by Pierre-Antoine Tremblay, IHS 57 Featured Artist

The art of portamento—once an expressive hallmark of music—has largely faded from modern performance practice. Yet, in the 19th and early 20th centuries, this technique of seamlessly gliding between notes was considered an essential tool for lyrical phrasing and expressive musicianship. As a musician dedicated to historical performance, I have long been fascinated by these forgotten expressive devices and their role in shaping the horn’s distinctive voice in the Romantic repertoire.

My name is Pierre-Antoine Tremblay, and I am a horn player specializing in historical instruments. I teach natural horn (and all sorts of early valve horns) at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris and the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya in Barcelona. I perform with period instrument orchestras across Europe and Asia, using a wide range of horns built between 1700 and 1950.

Portamento, the technique of sliding audibly from one note to another, is now almost absent from modern horn playing, yet it was once a hallmark of expressive performance. In the 19th century, pedagogical treatises from France and Germany described it as an essential skill. Viennese tradition retained this expressive tool well into the 20th century with horn players like Gottfried von Freiberg who emphasized clearly audible slurs in his playing and teaching.

Early recordings from the 20th century capture this lost art. In a 1918 recording of Flotow's Martha by the New York Philharmonic (which can easily be found on YouTube), the principal horn glides expressively between notes in his lyrical solo. Viennese recordings under Freiberg’s tenure (1932–1962) also reveal remarkable portamenti in works like Mahler’s Ninth Symphony and Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben.

Vienna horns, still used today in Austria’s major orchestras, contribute to this unique legato. Developed by Leopold Uhlmann in the 1830s, they feature distinctive Viennese double-piston valves. However, modern research suggests that the valve placement—farther from the mouthpiece than on modern double horns—plays a crucial role in facilitating smooth note connections.

Bruckner’s Fourth Symphony offers yet another striking example of how portamento could enhance phrasing. Its horn passages, from the opening calls to the expressive leaps of the Finale, naturally invite the use of this technique. Reintroducing portamento into our playing, whether on modern or historical horns, could help us highlight the incredible expressive power of this music.

At the 2025 IHS Symposium, I will present a lecture on historical horn portamento (featuring some fascinating early 20th-century recordings) and perform in recital on an original Leopold Uhlmann horn from the late 19th century, applying these techniques in practice. I can’t wait to share this fascinating aspect of horn playing with the IHS community!

by Todd Goranson

Fortunately, there are several evidence-based, non-pharmacological strategies and tactics that are effective for managing performance anxiety. First, rather than trying to avoid uncomfortable feelings related to performance, we should instead frame these feelings properly. It is natural for a performer, when investing long hours in preparation, to feel anticipation and excitement in a performance situation—and it's easy to conflate that excitement with fear. Make it a habit to remind yourself how excited you are to finally present the music to your audience. Remind yourself (out loud) that you are not in danger, you are well-prepared, and that the audience is there to enjoy a live musical experience. The physiology of excitement and fear are nearly identical, aside from our perspective, and the extra adrenaline in our bloodstream prepares us for peak performance and attention.[1] Numerous colleagues with whom I have worked admit that, when they don't feel any anxiety or excitement, their performances typically feel rather “flat.” This is also why many musicians profess a dislike for beta blocker drugs, which suppress the effects of adrenaline. Allowing ourselves to be in the moment and to acknowledge how we feel right now, even if that feeling is a little uncomfortable, is much more productive than catastrophizing about what could go wrong in the future or what those potential (unlikely) consequences might be. There is extensive research establishing the benefit of “mindfulness” in this regard.[2]

Many musicians struggle with conscious invasive thoughts (doubt or negativity) during performances. It is important to note that, contrary to popular belief, the conscious mind is not a very effective “multi-tasker.” When we are conscious of several thoughts at once, we are in fact rapidly shuffling between several individual thoughts.[3] Finding a single, proactive and intentional point of focus for your conscious mind, such as “I'm going to shape each line beautifully,” “I'm playing this as a gift to my audience,” or, as my wife once prescribed, “I LOVE the way I sound!” can effectively drown out invasive thoughts. In addition, these are all focuses that shift attention from self toward sharing something meaningful with your listeners, and this benefits everyone.

It's also essential that we endeavor to make as many of the technical aspects of our performance as automatic as possible. Preparation works. It should be of no surprise to me that I will feel different in a performance than I will in a practice room or even a dress rehearsal, so as much as possible, I want to practice in such a way that the technique is on “autopilot” so that I can focus on shaping a phrase, blending and tuning, and sharing the music with my audience. I cannot overstate how excellent practice (daily fundamentals, practicing technical passages...

by Katy Carnaggio

Every note you play begins before you move. Before muscles shift or breath flows, your mind is already running mental simulations that predict what your body will do and how it will feel. Skill develops by testing those predictions against experience, adjusting with every breath and sound.

This predictive process is part of a larger system called internal modeling: the brain’s way of anticipating outcomes before they happen, and refining them over time.

Internal modeling relies on two processes:

• Inverse modeling: predicts the actions needed to achieve a musical outcome, sending motor commands to your body.
• Forward modeling: predicts how those movements will feel and sound, even before a note is played.

Together, these processes create a continuous flow of intention and anticipation.

As you play, sensory feedback streams in. Your brain constantly compares prediction to reality. When they align, the model is reinforced. When they diverge, it’s adjusted, sharpening future predictions and improving precision.

Think of internal modeling (what you intend and imagine) and sensory feedback (what you actually hear and feel) as two oars on a paddleboat. Used together, they move you forward with ease. Neglect one, and you may find yourself gently circling without realizing it.

This is why imagining, choosing, and feeling the sound before you play matters so much. It strengthens your internal model (the often-overlooked oar), priming your movements to become more precise, reliable, and free. Like an internal GPS, it gives you something you can trust every time you play.

To refine your internal models, incorporate deliberate prediction into your practice: predicting both the actions needed to create sound and the sensations those actions should produce.

This can look like:

Embodied Imagery

• Choose an image, emotion, or physical sensation (like "an icy lake" or "velvet dusk").
• Organize your breath, body, and focus around becoming that internal world.
• Let sound emerge naturally from embodiment, not mechanical control.

Active Listening

• While listening to great performances, imagine you are creating the sound:
• Feel the breath, the embouchure, the posture shaping each phrase. (How does it shift when you imagine singing like Avi Kaplan versus Luciano Pavarotti?)

These strategies draw from current research on predictive motor control and skill acquisition. Their specific applications to music performance are an exciting and growing area of study. You'll find additional ideas linked here if you'd like to explore further.

And as you do, remember: building a stronger internal model isn't just about adding new detail; it's also about letting some things go. As Brené Brown says, “Change always includes a series of small deaths.” Even positive growth carries loss—the shedding of familiar ways of moving, familiar ways of thinking, even familiar versions of yourself.

But each time you release an old way of moving or thinking, you clear the path for something more true, more grounded, more yours.

You don’t just change how you play.
You become someone who plays differently because you are different inside.

Article Series Map
Part 1: Prediction as a Tool for Letting Go
Part 2: Your Sound Starts Here
Part 3: Strengthen Your Inner Map (This Month!)
Part 4: Surrender in Spotlight (Coming Next Month)

by Inman Hebert

So You Think You Want to be in a Military Band…

National Military Appreciation Month in the United States brings to mind events ranging from the National Memorial Day Concert at the United States Capitol to free pops concerts hosted by towns and cities to honor the armed forces. As you play in or listen to a patriotic concert, have you considered what being in a military band might mean for your future as a horn player? 

Understanding the role musicians have in the military band is paramount to this decision. Military bands perform in ceremonial roles and promote tradition through parades, command ceremonies, dinner receptions, foreign dignitary visits, and funerals. Musicians also offer entertainment through concerts and holiday celebrations. Above all, military bands operate as ambassadors to promote a nation and its military.

If such a role appeals to you, consider whether the physical and medical requirements may serve as a barrier. Musicians must undergo a comprehensive military medical exam, which includes physical and psychological screenings and assessments. As an example, disqualifications may result from being prescribed certain medications or even having food allergies with systemic symptoms.

All musicians in U.S. military bands must meet certain physical fitness standards that vary by branch. These requirements typically include height and weight standards and a certain number of push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and timed runs. All American musicians (except those in the “The President’s Own” and the Coast Guard Band) must undergo basic training. Boot camp varies from 8 to 13 weeks and includes intense physical training and field exercises, with the goals of developing discipline, building teamwork, and instilling military values. No separate boot camp training exists for musicians.

The military operates in a hierarchy, and musicians operate within that system. Standards include a dress code and specified military grooming. Males still enter boot camp with haircuts that resemble a shaved head and must continue to maintain short hair off the ears and above the collar. Women have more flexibility depending on the military branch. Musicians sign enlistment contracts and remain bound to the rules under which they agreed to abide. 

Each branch of the military posts it pay scales, which allows transparency when considering this career path. Musicians need to consider other benefits associated with the military. Specifically, the basic allowance for housing serves (in the United States) as a non-taxable monetary payment, supplementing the basic salary. In addition, certain benefits, such as health coverage, are covered at little or no cost to the active-duty service member.

If being a musician in a military band sounds appealing, consider the three types of military bands. Premier Bands remain the most competitive as the U.S. military has designated only 11 among all military branches. Most premier band musicians have earned at least a bachelor’s degree, but many often hold advanced degrees in music. Interested candidates can find announcements on the specific band’s website and must participate in a round of highly competitive and selective auditions. Those winning auditions serve as enlisted members who enter the military at a specified pay grade. Premier band musicians have enlistment contracts which dictate that they are not deployable outside of the United States. Most are permanently based in or near Washington, D.C.

All branches of the military, except the Coast Guard, offer regional or fleet bands. In regional bands, you may perform other roles and must understand the culture of the branch you serve. Marine Bands consider your first job as a musician but dictate that you must be ready as a combat Marine when needed, whereas Air Force Bands state that if deployed, your job will be to perform on your instrument. Similar to the Marines, the Army may require deployment with the rest of your division, whereas the Navy states your entire job is to play music, but you will spend 6 months annually on a ship at sea. Regional bands require auditions, but more positions for these exist than for the Premier Bands. Many musicians go into Regional Bands right out of high school.

Reserve and National Guard Band members serve part-time concurrent to civilian careers. These obligations may be one weekend per month (plus a two-week concert tour) but could include activation with deployment overseas.

A career in a military band allows horn players to pursue a full-time job in music. Military band musicians often tout the practical benefits and the intangible sense of family. Interviews with military musicians emphasize the fulfillment in exploring the full band repertoire, in addition to the traditional ceremonial marches. If the stability and the structure of military bands appeal to you, start getting in shape, musically and physically, and look for audition opportunities.

For more information, read the International Horn Society’s “Military Matters” column in The Horn Call that shares stories from military horn players throughout the world. If you are interested in another possible career—being a university teacher—read the May 2024 Horn and More Student Column “So You Think You Want to be a Music Professor…”

by Layne Anspach

This month, Chamber Music Corner will examine a well-known work from the horn trio repertoire: Lennox Berkeley’s Trio, Op. 44, for violin, horn, and piano. Sir Lennox Berkeley (1903-1989) was an English composer and professor. At the suggestion of Ravel, Berkeley traveled to Paris to study with Nadia Boulanger. He was appointed professor of composition at the Royal Academy of Music in 1946 and served until 1968. Berkeley’s compositional output runs the gamut of genres: operas, ballets, and film scores; orchestral, vocal, and chamber music, as well as solo works. To preserve his legacy, the Lennox Berkeley Society was founded in 2000.

Op. 44 was commissioned by pianist Colin Horsley for Dennis Brain. The two, along with violinist Manoug Parikian, premiered the work at the Victoria and Albert Museum in March 1954. The first movement, Allegro, opens with a series of ascending fourths, played first by the horn and followed by the violin. The second theme is presented by the violin with horn support. Piano takes over the second theme, maintaining the calm demeanor that characterizes the section. The development starts with a clear statement of a countermelody to the first theme by the violin. Horn and violin trade time with the piano during the development but complete the section together with increasing intensity. The return of the opening sees the horn and piano exchange parts, with the piano now presenting the rising fourth motif. After the climax of the movement, un poco piu lento follows, leading the listener to a soft, tranquil conclusion.

The second movement, Lento, is made up of two melodic sections. The opening slowly unfolds with a repeated two-measure figure in the piano. The violin enters with sustained notes, increasing in intensity, which are passed to the horn. The second section is moved along by the piano with horn and violin joining to add color and rhythmic interest. After an anticipated climax, the section withdraws and returns to a modified version of the opening theme, not fully presented before slipping into a truncation of the second theme. The movement ends with an ominous yet quiet coda.

A theme and variations completes the piece, although this movement accounts for half of the total work. There are ten variations: I. Allegro vivace; II. Allegretto; III. Lento; IV. Vivace; V. Andante; VI. Moderato; VII. Adagio; VIII. Moderato; IX. Allegro vivo; X. Moderato. As in many such movements, the third variation provides the most noticeable alteration of the theme. The overall pace is varied and includes a few attacca transitions between variations. To highlight a couple of the variations: Variation V starts with horn and violin in a delightful dance until the piano interrupts. Variation VII, a long cantabile Adagio, is a stunning presentation of horn and violin melody. Variation IX, a quick gigue, hurtles directly into Variation X which concludes the movement with a comparatively subdued presentation of the theme.

The reference recording is from the album Berkeley, Brahms & Leshnoff: Horn Trios (Naxos). The hornist is David Alan Cooper.

Ein Waldhorn Lustig

by Caiti Beth McKinney

Hello everyone,

This month I want to share with you a bit about the music and life of an outstanding Canadian composer, Barbara Pentland (1912-2000). Pentland was one of the three prominent women composers who changed the musical landscape of 20th-century Canadian classical music, the others being Violet Archer (1913-2000) and Jean Coulthard (1908-2000). In a strange twist of fate, all three composers passed away within five weeks of each other. If you are a long-time reader of Horn and More, you may remember Violet Archer from this column published exactly two years ago!

Pentland was raised in an upper-class family who expected her to conform to their lifestyle, meaning a life of soirees and a well-connected marriage rather than any kind of professional career. Young Barbara, however, had other plans. At the age of 9, she began studying piano, and it wasn’t long afterwards that Pentland started writing her own music, despite discouragement from both her parents and her teacher. However, as the years passed, her interest never waned. Despite all obstacles, Pentland entered the Juilliard School of Music in 1936 as a graduate student studying counterpoint and composition.

With an output of over 150 compositions, Pentland was highly prolific and wrote in a variety of styles. Her composition for horn and piano, Elegy (which at the time of this writing remains unrecorded), is a true chamber work, with the piano serving as a second but equally important voice rather than as accompaniment. Despite its shorter duration of only six minutes, Elegy is a challenging but rewarding piece filled with extended techniques including quartertone tuning, double trills (two fingers on one valve), and an aleatoric section which allows the performers to exercise their musical creativity. If you are into experimental music, Elegy will surely interest you.

by Szabolcs Zempléni, Professor of Horn, University of the Arts Berlin; IHS 57 Featured Artist

"The Athletic Horn Player." That was the headline when Gramophone magazine interviewed me after my first big international win in Markneukirchen at the age of 20. I loved cycling even then, though I was far from a typical athlete. What I didn’t know was that sport was already shaping me in ways I couldn’t yet see.

Today, I know: Playing the horn is a sport.

The Physical Side

Horn playing is physical. We push muscles to extremes: loudness, high notes, low notes, stamina across hours. Your range, endurance, strength—it’s not just talent. It’s training.

There is no such thing as impossible. Only the limits we accept.

Muscles don't grow during practice—they grow during rest. The body needs time to process, build, memorize. The same is true for the brain: slow, deliberate practice, careful repetition. Athletes know it. Musicians must embrace it too.

Mastery is Built, Not Found

Physical training is essential—but so is mental strength. Chess. Snooker. Strategy games. They teach focus, patience, fine motor skills—all critical for musicians. Not every training happens on the instrument.

I’ve always had it—the need to win. Even losing—painful as it was—taught me resilience. Every setback became a lesson: Get up. Start again. Fight for your goal.

The Importance of Breathing

Reading Zen in the Art of Archery was a revelation.
Breathing isn't secondary—it's the foundation. High notes, low notes, loudness, endurance—all depend on the breath.

Arnold Jacobs taught me: Breathing empowers muscles. Without it, they fail.

Breathing, both in sports and in horn playing, became a cornerstone of my teaching philosophy.

The Mental Game

Athletes embraced sports psychology decades ago. Musicians are still catching up.

The Inner Game of Tennis changed everything for me.
Its musical version (The Inner Game of Music) is wonderful—but the original carries a universal truth:

Your mind is your strongest—or weakest—partner.

Three Pillars of Horn Playing

Horn playing rests on three pillars:

• Technical mastery
• Breathing mastery
• Mental mastery

Each must be trained. Each must be respected.

Inspiration Beyond Music

Some of my greatest inspirations come from outside music:

• Roger Federer—for balance and serenity.
• Cristiano Ronaldo—for relentless work ethic and belief that nothing is impossible.
• Ronnie O’Sullivan—for his raw journey to greatness.
• Katinka Hosszú—Hungary’s Olympic and World Champion swimmer, whose motto “HWAPO” (Hard Work Always Pays Off) became my own.

Conclusion

Horn playing is a sport for the body, the mind, and the soul. And like all true sports, it demands everything you have—and gives back even more.