The Life of Jon Hawkins

by Neil Hawkins

 Jon Erik Hawkins was born in Stockholm on July 14, 1965, when his parents were working and studying in Sweden. He arrived in the United States on his first birthday, and two years later began a nomadic childhood when his father reentered the US Air Force. After moving for the third time, he had his first piano lesson in Montana at age 6. He continued his piano lessons when his family moved to England.

At age 11, while living in Illinois, he was smitten with another passion − orchestral music. After listening to Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture for the first time, he said, "Someday I will play in a major orchestra!" He wanted to play any instrument. To Jon it didn't matter, but the school band needed French horns, so a horn it was. Jon immediately fell in love with the instrument which, from the beginning, to him was not a French horn but THE Horn.

In Illinois he studied with Larry Strieby of the St. Louis Symphony and played one year with the St. Louis Philharmonic before his family moved to Burke, Virginia in 1982. In Virginia Jon studied with Ted Thayer of the National Symphony and played with the Northern Virginia Youth Orchestra, American University Orchestra, and the Brass of Peace Ensemble. In 1983 he auditioned for and was accepted to fill an opening with the Air Force Band of the Golden Gate at Travis Air Force Base, California. There he played with the concert band and woodwind quintet and studied with A. David Krehbiel of the San Francisco Symphony.

In 1988, just prior to his reassignment to the Air Force Band in Japan, Jon attended the IHS Workshop in Potsdam, New York, where he purchased a Vienna pumpen horn, the horn he wanted to help him achieve his greatest desire, to play with the Vienna Philharmonic.

On April 5, 1991, Jon left the Air Force to pursue his dream to study and play in Vienna, Austria. On his way home the following day, his dream suddenly ended when he died in a traffic accident.

Jon was a life member of the IHS, just starting his career as a professional musician. To commemorate his life and help preserve his dreams and aspirations, Jon's parents, Neil and Runa Hawkins, decided to support projects related to horn playing as a continuing form of a memorial for their son.

The first step was initiated by Eric Strohecker, Jon's close friend and fellow musician. He developed a plan to commission a concerto for horn and orchestra that would be dedicated to Jon. Eric selected Dr. Werner Pelinka (born 1952) of Vienna, Austria to compose the concerto. Dr. Pelinka is experienced in writing for the Vienna Horn and has written several works for horn in consultation with Roland Horvath of the Vienna Philharmonic. Eric prepared a brochure regarding this concerto. A copy of the concerto is presented to the winner of the Jon Hawkins Memorial Award each year.

The second memorial is an award, funded by Jon’s parents, to a deserving student to attend the IHS symposium each year. The award includes funds for attending the symposium, a lesson at the symposium, an opportunity to perform at the symposium, and a one-year IHS membership.

Jon Hawkins Memorial Award

Jon Hawkins (1965-1991) was a Life Member of the IHS, just starting his career as a professional musician when he met his death in a traffic accident. His parents, Neil and Runa Hawkins, established this award as a memorial to their son. More information on Jon Hawkins.

The purpose of this award is to encourage the attendance of deserving, highly motivated horn students at the annual IHS symposiums, where they can be intensely exposed to state-of-the-art levels of performance, pedagogy, equipment, and resources.

Award:  TBA One award up to $1,500 (US) to be used for the registration fee, room, board, and travel costs to the 2023 IHS Symposium. In addition the award winner will:

• receive instruction from at least one symposium artist, in the form of a private lesson and/or masterclass;
• give a solo performance at the Symposium;
• receive a copy of Werner Pelinka’s Concerto for Jon;
• receive a one-year IHS membership.

Age Requirements: Hornists under 24 years of age on 1/1/2023 may apply.

Application Requirements:
Applications must be submitted online. A complete application must include:

1. A completed Hawkins Memorial Award Form (must be logged in to access online application), including three short essays.
   1. An essay describing your background, experience and education;
   2. An essay describing your future goals as a horn player;
   3. An essay explaining your current financial situation and how this award would affect your plans.
2. A recording of the applicant’s playing including at least two contrasting works that represent a range of the applicant’s performing abilities. An unaccompanied piece is acceptable, but if a piece has piano (or other) accompaniment, then it must be played with said accompaniment.
3. One letter of recommendation, submitted directly to the Executive Director by the recommending party.

Judging: The winner will be selected on the basis of performance ability, a demonstrated need for financial aid in order to attend the upcoming workshop, and personal motivation.

Deadlines: Completed applications must be received by the IHS Executive Director no later than March 20, 2023. Applicants will receive notification of the awards by April 25.

Frizelle Orchestral Audition Contests

The Dorothy Frizelle Memorial Fund (biography appears on page 124 of the April 1989 issue of The Horn Call) was established in her memory to support the study of orchestral horn playing at IHS workshops.

Award: One winner may be selected in each category (High and Low). Winners will receive an orchestral coaching session from an orchestral artist at the International Horn Society Annual Symposium and a one-year IHS membership.

Age Requirements: Full-time students under 25 years of age on January 1, 2023 are eligible.

Application Requirements:

• Applicants can sign up online (must be logged in) through the link below
• Proof of enrollment full-time in public or private school, conservatory or university. Proof of enrollment must be provided at the time of application, students must be enrolled in the current academic school year or the term immediately preceding the symposium (July 24-29, 2023).
• Deadline: online through July 17, 2023, on-site if space is available.
• If entering both high and low competitions, you must submit a separate application for each competition (one for low and one for high).

Repertoire Requirements:

High Horn: (1st horn parts unless otherwise specified)

1. Beethoven Symphony No. 7, 1st movement, mm. 89-101
2. Brahms Symphony No. 2, 2nd movement, mm. 17-31
3. Ravel Pavane pour une enfante défunte, opening solo
4. Strauss, R. Ein Heldenleben, mm. 1-17
5. Strauss, R. Till Eulenspiegel, 1st horn, mm. 6-20;
   AND 3rd horn, 19 m. after #28 – 1 m. before #30
6. Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5, 2nd movement solo

Low Horn:

1. Beethoven Symphony No. 3, 2nd horn, 3rd movement Trio
2. Beethoven Symphony No. 9, 4th horn, 3rd movement, mm. 82-99
3. Shostakovich Symphony No. 5, 1st horn, 1st movement, #[17] - [21]
4. Strauss, R. Don Quixote, 2nd horn, Variations 7 & 8 (complete)
5. Strauss, R. Ein Heldenleben, 2nd horn, 4 m. after [3] to 1 m. after [5]
6. Wagner, R. Prelude to Das Rheingold, 8th horn, mm. 17 - downbeat of 59

Judging: All participants will receive written evaluations of their performances by the judges. Details concerning the location and time of the contest will be made available online when they become available.

Apply Here