Student Column—You Don’t Have to Live With Sluggish Valves!
by Inman Hebert
Do you have difficulty negotiating fast passages or rapid valve changes? Sluggish valves harm precision and can negatively affect pitch and tone. By not fully or quickly engaging, sluggish valves create improper airflow, leading to inconsistencies in playing. Whether or not our horn-playing has come to the point of showing these symptoms, we all need to incorporate regular maintenance for rotary valves into our routine. Understanding that the accumulation of dirt and debris, along with insufficient oiling, causes this sluggishness helps us identify some simple solutions.
For the buildup of dirt and debris, consider whether your horn has had a professional cleaning in the last year and whether you periodically have your own gentle cleaning routine scheduled. We must also not forget that a critical part of our maintenance routine includes oral hygiene. As students, we often eat on the way to class or rehearsal. Dirty buildup comes from our own mouths! Brushing our teeth or, at a minimum, thoroughly rinsing our mouths before playing will cause fewer problems with our horns.
Even though we may be busy, we should maintain a regular and sufficient oiling routine. Typical rotary valves need to be oiled first at the top (under the valve caps), as this location best allows the valves to rotate freely. Recommendations on the frequency of this range from daily to at least once a week, depending on a variety of factors, such as (primarily) the age of your horn. Remove the valve cap and place a drop onto the raised center of the bearing. A slightly heavier oil helps reduce noise and creates a tighter seal between the valve and the cylinder, but the viscosity needed varies by horn. Before replacing valve caps, check the notches on the center of each bearing for correct alignment of the rotors in their canisters; improper alignment adversely impacts airflow. Finally, gently tighten the valve caps or rotor movement may be restricted.
Then, turn the horn over and oil the other end of each rotor, the bottom of the rotary valves, at least 3-4 times each week. Whatever oil you choose, use a needle-tip bottle to ensure the precision placement of one oil drop in the small gap between each valve post and the turning rotor spindle (to which the lever is connected). Upon completion, pull out the tuning slides a little without pressing the levers to create some suction that will pull oil onto the bearing surfaces. Finally, wipe stray oil off the outside of the horn as it can damage lacquer. Oiling the tops and bottoms of rotors on the recommended frequent schedule means that a thinner oil may be used.
Methods vary on the choice of using the valve slides or the slide tubes to oil rotors, but in either case, removing slides while pressing the corresponding rotor starts the process. If dropping oil into the inner slide tubes, keep the levers upright and then insert the slides all the way into the horn. Rotate the horn so that the oil runs from the slide tubes into the rotors. Rock the horn back and forth and press down on all the levers repeatedly to ensure that the oil is distributed to all the rotors. Drain any excess oil. If oiling via the outer slide tubes, remove the valve slides, hold the horn so that the levers point to the floor, and use an eyedropper to squeeze oil as far down the slide tubes as possible onto the rotors, then return the slides. Again, rock the horn to disperse the oil, and don’t forget to return slides to in-tune positions.
As students, we understand that only through consistent practice can we improve and maintain our playing ability. Similarly, rotary valves need regular cleaning and lubrication to prevent sluggishness so that our playing is optimized. As lubricant maintenance protects your horn against internal sludge and oxidation, its playing life is prolonged. By adopting these maintenance practices, we can ensure a responsive horn that allows for consistent and precise control.
Editor’s Note: Related issues include misshapen, worn, or poorly-sized bumpers and old or worn lever springs. Have your teacher or a repairman help check for these issues at least annually. Also, snake out the leadpipe and clean your mouthpiece frequently; dirty buildup starts in these places.
Latin America—Wooden Mouthpieces, Part 1
by Fernando Ruiz
How does such a crazy idea come to make wooden mouthpieces?
It's somethi
ng as simple as looking at each instrument's past, further back than the bronze age and the use of metals. Wood, all parts of a tree, has historically been the most common construction material, from building a house to creating art. When we talk about wind instruments (such as the horn), one of the less obvious aspects, but profoundly influential, is the mouthpiece.
Most brass players use metal mouthpieces. Wooden ones are rare, but they are still used, not only for visual appeal, but also for the unique qualities they offer in terms of sound. High-quality woods were chosen for hand-carved wooden mouthpieces. The most common woods used are walnut and maple since they offer perfect hardness and durability. One of the instruments that is a great example of this is the alphorn, which in the 21st century continues to be built in wood and played with a specifically-designed wooden mouthpiece.
It is also true today that there are more materials to make both parts, instrument and mouthpiece, such as carbon fiber and plastic, but these do not offer that unique sound quality that wood can offer.
As technologies developed, humans achieved effective tools for shaping metal, leaving behind the use of wood and bringing about incredible evolution to instruments and, thereby, to music.
But again, curiosity arises, and in the desire to innovate, we ask ourselves, “Why not combine wood with current technology?”
The choice of mouthpiece has great importance in the way the sound of the instrument projects. Having studied mouthpieces for years, I have discovered that wood has important advantages for those looking for a warmer tone and softness; everything will depend on the wood selected. These mouthpieces give the player particular sensations that are different from other materials. An important issue is comfort—for example, not feeling the cold metal as we initiate sound or after a long pause has no comparison.
The type of wood used directly influences the quality of sound and the level of comfort. In Part 2, we will look at some of the most common woods used in manufacture of horn mouthpieces, although in the course of the time, I have discovered that certain woods (such as palo de serpiente or zebrano) stand out for their sound characteristics. When final test results are available, I will let you know.
Latin America—Boquillas de Madera, Parte 1
by Fernando Ruiz
Boquillas de madera. ¿Como surge una idea tan descabellada de hacer una boquilla en madera?
Es algo tan simple como mirar al pasado de cada instrumento, más atrás de la edad de bronce y el uso de los metales.
El uso de madera era lo más común, en todos sus ámbitos y secciones, desde construir una casa hasta llegar al arte. Cuando hablamos de instrumentos de viento como la trompa o corno francés, uno de los aspectos menos obvios, pero profundamente influyentes es la boquilla. La mayoría de los músicos (por no decir todos) suelen utilizar boquillas de metal, las boquillas de madera son poco frecuentes, pero si utilizadas, no solo por su atractivo visual, sino también por las cualidades únicas que ofrecen en términos de sonido.
Se usaban boquillas de madera talladas a mano, se seleccionaba una madera de buena calidad para comenzar a darle forma. Las maderas mas comunes que se usaban son el Nogal y Arce dado que ofrecían una dureza y durabilidad perfecta y uno de los instrumentos que no mejor nos expone este caso es La trompa alpina, la cual en pleno siglo XXI se sigue construyendo en madera y tocando con una boquilla especial y especifica en madera. También es verdad que hoy en día existen más materiales para hacer ambas piezas (instrumento y boquilla) como la fibra de carbono y el plástico, pero estas no ofrecen esa calidad sonora y única que puede ofrecer la madera.
Con el paso del tiempo la humanidad logró herramientas más efectivas para moldear el metal, dejando atrás el uso de la madera y dando una evolución gigante a los instrumentos y a la música. Pero nuevamente surge la duda y las ganas innovar preguntándonos ¿Por qué no usar la madera con la tecnología actual?
La elección de la boquilla tiene una gran importancia en la forma en que el sonido del instrumento viaja y se proyecta. Durante un largo tiempo de estudio de las boquillas he descubierto que la madera presenta ventajas importantes para aquellos que buscan un timbre más cálido y suave, todo dependerá de la madera que seleccionemos. Estas boquillas nos dan una sensación particular y diferente a otros materiales. Lo principal es su punto de apoyo y comodidad, por ejemplo, el no sentir el frio metal para comenzar a tocar o después de una pausa larga no tiene comparación.
El tipo de madera influye directamente en la calidad del sonido y la comodidad. Estas son algunas de las maderas más comunes utilizadas en la fabricación de boquillas para trompa, aunque en el transcurso del tiempo, he descubierto ciertas maderas (como lo es el Palo de serpiente o la Zebrano) que destacan por sus características sonoras que poco a poco y cuando estén los resultados definitivos les daré a conocer.
Transitions—From Professional Player to Development Professional
by Hannah Culbreth
If you have ever been paid to play the horn, you are the beneficiary of someone’s philanthropy and generosity. There is an entire world behind your paycheck! If you’d like to know what it’s like to be a part of that world, keep reading.
I spent the two years right after graduating from the Curtis Institute of Music playing full-time in orchestras. My first season (22-23), I played 3rd horn in the Atlanta Symphony. The following season (23-24), I played 2nd horn in the Phoenix Symphony. Both of these experiences taught me so much, and I met many incredible and warm people along the way. Throughout my life and career, I have always had the inner longing to be more involved with my communities. I enjoyed putting together my own projects, teaching, and volunteering both while in school and in professional orchestras, but I still felt like I needed to contribute to the longevity of orchestras in a closer way. I believe that I’ve found the perfect fit for me in the development field.
The biggest piece of work in development is relationship-building. We put incredible importance on fostering relationships with our donors and community members in order to ensure long-term financial stability for our organization. Through developing these relationships, we can understand both why the symphony has a positive impact in our community and how to make sure it grows and thrives. The technical side of the job includes grant writing, soliciting sponsors, advertisers, and donors, fostering partnerships, running campaigns, and managing finances. The aforementioned skills are all influenced by the relationships we build.
Horn playing and development are much more parallel than one might think. As horn players, we are constantly tuning in to the intricacies and worlds of the people next to us in order to internalize and react to the many moving parts around us in order to make refined art together. Similarly, in this field, you must truly understand motivations and personalities. Development is a great career path for those who love the communal aspect of playing in ensembles, have a deep relationship with music, and have the listening and communication skills to express the need for music in our communities.
As a full-time development professional, I spend the average Monday-Friday each week out at my donor solicitation meetings and in the office or working at home. Some weeks, I am able to drive about 50 minutes south to sub with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Occasionally, I am able to work fully remote and travel a bit farther to play with different orchestras. One of my administrative colleagues, an incredible cellist, also travels across the US to sub in major orchestras and as a cover conductor. The best part of the stability that comes from having a full-time administrative job is that you only need to take gigs that provide some sort of joy or fulfillment. This balance ended up being perfect for me and my personal needs. Hearing about why all sorts of folks enjoy going to the symphony is both healing and motivating.
The beautiful thing about consistently sharing with patrons why music is impactful is that it reminds me every single day why I play the horn. I find myself seeing each practice session as a gift. The limited time and bandwidth also requires each session to be efficient, and I’ve found that my playing has only improved. There is a misconception that transitioning into administrative work will take away from your musical skills and love for your instrument. I’d like to argue that it can really consistently remind you why it is important to do what we do, directing even more meaning to our horn playing. Only we can define what success looks like in our lives. Success, to me, looks like making sure musicians and concertgoers get to always experience what I’ve been so lucky to experience in my life as an artist.
Performing is the cherry on top.
I truly believe that horn players have the malleable and intuitive personalities to be wonderful development professionals.
Research to Resonance—Prediction as a Tool for Letting Go
by Katy Carnaggio
Great horn playing isn’t just about executing; it’s about predicting. Our brains continuously anticipate what comes next. This predictive ability, known as internal modeling, allows musicians to pre-hear, pre-feel, and pre-shape sound before it leaves the instrument, shaping accuracy and expressiveness.
Imagine you’re given a pencil and a blank sheet of paper and asked to draw a white chair. You wouldn’t draw the chair itself. Instead, you sketch the edges, the shadows, and the negative space, trusting that the chair will emerge. Music works the same way. A note isn’t something you directly produce; it’s the result of everything around it—breath, embouchure, posture, and thoughts. How you are around the note is the note.
Musicians who actively predict the next note play with greater fluidity and precision. But predictive reasoning—trusting a white chair will emerge from graphite lines—isn’t about control. It’s about surrender.
We trust this process in other areas. A pencil isn’t designed to draw something white, yet we never doubt that we can. But when handed an instrument built to vibrate with sound, we hesitate. We doubt ourselves. We’re unsure of what picture we want to create. We second-guess the breath, tense before the note speaks, and adjust mid-phrase as if sound is something to chase rather than create. But just as the chair appears through drawing, sound emerges naturally from the conditions that create it.
Refining predictive reasoning in the practice room builds a rich, flexible internal model of sound. It’s an ongoing logic puzzle: if A, then B. Separating thought from the play-outcome loop helps you learn faster, explore more deeply, and lose yourself in moments of flow.
But in performance, especially in collaboration, music isn’t something you execute. It’s something you step into. It unfolds in real time, shaped by the moment, the space, and the musicians around you.
When you’ve internalized the thoughts and sensations needed to create your intended sound, surrender is not passive. It’s the strongest form of presence, a balance of determination and responsiveness. You are not playing the music; you are the music—moving with it, shaping and being shaped by it. And in those rare, extraordinary moments, ego disappears. There is no you playing, no them playing around you. Only sound, alive in the moment.
True connection.
(Check out part 2 next month: How to Develop Predictive Reasoning in the Practice Room.)
Competition and Award Deadlines Approaching
- IHS Premier Soloist Competition (March 18)—prizes of up to $1000 and additional prizes provided by Jeffrey Agrell, Medlin Horns, College Prep for Musicians, and Dylan Skye Hart.
- The Jon Hawkins Memorial Award (March 20)—up to $1500 to be spent on the costs of attending IHS 57, as well as a solo performance opportunity at the symposium, instruction from a symposium artist, a copy of Werner Pelinka’s Concerto for Jon, and a one-year IHS membership.
- Newly revamped for 2025: The Paul Mansur Award (March 20)
This award, named for the longtime Editor of The Horn Call, Emeritus Dean, and IHS Honorary Member, Paul Mansur, will provide opportunities for full-time music education students to receive five mentorship calls from a mutually agreed-upon mentor. - New for 2025: Michael Hatfield Service Award (March 20)
This award was created in 2024 in memoriam of Honorary Member Michael Hatfield, who was recognized as a dedicated teacher and distinguished performer. The Michael Hatfield Service Award will be awarded to a high school or university undergraduate student who has contributed in service to the horn community or to their community-at-large.
Full details of all IHS Competitions and Awards are available at Awards & Competitions - IHS Online.
Pedagogy Column—Discipline as the Key to Success: Thoughts on Successful Horn Playing
by Zora Slokar, IHS 57 Featured Artist
A musician's success depends not only on talent but, crucially, on the ability to maintain consistent daily routines. Years of conscious practice are essential. Discipline is the foundation that enables us horn players to perform at a high level over many years. Working on technique, musicality, and mental strength requires relentless practice and the willingness to push through difficult phases.
A crucial part of our daily practice is the care and strengthening of our lip and facial muscles. Our body is a part of our music instrument, making its care and maintenance an essential part of our daily practice. Developing this discipline during our studies is vital. Unlike string players, who can replace their strings, or a timpanist who can adjust the drumhead, we horn players cannot simply exchange our embouchure.
I always emphasize in my teaching that being a horn player must become a lifestyle. This means starting the day early—ideally with physical exercise and a cold shower followed by a first practice session. This structure allows enough time for relaxation and muscle recovery between further practice sessions. It is essential to regularly push our limits while also incorporating conscious recovery phases.
As Thomas Edison famously said, "Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration." While this is a figure of speech, it underscores the idea that diligence, persistence, and continuous effort matter far more than talent. I often think of the iceberg metaphor: what people see—beautiful performances—is just the tip, while beneath the surface lie perseverance, discipline, hard work, sacrifice, courage, tears, and disappointment.
Yet, beyond the relentless effort, we must also nurture the joy of playing. I believe that anyone who chooses to become a horn player already has a deep passion for music and the instrument. This passion and musical sensitivity grow even stronger the more expressive and technically proficient we become through dedicated practice. A solid technical foundation allows us to focus more on musical phrasing rather than struggling with technical difficulties.
Finally, a few words on mental strength. The words of the Roman poet Juvenal, "Mens sana in corpore sano" (A healthy mind in a healthy body), are of central importance to me. A well-rested and properly nourished body is the foundation of a functioning mind. Therefore, we must establish routines that support both physical and mental health. Each horn player must find what works best for them, whether it is yoga, autogenic training, the Feldenkrais Method, the Alexander Technique, or simply a walk in nature.
