que chacun souhaite que la participation de son département/secteur soit rentable.
KMT: Vous êtes actifs en tant que musicien d’orchestre, chambriste et pédagogue depuis plusieurs années. Y a-t-il un aspect que vous préférez de votre carrière, et pourquoi?
GB: Je n’ai pas de préférence pour un aspect ou un autre de ma carrière. Ça n’a été que progression et recherche de balance. Certains aspects de jouer quotidiennement dans un orchestre me manquent, mais aujourd’hui, je sens que ma carrière est plus variée. J’aime beaucoup essayer de nouvelles choses et jouer à temps plein aurait pu restreindre la possibilité de nouvelles opportunités.
KMT: Quand vous avez un moment pour mettre le cor de côté, quels sont vos autres intérêts?
GB: J’ai beaucoup d’autres intérêts, mais le cor domine toutes mes activités. La plupart du temps, je suis occupé par mes obligations familiales; mes trois enfants et ma femme, qui endurent le cor et tout ce qui l’entoure. J’adore faire du surf, aller camper et partir en randonnée, mais je ne trouve plus le temps de faire ces activités aujourd’hui.
Gene P. Berger est professeur associé de cor à Ball State University et il est membre du Musical Arts Woodwind Quintet. En plus de son poste de professeur, M. Berger est le cor solo du Southwest Florida Symphony. Avant sa nomination à Ball State University en 2010, M. Berger était membre du Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, du Cincinnati Pops et du Florida Orchestra. On peut l’entendre sur plusieurs enregistrements avec le Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, dirigé par Erich Kunzel, et sur les enregistrements gagnants de Grammys du Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra dirigé par Paavo Järvi.
M. Berger est un pédagogue actif, ayant enseigné à Interlochen Arts Academy et à Central Florida University. Il a offert des cours de maître, conférences, récitals éducatifs et ateliers à travers l’Amérique du Nord. Pendant la période estivale, M. Berger fait partie du corps professoral du Music for All Camp et du Filarmonica Joven de Colombia.
Pathways at IHS 50
by Adam Wolf
The life of a freelancer in L.A. can be, at its worst, merely interesting, but at its best, absolutely magical. Every day is a different gig, with different players, in different cities within Southern California. The one thing we all have in common, however, is that we all spend tons of time on the freeway. What we all do in that time varies. Some like books on tape, some use the drive time to call friends and family we otherwise don't have time to call, or like me, some of us listen to podcasts. One day I was driving to a gig, listening to some nerdy podcast, and thought to myself, “I'm going to try and find a podcast dealing with horn.” From here, a troubling realization happened. The horn community, arguably the most nerdy, most communal, and most curious of all the instruments, didn’t have a dedicated podcast! This simply wouldn’t do. It was at this point, where I reached out to my good friend Scott Bacon, and the brainstorming began.
Since Pathways started almost a year ago, we've heard many compelling stories starting with Bernhard Scully, and have since heard a dozen interviews with many more waiting to be released. Thanks to our wonderful listening audience, thousands of people have already gotten to come along for the journey as we dive into the road that leads some of the names we know and love to become the players we aspire to be. We have many exciting events planned for year two of Pathways, and one of those experiences is LIVE podcasting.
The Horn in Australia
IHS Members Only Feature
From The Horn Call, February 2010
by Marilyn Bone Kloss
Australia has a long and rich history of horn playing and composition. Barry Tuckwell is its best-known player by dint of his world-wide reputation as a soloist, but he was not the first horn player in Australia, and many more excellent players fill the ensembles and conservatories today.
Early Hornists and Horn Societies
Two of the best-known hornists in Australia in the 20th century are Alan Mann and Alexander Grieve.
Alan Mann played in the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and taught at the Sydney Conservatorium. Barry Tuckwell (born 1931) moved to Sydney at age 16 to study with Alan and be his assistant in the orchestra before he moved to London. Alfred Hill (1869-1960) dedicated a Concerto for Horn and a Sonata for Horn and Piano (1947), later adapted as Serenade for Horn and String Quartet, to Alan Mann. Graham Powning has written and arranged many works for four horns, one called Homage to Alan Mann (1998).
Alex Grieve (1923-2006) was a member of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra for thirty years, played in many other orchestras, founded the Melbourne Horn Club, and was a teacher and a supporter of community music. He was an IHS Advisory Council member (1971-1977), and was given the IHS Punto award in 1986 at Detmold, Germany. In Australia, he was awarded the Order of Australia medal in 1994 and the TOAN (Australian National Orchestra) Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005.
An Australian-American Collaboration: Thoughts on the making of The Christmas Album
by members of the Queensland Symphony Horns and the American Horn Quartet
Geoffrey Winter: The last AHQ CD production was one I approached with both excitement and sadness. After 30 years of playing chamber music with some of the most talented musicians I have ever had the privilege of working with, I knew that this Christmas CD would be our last project together. At the same time I was excited to have the chance to work with other talented hornists. In the previous 5 years I had several opportunities to work with many members of the QSO horn section, so I knew the production would be a treat. I wasn't disappointed! Some of my favorite recollections include hearing both Lauren and Viv, along with Charlie of course, playing low horn licks that made my jaw drop. And Charlie showed a gifted talent as a percussionist. And I will also never forget the bone-shaking experience of hearing a didgeridoo up close and personal - I had no idea just how loud and mesmerising it would be! Bravo to Harry Wilson! And also to Pete, Malcolm, Lauren, Viv and Ian, who all played an essential role in making this last AHQ CD come to life. It was a fitting epilogue to the career of the AHQ.
Vivienne Collier-Vickers: There are some events in your life that you know you will remember. But not for the reasons you might think. The AHQ have worked together for decades carving out a career as a spectacularly successful horn quartet, touring the world and making recordings that sell to quite a niche market. The QSO horns, while we enjoy playing as a section both professionally and personally, would never have expected to be a part of such a unique experience as recording, not only a CD with the AHQ but a Christmas one at that! For the AHQ, it was a commemorative CD as it was the last they would do as a group; nevertheless, they showed their experience and expertise throughout the sessions of recording the wonderful music compiled for the CD. To them it all seemed like it was ‘all in a days work’.
From the Audio Archives
The first president of the International Horn Society was an Australian. Perhaps you’ve heard the name “Barry Tuckwell” somewhere before? His contribution to modern horn history is vast and profound. Whether as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral player, conductor, teacher, or author, it is nearly impossible to exaggerate the debt we owe him and his artistry. This recording of the Danzi Sonata in E-flat is from the IHS archives, featuring his live performance at the 1973 Symposium at Pomona College in Claremont, California. Sir Barry’s facile technique and effortless elegance shine throughout.
The Joy of Teaching Horn
by Ysolt Clark
As part of a teaching team in Brisbane, Australia, I experience the joy of teaching horn almost every day. Along with Peter Luff, I teach students at the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University. I’m also lucky enough to combine a performance career and a private teaching studio, providing me a varied and rewarding way to spend my time.
Over the last twenty years or so, the style of educational delivery has developed and transformed in Australia, in both the general and music-specific communities. There is a far greater expectation of a co-learning experience. Gradually there has been the lessening of a master/pupil structure and a growing sense of collaborative work, both in one-to-one teaching and in a group situation. For the most part I really enjoy and relish this, and it is exciting to see the empowerment that occurs with the students who take advantage of all that is offered. Our particular teaching school has also had a significant and ongoing success rate. We have had some very exciting and inspirational guests, something that we are open to and take advantage of regularly.
Teaching is always learning. I’m of the view that we all need to be functional horn players and expressive musicians, and this is what we work towards in university. The path that each student takes in order to become a working professional in music varies, however. That is part of what I enjoy: finding solutions so that each horn student can develop their skills so that their music making career is confident and enjoyable.
At the Queensland Conservatorium we do group work two or three times a week. It’s a positive approach to creating a foundation and an opportunity for everyone to stretch their abilities and do things that they might not have been able to do before.
"VISIONS OF SPAIN" A Horn & Piano Soirée
JAVIER BONET, Horn and MIRIAM GÓMEZ-MORÁN, Piano
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York City
Wednesday, February 7, 2018 at 8 PM
"Vision of Spain" is a monumental series of 14 paintings by Spanish master Joaquin Sorolla" commissioned by millionaire Archer Milton Huntington for the Hispanic Society in New York.
In the recital "Visions of Spain, A Horn & Piano Soirée," Javier Bonet and Miriam Gómez-Morán will present their own vision of Spain, throughout a very uncommon chamber music ensemble: french horn and piano.
A very original program which will encompass not only one of the most characteristic pieces for this ensemble such as Adagio & Allegro by Schumann, but also the American premiere of Juan J, Colomer's work "Visions", followed by a very challenging and interesting part: a selection of pieces of their last CD "]ust for Fun", presented in America for the first time. Transcriptions of pieces originally written for voice, violin, cello or piano by Turina, Ravel, Granados, Piazzola, Cassadó or Sarasate among others. All these will require the grandest virtuosity and lyricism from the horn, not only technically but also in sound and color.
All in all, "Visions of Spain, A Horn & Piano Soirée" is a different view of the Spanish musical flavor, connecting the folklore to the contemporary, throughout a marvelous couple formed by these two instruments.
IHS members: log in to see your special 20% discount code for tickets to this recital!
This concert has been made possible by the Programme of the state agency Acción Cultural Española (AC/E)
Recollections of Richard Merewether
By Willi Watson
I was delighted to hear the news from Tim Jones, principal horn of the London Symphony Orchestra, that Richard Merewether's book "The Horn, The Horn..." is to be republished in 2018. I was involved with the original publication in 1978 as Sales Manager of Paxman Horns. Dick (as he was always known) was, of course, the brilliant and innovative designer for the London-based company. Fluent writer that he was, my main task was to mop his brow occasionally! In my ten years with Paxman (during which they went from a relatively obscure company to one of the top horn makers in the world), I worked increasingly closely with him and was privileged to form a friendship with him, which I value to this day.
Dick's forebears founded the town of Merewether, which is part of Newcastle, a town famed for coal production north of Sydney. He started playing the horn at school with an Italian teacher on an instrument made by Rampone & Cazzani, which was "not too bad...", according to Dick. He was being urged to go into the family business as he approached his mid-teens, but rebelled quite forcibly, eventually persuading his parents that he wished to pursue music as a career. Subsequently he was accepted to study at the "Con", later to become the Sydney Conservatoire. The instrumentalists there became the founders of the modern Sydney Symphony Orchestra, as there was an acute shortage of experienced musicians in Australia after WW2. As a result, in 1946, at just 19 years of age, Dick found himself as 2nd horn to Englishman Charles Gregory, former principal horn of Sir Thomas Beecham’s London Philharmonic Orchestra, which had been disbanded for the duration of WW2.
Whilst at the "Con", Dick became great friends with a violinist from Melbourne called Patricia Tuckwell. Her younger brother Barry, encouraged to play the horn aged 13, became 3rd horn of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at 15 and then 5th in the Sydney Symphony. Both Dick and Barry were influenced by Charlie Gregory's lovely playing and by his and his wife Beatrice's tales of the opportunities for performing in London and the UK. When the Gregorys returned to England in 1950, Dick went with them to a new and exciting life,Tuckwell following a year later.
