Wayne Barrington (1924-2011)
Wayne Barrington was an impeccable musician and hornist, and a tireless teacher who expected nothing but the finest from his students but who, in return, was dedicated to their success. His playing career took him to the Chicago Symphony and Los Angeles Philharmonic, and he taught at the University of Texas in Austin for 34 years. He died in Austin in 2011 after a long illness.
Wayne was born in 1924 in Schenectady NY and brought up in Detroit and Worcester MA. His mother was an amateur pianist and his father studied horn in Detroit with Albert Stagliano, principal horn in Detroit and later the first principal horn of the NBC Symphony. In Massachusetts, his father changed to bassoon, but his mother took up horn and studied with Walter MacDonald, second horn in the Boston Symphony. In 1939, when students were needed at New England Conservatory, his mother was given free tuition to perform in the orchestra and study with Willem Valkenier, principal horn of the BSO. The family often invited other musicians to the house for evenings of chamber music.
Wayne began studying at New England Conservatory with Valkenier in 1942, but the next year he was drafted into the Army, where he played in a band that was based in Germany and France. He returned in 1946, studied with Walter MacDonald, was a student at Tanglewood during the summer, and went back to NEC in the fall. He played principal horn in an orchestra conducted by Arthur Fiedler for broadcasts when the BSO was out of town, and in shows on their way to Broadway; during this time he assisted Arthur Goldstein with the humorous Schmutzig method book.
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| Barrington with his CSO colleagues Louis Stout and Philip Farkas |
Wayne returned to Tanglewood in the summers of 1947 and 1949, then took a job in San Antonio, but after only one season was called up to serve in Korea. He ended up playing in the band at General MacArthur's headquarters in Tokyo, including the farewell ceremony when President Truman fired MacArthur.
Wayne returned from the service in 1951 and won a position as second horn in Pittsburgh, where over the next three years the orchestra made a number of recordings under William Steinberg for Capitol Records. He also played the spring Pops season in Boston. Then he auditioned for Fritz Reiner, the new conductor in Chicago, and a few months later was offered the third horn position. The section included Philip Farkas, Joe Mourek, and Clyde Wedgewood, with Louis Stout and David Krehbiel as assistants. He also played in the Chicago Symphony Brass Ensemble with Bud Herseth, Renold Schilke, Frank Crisafulli, and Arnold Jacobs, an ensemble often cited as highly influential in establishing the brass quintet as a standard format for brass chamber music. He taught at DePaul University and at home.
After ten years in Chicago, Wayne looked for a better climate because of his wife's illness. Zubin Mehta hired him as associate principal horn in the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and he also played in the Los Angeles Brass Quintet. After two years, when his wife had died, Wayne found a position at the University of Texas in Austin, where he taught from 1966 to 2000, also playing in the faculty woodwind quintet, the Solar Winds, and in the Austin Symphony (1966-1988).
When asked about his pedagogical techniques, Wayne responded that although he had never discussed playing or teaching the horn with Philip Farkas, they shared many concepts and solutions to horn playing problems. He believes that music is a unique profession where competition is put aside in favor of cooperation. In retirement, Wayne has pursued publication of excerpt books and encouraged chamber music in Texas.
Wayne received the Punto Award at the IHS workshop in Denton TX in 1991. A tribute appears in the August 2001 issue of The Horn Call.
Olavi Vikman (1931-2006)
Olavi Vikman is the first "master" for many Finnish horn players. He is regarded as an uncompromising player who honors music, a great musician and a great human being. The first performance in Finland of Schumann's Konzertstück took place in Turku with Vikman as first horn.
Vikman was born 1931 and started his musical studies in the Guard's Band in 1944, studying with Holger Fransman (1944-52). He became a member of the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra in 1951 and remained for 42 years; he was principal horn for 34 years. He taught for several years at the Turku Music School and Conservatory.
Vikman was active as a conductor as well as soloist and chamber musician, and he made arrangements for orchestras and choirs. He was always willing to help his students and fellow musicians. Vikman was always encouraging and had a good sense of humor.
Vikman received the Punto Award at the IHS symposium in Lahti, Finland in 2002.
William Capps (1941-2010)
William (Bill) Capps is renowned for his teaching at Florida State University in Tallahassee FL.
Bill earned his bachelor's degree from the Curtis Institute of Music, studied on a Fulbright scholarship in Berlin, and earned MM and DMA degrees from the Catholic University of America in Washington DC.
Bill has been principal horn with the Spoleto Festival Orchestra in Italy, the Philadelphia Little Symphony, the Berlin Radio Orchestra, the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, and the US Marine Corps Orchestra and Band in Washington DC. He has appeared as a soloist and as a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra horn section for Robin Hood Dell concerts.
Since joining Florida State University in 1971, Bill has performed with many orchestras in the southeast US, including the Savannah Symphony, the Jacksonville Symphony, the Florida Orchestra, the Florida Philharmonic, and the Atlanta Symphony. He retired from FSU in 2004.
Bill has taught master classes at conservatories in Europe and the US and has been a jury member for international competitions. His students play in professional orchestras and teach at universities and conservatories around the world.
Bill hosted the 25th IHS Workshop at Florida State University (site of the first three workshops) in 1993. He received the Punto Award at the symposium in Tuscaloosa AL in 2005.
Young-Yul Kim
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Li Fu and Young-Yul Kim receive the Punto award at the 2000 Beijing symposium
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Kim graduated from Seoul High School of the Arts and Seoul National University, then earned a Master of Music degree from Temple University and Doctor of Musical Arts and Performer’s Certificate from Eastman School of Music. His teachers have included Mason Jones, Joe de Angelis, Daniel Williams, Randy Gardner, and Verne Reynolds.
Kim has toured with the Eastman Philharmonia and the Eastman Wind Ensemble. He has performed recitals in Philadelphia, Rochester, Seoul, Taejeon, and at the IHS symposium in Athens GA. He has been associate principal horn of the KBS Symphony and acting principal of the Puchon Philharmonic.
Kim has appeared as soloist with the KBS Symphony, Seoul Chamber Orchestra, Pusan Philharmonic, Seoul Symphony, Seoul Art Orchestra, among others.
Kim is a professor of music at Seoul National University where he teaches horn, directs the horn ensemble, coaches chamber music, and leads the SNU Wind Ensemble. He is a founding member of the Korea Aulos Woodwind Quintet, the Seoul Brass Quintet, and the Charity Chamber Ensemble. He directs the Korean Horn Society Horn Ensemble.
Kim received the Punto Award at the IHS symposium in Beijing in 2000.
Brice Andrus
Brice Andrus is admired for his beautiful sound and for his focus and composure as principal horn in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. His teaching also pays particular attention to sound and tone production, even for beginners.
Andrus followed an unusual path to his career in music. He had some lessons as a youth with Donald Schulz, a Farkas student, but he entered Georgia State University as a pre-med student. A "wretched" chemistry class met in a room just below where a brass ensemble was rehearsing. The combination of an unmotivating class and wonderful music-making above sent him for a change-of-major form. He studied with trombonist Bill Hill, conductor of the brass ensemble. He became assistant principal horn of the Atlanta Symphony that freshman year, soon moved to third, and became principal in 1975.
After getting into the Atlanta Symphony, Andrus began taking lessons with Forrest Stanley in Pittsburg every three months or so. He also credits the orchestra itself with developing his musicianship. "I really had the perspective of growing up in a symphony orchestra, getting to listen to great players through the years, and having such a wonderful section to play with."
Andrus plays with chamber ensembles and other groups outside the symphony, including PDQ Bach and overdubbing for Bruce Springsteen (the producer was based in Atlanta) with the orchestra horn section. In addition to recording symphonic works with the orchestra, he has recorded the Brahms Trio and premiered many works. He is on the faculty at Emory University.
Andrus received the Punto Award at the IHS workshop in Athens GA in 1999. A profile appears in the August 1999 issue of The Horn Call.
Li Fu
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Li Fu and Young-Yul Kim receive the Punto award at the 2000 Beijing symposium
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Fu was born in 1935 and started studying horn at age 10. His teachers were Mr. Shimizu from Japan and Mr. Kosikin from the former Soviet Union. He joined the Shen Yang Military Command Band, and in 1956 he became a soloist, playing most of the Mozart horn concertos, Beethoven Sonata, Saint-Saëns Concertpiece, and the Gliere Concerto.
Fu retired from the band in 1961 and began teaching at the Shen Yang Conservatory of Music. He served the Wind Department Coordinator for many years and established the wind teaching curriculum for the brass department. Some of his ideas have been published in Chinese music periodicals.
Many of Fu’s students have won prizes, are playing in orchestras, or are teaching at conservatories. Fu has attended IHS symposiums and helped to arrange visits by well-known teachers and players to his conservatory as well as to other conservatories in China.
Fu received the Punto Award at the IHS symposium in Beijing in 2000.
Sean Kierman
Sean Kierman and his wife, Pamela, have been driving forces in professional music and music education in South Africa. They are active in the South African Horn Society (SAHS), as founders and currently as sponsors and members of the Board of Directors, and they, along with other members of the society, were responsible for organizing the International Horn Symposium in Cape Town in 2006. Dr. Paul Loeb van Zuilenburg refers to Sean as the father of university concert bands in South Africa.
Sean was born in Portland OR and educated in China, Pakistan, India, and the US as the son of a diplomatic family. He studied at Antioch University (OH), then did postgraduate studies at Wits University (University of Witwatersrand) while playing horn with the SABC Symphony Orchestra. He played in the Durban Symphony Orchestra, then studied politics and psychology at the University of the Free State.
Sean established the Free State Instrumental Program and the OFS Symphony Orchestra. In 1979, he started the brass studies program at the University of Port Elizabeth, and in 1987 he moved to Cape Town, where he is head of brass studies at the South African College of Music (UCT) and coordinates the course in musical acoustics at the University of Cape Town.
Sean was honored with the Punto Award at the 2006 International Horn Workshop in recognition of his leadership in South Africa. An important aspect of the symposium was sponsorship of instruments for SAHS and Navy Outreach programs and a tour for symposium attendees to visit students participating in the outreach programs.
Milan Yancich
Milan Yancich played in the Rochester Philharmonic for 43 years, taught at the Eastman School of Music, and published books and music through his Wind Music publishing company, notably Philip Farkas's books and Milan's own method and An Orchestral Musician's Odyssey. He was generous with his time and money; he initiated the Geyer and Alexander scholarships at the IHS from book sales proceeds.
Milan was born in 1921 and grew up in Whiting IN. He earned degrees from the University of Michigan and Northwestern University and took lessons from Philip Farkas during some summers. He served in an Army band during World War II, then, in quick succession, played with the Columbus (OH) Philharmonic Orchestra (1946-1948), the Jerry Wold Dance Orchestra, assistant first with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1948-1951), principal and third with the Cleveland Orchestra (1951-1952), solo horn with the American Broadcasting Studio Orchestra (1953), and one year teaching at Michigan State University before being hired by the Rochester Philharmonic in 1954, where over the next 43 years he played all positions at one time or another.
Milan was life-long student. He studied with vocalists M. Birney and Professor Kraft at Eastman, tubist Arnold Jacobs, cornet soloist Bahumir Kryl, and Richard Moore of the Metropolitan Opera orchestra.
Milan carried a heavy teaching schedule at Eastman, including teaching horn students, coaching woodwind chamber groups, attending brass and percussion juries and recitals, and teaching horn in the preparatory division. In addition to the Rochester Philharmonic (1954-1997), he also played in the Rochester Civic Orchestra, the Eastman Philharmonic Orchestra, and 27 seasons of principal horn with the Lake Placid Sinfonietta. He taught at Ohio State University, Capital University, and Baldwin-Wallace College. He also taught for a few summers at the Morehead and Gunnison Band Camps.
Wind Music Inc. was first a partnership between Milan and Philip Farkas. Although Milan soon bought out Farkas, he continued to supply Farkas's books. Milan published a method book with accompanying records to demonstrate concepts and techniques.
Milan served on the IHS Advisory Council (1981–84, 1998–2001) and led the IHS scholarship activities for several years. He was given the Punto award at the 1997 symposium at Eastman. Tributes appear in the November 1997 and February 2008 issues of The Horn Call.
