Dear Subscriber,
March has arrived, and depending on your location on the globe, this also signals the onset of spring in the northern hemisphere and autumn in the southern hemisphere. In either case, it is a time of transition from extreme hot or cold weather, which is particularly significant for horn players, as it allows for more time spent outdoors in nature.
In line with this, please enjoy Pastoral, a piece I composed inspired using the natural sounds of the horn. The composition incorporates open sounds, stopped sounds, and echo effects, with indicated fingerings designed to mimic the natural horn, taking advantage of modern horn capabilities to swiftly change crooks. It begins with the gentle beating of a brass mute against the mouthpiece, followed by stopped notes producing a wah-wah effect, and even includes a whistle-like sound reminiscent of wind in the forest, and it allows time to remove the mute.
The horn, originating from the horns of animals, shares its name, not surprisingly, with them in most languages. The sound of a horn holds special significance when played in harmony with nature. So, I encourage you to take your horn outdoors and play! Better yet, invite your friends along, for while playing the horn solo is magical, the true glory of the instrument is revealed when played together in a group. I have a personal theory that, excluding some mythological creatures, all animals in nature have horns in pairs, which may explain why the horn sounds magnificent when performed as part of an ensemble.
In the March issue of the Horn and More Newsletter, as usual, you can expect a variety of articles to keep you engaged with your instrument. These articles may inspire your practice, introduce new music for your next recital, provide topics for your research, or simply offer more information related to our beloved instrument. The International Horn Society (IHS) has been a source of inspiration for me in so many ways, particularly through the opportunity to connect with a community of individuals who are passionate about playing, researching, or simply enjoying the horn. If you are not yet a member of the IHS, I encourage you to join our this wonderful community and experience the enjoyment it brings.
Ricardo Matosinhos, IHS Representative for Portugal
by Matthew Haislip
Assistant Professor of Horn, Mississippi State University
A well-balanced warm-up may be the single most important aspect of the horn playing experience. It is in this daily time spent on the various fundamental components of our instrument that efficiency and refinement are cultivated. It is where we train the subconscious connection of our inner musician to the instrument. However, hornists often play a “warm-up” that is far too strenuous. It becomes a “burn up” instead and can lead to burn out, physically, mentally, and emotionally. A “burn up” session will take one backwards in development, not forwards. I’ve been there many times. I was frustrated as a student that my dedicated work on a daily warm-up led to injury and reduced sensitivity and range. It’s not necessarily our fault, either. We look at the exercises in the well-known routines in publication and believe we need to play them from start to finish as written. Each overtone series. Each variation. Each tempo. Each note of the range. In doing so, we are missing the goal of warming up altogether. We also miss that many of these authors did not intend for every single item in their warm-up routines to be played every single day as written.
According to Oxford Languages, the definition of a warm-up is to “prepare for physical exertion or a performance by exercising or practicing gently beforehand.” Notice the word gently. Interesting, yes? How often do we finish our warm-up feeling adequately prepared for subsequent physical exertion or a performance? How often do we prepare for the playing day in a gentle manner? Do we end our warm-up session feeling empowered to face whatever playing demands come our way? Or do we feel as though the warm-up was all we could play for the day? Is our warm-up session an entire hour in length with little to no respite? To be sure, the warm-up needs built-in times of rest to restore our strength before moving on to the next area of work. Perhaps not every day should have the exact same warm-up. On heavy ensemble playing days, it needs to be short enough to conserve our endurance to last the day. This could be fifteen to twenty-five minutes. That is plenty of time to ready our playing gently and thoroughly. A day free of ensemble playing could see us lengthen the warm-up into a fundamental workshop of a couple of well-spaced hours, provided there is ample rest time built in. We should be able to adjust our warm-up time for whatever life throws at us…which might include a traffic jam allowing no warm-up at all before a gig!
What should a solid warm-up include? This question will vary with everyone’s experience, but there is a reason why sustained tones, chromatic slurs, overtone series slurs, scales, and other familiar exercises are so common. I feel that a good warm-up is centered around the idea of developing a characteristic sound in the middle register and then taking that sound across the range of the instrument with smoothness, flexibility, and varied articulation. I like to start with some mouthpiece buzzing in the car on the way to my first destination and then work in this order once I arrive: easy middle and low range chromatic slurs with limited long tones establishing a beautiful free sound before moving on to various overtone series slurs, scales, and flexibility exercises. It is important for me to spend a few brief moments on loud and soft extremes, too. I touch a couple of soft high entrances and play a short etude fragment or solo passage to finish. My warm-up can take as little as needed or can go forty-five minutes with breaks built in. I try to vary things a bit each day, too. To me, a warm-up is also about our mentality. At the end of our warm-up, we need to be able to confirm that we have adequately prepared our mind and body to make beautiful music on the horn. The mental act of connecting our subconscious mind to the instrument can help us be ready to make music before we even play one note—which is helpful for the rare occasions we are not afforded time to warm up!
One key way the warm-up could be streamlined from an exhausting session to an efficient one is to change from playing every single exercise in each key or overtone series on the horn to playing them in only one to four different keys. This keeps the lips fresh and actually allows for more exercises to be played in our warm-up time. Instead of getting through just one or two overtone series slur patterns, for instance, one could play a variety of several different slur exercises in different keys. This trains the coordination of air speed and sound production far better while keeping the mind engaged and free of boredom from monotonous repetition. It isn’t true that we won’t be ready to play unless we play each exercise in every single valve combination. Two or three series can be sufficient to solidify the approach to the pattern. We can explore new challenges in this time by improvising new exercises or by trying a wide variety of the already-published exercises in our fundamental repertoire. This applies to the way we practice each fundamental, especially scales. We can play some scales in different patterns, some quickly, some slowly, some starting from above, some from below, some in different tonalities, some softly, etc. all in the same amount of time that we could run through the exact same pattern, tempo, and dynamic across all twelve keys. By varying how we practice each activity on the horn, we become more skilled players, not only warming up, but also improving.
An effective warm up ultimately comes down to trust. Can we trust that we will be ready to play whatever we encounter after our warm-up? Yes. Can we trust that we will improve and not stagnate in our abilities if we warm up gently? Yes. This might mean saving some time later in the day for more strenuous musical calisthenics. It may mean adjusting the order, range, and time spent on our exercises. Each person is unique in their warm-up needs. Some virtuosos warm up in such impressive ways that would leave the rest of us injured just attempting to get through it! Yet they sound fresh and prepared for the incredible feats they perform on the horn that day. Still, other virtuosos warm up in a limited amount of time and within an intermediate-level range to feel prepared. Some don’t warm up at all! It is individual, but the principle remains: our warm-up can and, for most of us, should be gentle and empowering. Burn ups won’t prepare us, nor will they make us better.
May you find what warm up works best for you in your journey on our fabulous instrument!
Compiled by Inman Hebert
This listing includes postings for 2024 relevant to the horn as of the middle of January 2024, whose deadlines will have yet to pass by the end of January; however, the postings will inevitably include omissions. While the International Horn Society is worldwide, the limitations of my experience have confined the scope of this listing to the United States. Inclusion does not constitute endorsement by the International Horn Society.
Table of Contents: Sections
International Horn Society Symposium
56th International Horn Symposium in collaboration with the International Horn Competition of America.
Regional workshops include featured artists, special presenters, concerts, competitions, masterclasses, exhibits, and presentations.
While googling horn days may bring up entries related to hunting, campgrounds, or Spouting Horn in Hawaii, these days may include group warmups, offer workshops, host masterclasses, and feature students, faculty, and guest artists.
• Recently Hosted Horn Days
Festivals, Camps, and Workshops that Include College Students and, Sometimes, Adults
These entries list opportunities that include college student horn players and sometimes adult horn players and have been divided by region according to designations by the National Geographic Society. The listing is limited to those for 2024 posted by the middle of January, with a deadline that will have yet to pass by the end of January; however, exclusions will be inevitable. Orchestras sometimes have fellowships and other opportunities for college students; however, the majority of those deadlines have passed. Inclusion does not constitute endorsement by the International Horn Society.
University, College, and Conservatory Music Camps for Middle and High School Students
These entries organized by state include summer camps, institutes, and clinics that include the horn and are held at universities, colleges, and conservatories and oriented for middle and high school students. The listing is limited to those for 2024 posted by the middle of January, with a deadline that will have yet to pass by the end of January; however, exclusions will be inevitable.
Please note that composition camps are not listed. In addition, orchestra camps and chamber music programs targeted for middle and high school students often include only strings and must be examined closely, so some postings may have been missed.
Some camps are open until filled to all who apply and only require registration and payment. Others will mandate an audition for acceptance. The term registration deadline has been used for consistency but sometimes means application deadline. Some offer early bird pricing. Most institutions will have the student perform for appropriate placement in ensembles.
These camps introduce students to an institution’s music program and provide opportunities to play in ensembles, receive instruction, take private lessons, and perform. Most offer overnight and commuter options. Inclusion does not constitute endorsement by the International Horn Society.
Independent Summer Music Camps for Middle and High School Students
These camps do not seem to be affiliated with a university, college, or conservatory but offer opportunities for middle and high school horn players. They are divided by region according to designations by the National Geographic Society. Inclusion does not constitute endorsement by the International Horn Society.
by Inman Hebert
Workshops, Festivals, Summer Camps, and More
Happy spring semester to all horn students! As far away as summer may seem, now—if not earlier—is the best time for planning. Various summer music festivals and camps cater to different groups of horn students. From colleges that host summer camps for recruiting high schoolers to large orchestra festivals, horn students have a great variety of opportunities to improve their playing through summer experiences. Additionally, students can attend regional workshops or horn days even before the summer begins. In this list, I have compiled opportunities for students of all horn levels.
First and foremost, when looking for horn-specific events to attend, the International Horn Symposium and IHS-affiliated regional workshops are the best places to start. This summer, in Fort Collins, Colorado, horn players of all varieties (professionals, students, amateurs) from around the world will meet for a week of competitions, concerts, presentations, and exhibitions that showcase every aspect of the horn. As a student who has attended the last two IHS symposia, I strongly advocate participation. These symposia offer opportunities for students to interact with their peers and to meet the horn players they idolize. In addition to social networking, the symposium offers students great opportunities to learn an assortment of pedagogical tips. My daily routines have been influenced by advice from IHS presentations.
Like the IHS symposia, regional workshops offer students similar opportunities to learn and network within their region much closer to home. These workshops may include featured artists, special presenters, concerts, competitions, masterclasses, exhibits, and presentations. Horn-specific events also exist in several states. These “horn days” often occur in winter or early spring and offer similar benefits to IHS symposia and regional workshops.
While deadlines for many summer fellowships with orchestras have passed, summer music festivals, orchestra programs, and camps have music programs that allow horn students to delve deeply into orchestral excerpts, perform in ensembles, or focus on technique and musicality with distinguished faculty members. Because of such prestigious leadership, many festivals can be valuable learning opportunities for the college horn student.
Some universities host honor bands for high school horn players during the school year and summer. These honor bands and music camps exist to recruit talented musicians to the university and provide opportunities for students to become familiar with the university’s music program. In addition, playing with gifted musicians under experienced conductors improves musicality.
Attending music workshops, festivals, and summer camps offers horn players a chance to improve and build a network of mentors and potential future colleagues. These opportunities, ranging from IHS symposia to orchestral festivals, can positively impact students’ careers and experiences.
Hello horn players! My name is Erin Futterer, and I need your assistance! I am a horn player myself, and I am working to finish the biography of Frøydis Ree Wekre. In order to provide the multifaceted perspective required to accurately portray the vital space she has occupied in the horn community, I am dividing the biography into 3 parts:
Written submissions can be sent to frwbiography@gmail.com, and/or I am very happy to schedule phone calls, Facetime/Zoom meetings etc. at your earliest convenience. Please email to schedule. This book has been a long time in the works. Many thanks to those who have already shared their insights, and gratitude in advance to all willing to take the time to help me tell the story of Frøydis’s place in history as accurately and as holistically as possible…at least so far!
by John McGuire
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Lanette Compton, IHS 56 Competitions Coordinator
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Greetings, everyone, from your IHS 56 team here in wintery Colorado! We hope you have seen IHS 56 posts on social media, and, assuming so, you likely saw that a few days ago we woke up to temperatures of -20 degrees Fahrenheit! But don’t worry…I promise that we will have much warmer temperatures in late July…no need to pack your parka!
Although we have already announced it on Facebook, Instagram, and the Horns on the Horizon website (www.hornsonthehorizon.com), I want to take a moment to tell you about some of the competitions that we have planned for IHCA-IHS 56. The biggest and most notable addition to this year’s programming is the collaboration with the International Horn Competition of America (IHCA), which has been in existence in various iterations for the better part of half-a-century. The 2024 IHCA will happen July 26-29, 2024, overlapping the first day of IHS 56, with the final rounds of both the University and Professional Divisions happening on our opening day. Over the years, winners and finalists from both of these divisions have gone on to establish themselves as some of the best players of their generations, a veritable Who’s Who among horn players! Make plans to witness the newest up-and-coming horn players at the highest level of artistry…quite literally “horns on the horizon!”
On the IHS side of the event, I am excited to announce that we will be hosting a university horn quartet competition as well as a university horn ensemble competition! Anyone who knows me knows how much I value and appreciate all my years of participation in quartets and ensembles and how much those experiences helped shape and mold me and my career. As such, it is incredibly important to me personally to provide opportunities for our younger players and future professionals, giving them the same chances to grow and develop that I had. Specific information will be provided on the IHS 56 website, including repertoire, time requirements, age limits, and other pertinent information. Please note that any and all members of each competing quartet and ensemble will need [1] to be members of IHS as well as [2] to register for the full week of the Symposium.
I would also like to publicly acknowledge Lanette Lopez Compton, horn professor at Oklahoma State University, for agreeing to help us organize these competitions. If you know or know of Lanette, you know how wonderful she is as a performer, teacher, and mentor—not to mention as a friend and colleague! IHS 56 is fortunate to be able to have someone of Lanette’s stature assist us!
by Caiti Beth McKinney
Hello everyone!
This month, I would like to share an amazing work by musicologist and composer Edith Borroff. She wrote music for a wide variety of settings and ensembles, including chamber works for saxophone quartet, string quartet, and wind quintet, as well as larger scale works for orchestra and stage productions. The focus of this article, however, is her Sonata for Horn and Piano. Written in 1953, this piece is finally experiencing a well-deserved resurgence in popularity. The work is divided into four movements which represent different eras in music history including elements from Baroque, Medieval, Classical, and Romantic styles. No doubt her extensive knowledge of music history aided in the composition of the Sonata. The first movement, “Rhapsody,” is a lyrical, melodic ode to Romantic musical tastes, with upwards arpeggiated motion in the piano which keep the music flowing. The drama of the first movement is in sharp contrast to the second—a quick scherzo that recalls the hunting horn calls of Classical horn writing. The third movement is inspired by the Baroque sarabande, a slow dance form used by many composers in the 18th century, such as we find in the famous cello suites of Johann Sebastian Bach. The fourth movement is also in the style of a musical dance, this time the Medieval estampie, which carries energy through its lilting 6/8 meter. I particularly enjoy that this movement begins with solo horn, allowing the player a chance to really shine before the piano joins in after the first statement. All in all, Edith Borroff’s Sonata is an enjoyable and approachable work suitable for any recital. Give it a listen!
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