by Dr. Young-Yul Kim

In order to introduce “Horn Playing in Korea” to IHS families throughout the world, I returned to my earliest memories of when I started playing the horn.

In 1972, when I was in third year of Junior High, I rented my first horn, which was a Conn that had many holes covered by tape, and I remember trying to make a sound on it. Later in High School, I bought an old Conn 8D and practiced on it. Then, in college, I had the good fortune to buy an Alexander 103. Everyone was envious – all my colleagues wanted to try my new horn.

During my school years, there were two orchestras in Seoul: the Seoul Philharmonic and the National Symphony, and they played very few concerts. Rarely did foreign orchestras perform in Korea. I still remember two concerts that had a big musical influence on me – the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the Berlin Philharmonic Octet.

In 1977, when I was a sophomore in college, the Sejong Cultural Center, one of the largest concert halls in Seoul, was built. Celebratory concerts were held every day for almost two months. Various orchestras, opera companies, wind ensembles, and renowned soloists from all over the world performed there – it was a very good experience for me. Concerts by the Philadelphia Orchestra and Eastman Wind Ensemble influenced me so much that I received my Master’s degree from Temple University, studying with professors Mason Jones, Daniel Williams, Randy Gardner, and Joe de Angelis. Then I earned my Doctoral degree at the Eastman School of Music, studying with professor Verne Reynolds.

When I returned to Korea in 1990, I joined KBS Symphony Orchestra as the associate principal, and I began my career as a professor at the Seoul National University in 1994. I tried to invite renowned horn players and wind players as often as possible to provide my students with diverse master classes. I believe these experiences played a significant role in enhancing my student’s education and developing the wind sections of the Korean orchestras.

My students’ participation in 1995 Yamagata and 2000 Beijing IHS Symposiums were also positive influences, and one of them even won second place in the Philip Farkas competition.

Influential horn players who have given master classed in Korea include Phil Meyer, the New York Philharmonic horn section, Randy Gardner, Daniel Williams and Jeffrey Lang of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Radovan Vlatkovic of the Salzburg Mozarteum, Eric Ruske, Jeff Nelsen, Hermann Baumann, Frank Lloyd, Radek Baborak, David Pyatt, Jacque Adnet, Hans Pizka, Carsten Duffin, Xiaoming Han, James Smelser, Andrew Bain, Peter Kurau, Peter Landgren, William Purvis, Jasper de Waal, Olivier Darbellay, and many more.

Now there are over 40 orchestras in Korea and an Orchestra Festival is held annually at the Seoul Arts Center. Some of the popular repertory performed there includes works by R. Strauss, Mahler, Bruckner, Wagner, and Stravinsky. I would like to believe that this exposure has resulted in the huge growth of the Korean horn sections.

Here are links to the performances of Beethoven Egmont Overture, arranged by Alan Civil, and Tico Tico performed by Frank Lloyd and SukJoon Lee with the KHS Horn Ensemble at the 2013 Korea International Music Festival.

Prof. Young-Yul Kim DMA College of Music, Seoul National University

English version

한국의 혼 연주에 대해 전세계에 있는 IHS 식구들에게 알리기 위해 글을 쓰기 시작하다 보니

내가 혼을 배우기 시작하던 시기로 자연스럽게 돌아가게 됩니다.

중학교 3학년이던 1972년 서울시향의 아주 오래된 Conn 악기를 빌려 소리 내는 법을 배웠는데 그 악기는 구멍이 난 여러 부분이 테이프로 감겨있었고, 그 후 고등학교에 들어와서는 오래된 Conn 8D를 가지고 연습을 했었던 기억이 납니다. 대학에 들어가면서 Alexander 103을 구입한 것은 한국의 혼 연주자로써 굉장히 행운이었고 많은 사람들이 부러워하며 서로 나의 악기를 연주해 보고 싶어했습니다.

내가 학교에 다니던 시기에는 서울에 국립교향악단, 시립교향악단 두개의 교향악단이 있었고 연주는 그리 자주 하지는 않았으며 외국의 교향악단이 아주 드물게 연주를 하러 왔는데 Vienna Philhanmonic Orchestra 와 Berlin Phil Octet의 연주가 아직도 나의 기억에 남고 학창시절의 나에게 많은 음악적 영향을 주었던 연주였습니다.

내가 대학2학년이었던 1977년 세종문화회관 (Sejong Cultural Center)이 개관되었고 개관기념연주가 두 달 가까이 매일 열렸으며 전세계의 많은 오케스트라, 오페라, 관악앙상블 또 많은 독주자들이 내한하여 좋은 공연을 들려주었고 많은 음악을 전공하는 음악도 들에게 꿈 같은 훌륭한 연주를 들려주었습니다.  그 당시 나에게 큰 영향을 주었던 Philadelphia Orchesta 와 Eastman Wind Ensemble은 나를 Philadelphia의 Temple University로 가서 Mason Jones, Daniel Williams, Randy Gardner 와 Joe de Angelis 선생님에게 공부를 하게 하였고 또 Eastman School of Music에서 Verne Reynolds 선생님과 공부하며 박사학위까지 받게 되었으니 젊은 시절에 들었던 연주의 영향은 아주 큰 것이라 생각합니다.

귀국 후 1990년에 KBS Symphony Orchestra에서 부수석 혼주자로써 연주자 생활을 시작하였고 1994년부터는 서울대학교(Seoul National University)에서 교수생활을 시작하였으며, 이 때부터 기회가 있을 때 마다 학생들에게 내가 했던 경험들을 전해주기 위해서 많은 혼 주자들 및 다른 관악주자들을 학교에 초청하여 학생들에게 Master Class를 경험하게 하였고 그 경험들은 학생들을 크게 성장 시켰으며 한국의 오케스트라의 관악이 발전하는데 크게 기여하게 되었다고 생각합니다.

by Karen Houghton

I began playing the horn at age 14 and, at age 16, I taught my first private lesson to a beginning horn player named Dennis Houghton! Yes, we attended the same high school and I am a year older (and wiser). My band director gave me the task of helping the "new kid," and my teaching career began! I actually took my first private lesson at age 17, and my teacher, Ed Jackson, was a patient, firm and encouraging mentor. He taught me "how" to practice: playing through warm-ups, exercises, etudes and excerpts with me. He opened up my eyes to a world of possibilities! I tutored several students while continuing my studies at California State University - Long Beach and I discovered a passion for teaching, which has continued my entire life. I can summarize my teaching philosophy by comparing horn playing to the basic Four Food Groups:

• Group 1: Protein (Fundamentals)
• Group 2: Dairy (Technique)
• Group 3: Grains (Low & High Range)
• Group 4: Fruits and Vegetables (Flexibility)

By "digesting" a healthy balance of these four "food" food groups, the student will be able to develop a strong, well-rounded approach to the horn. Since I like variety (in diet AND practice), I choose from several possible exercises in each group, changing the exercises weekly. I am also always willing to try "new foods" and encourage my students to do the same, using concepts we have learned in masterclasses, online and in workshops. With as much variety as possible, I still maintain a reasonable lesson plan, which means "small, balanced, sensible meals" during the school year.

I've worked with James on many film projects over the years but it was playing on the score of 'For Greater Glory', a lesser-known film but full of wonderful horn writing both in a solo and ensemble context, that prompted a conversation about a concerto of some sort for the instrument: what might work, what length it might be and how we could do it. Eventually this led to tonight's collaboration for not one but four solo horns.

Obvious comparisons will be made with Schumann's Konzertstuck but James deliberately sets out to explore the spatial sound of the horns rather than highlighting the virtuosic element. We experimented during the rehearsal (and as is the norm in London there was only one rehearsal the day before the concert!) by placing the four soloists across the stage of the Royal Festival Hall. Of course I've worked with David Pyatt for many years and his colleague and fellow Principal in the LPO, John Ryan, but it was so good to play alongside Jim Thatcher-a legend here in UK as well as in USA! We all really enjoyed working together and spending a little down-time too after the rehearsals. The performance was enthusiastically received by a packed Royal Festival Hall and Collage with James on stage at the end received a worthy ovation!