by Susan McCullough, IHS Executive Director

I am happy to introduce Colby Monroe, the winner of the 2026 International Horn Society Barry Tuckwell Award. This prestigious award was established in 1997 to honor the IHS Founding President and is designed to encourage and support worthy horn students age 18-24 as they pursue education and performance opportunities by attending and participating in masterclasses and workshops throughout the world. The award of up to $500 will be used to help pay the registration, room and board, and travel costs to attend any masterclass, workshop, or symposium he selects where Colby will perform and study with master hornists. He will also receive a one-year IHS membership. Applications for this important award are due in January every year.

Colby is a sophomore horn performance major at Oklahoma State University, studying under Lanette López-Compton. An Arkansas native, he is an active member and participant in the horn community, regularly attending workshops and the International Symposium. He is grateful for the support of the International Horn Society.

by Priscila Viana and Thiago Carneiro

The Brazilian Horn Society (ATB), founded in 2013, aims to promote research, reflection, and the dissemination of knowledge related to horn performance, contributing to the artistic, technical, and pedagogical development of its members and the Brazilian horn community.

Since its creation, the association has organized annual meetings, of both a scientific and an artistic nature, dedicated to the teaching, research, and performance of the horn in Brazil. These meetings foster exchange between Brazilian and international horn players, significantly strengthening and contributing to the development of the horn and horn playing in Brazil. 

In 2026, the city of São Paulo will host the 11th Meeting of the Brazilian Horn Society, which will take place from September 3-6, under the general coordination of Nikolay Genov. The event will be held at the School of Music of the Theatro Municipal de São Paulo, located at Praça das Artes.

The event is supported by MB Cases and, so far, the confirmed participants include professors Mark Almond, Felipe Freitas, Luiz Garcia, Daniel Filho, Tayanne Sepulveda, and Lucca Zambonini, as well as invited groups such as Trompas UFRJ, Octeto Feminino, and Flamboyant Horns, among others.

Please plan to attend if you are able.

by Inman Hebert

Lately, as I practice a Mozart concerto for what feels like the billionth time in my admittedly short playing career, I found myself pondering the universality of the Mozart experience. To memorialize learning to embrace the concertos’ nuanced “musical minefield,” I am deviating from my usual article format to present a Petrarchan sonnet which, traditionally, expresses internal conflict and reflects shared experience.

While entering to rackets of applause
With a fluttering heart and absent mind,
Recordings of Brain and Civil enshrined
In fragile boxes next to their stark flaws,
The performer nodded after a pause.
A piano started playing in kind,
An exposition, the hornist resigned
To Mozart’s acute, unmerciful jaws

Four bars before entry, concentration
With it, an accelerating heartbeat
Of intrusive thoughts, various mistakes,
Correct notes, high B-flat, intonation,
Steady rhythm, articulations neat,
A musical minefield of highest stakes

by Vidhurinda Samaraweera

Cross-Cultural Fusion

From the smoky jazz clubs of the 1950s to the digital soundscapes of modern video games, the horn has proven to be a remarkably adaptable wild card. Whether creating a "wall of sound" in a pop ballad or executing complex bebop lines, the horn’s evolution in popular music is a testament to the players and composers who continue to push the boundaries of this centuries-old instrument. (Read more about the horn’s evolution in Part I of The Horn and Pop Culture.) In the 21st century, the horn’s repertoire has expanded through cross-cultural fusion. The second part of this series examines two examples.

The Cuban Connection

Perhaps the prime example for cross-cultural fusion is the Mozart y Mambo project led by Sarah Willis of the Berlin Philharmonic. Willis collaborated with the Havana Lyceum Orchestra to fuse Mozart horn concertos with traditional Cuban rhythms like salsa, mambo, and bolero. This project not only produced chart-topping albums but also resulted in the commissioning of Cuban Dances, the first-ever Cuban horn concerto. The technical demands of this music required Willis to adapt her classical training to Cuban dance rhythms—in line with the local maxim, "If you can’t dance it, you can’t play it" (read more).

The South Asian Connection

While the horn may not yet have found its place as a solo instrument in Indian or Sri Lankan music—in contrast to Cuban music—it is widely used in orchestral pop.

Lalit Symphony

Rakesh Chaurasia, nephew and disciple of the legendary flautist Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, is a Grammy-winning artist known for his collaborations with Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer, and the late Zakir Hussain. His approach to fusion maintains respect for his classical foundations while exploring new soundscapes.

Lalit Symphony is part of Rakesh Chaurasia's ground-breaking Symphony of Bansuri project, which premiered with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra in August 2025. This project represents the first comprehensive effort to present Bansuri in full dialog with a symphony orchestra.

Raga lalit, also known as lalita, is considered one of the most challenging and emotionally rich ragas (scales) in Hindustani classical music. It is traditionally performed in the early morning hours and evokes feelings of devotion, longing, and spiritual depth. The distinctive character of lalit comes from its use of komal (flattened) Re (D), La (A) and Ni (B) alongside tivra (sharp) Ma (F). This creates an unusual harmonic structure that does not correspond neatly to Western major or minor scales. The simultaneous presence of minor seconds and augmented fourths gives the raga its characteristic tension…

Chamber Music Corner—Britta Byström’s Kinderszenen

by Layne Anspach

Britta Byström’s work Kinderszenen for violin, horn, and piano is the focus of this month’s Chamber Music Corner. Britta Byström (b. 1977) is a Swedish composer who did her schooling at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. Her compositional work has focused mainly on orchestral music but also includes chamber music, vocal works, and operas. Byström has written solo works for Radovan Vlatkovic and Janine Jansen, to name a few.

Kinderszenen for violin, horn, and piano (2011) is a single-movement work that shares its name with Robert Schumann’s well-known Op. 15 piano work. The title translates to Scenes from Childhood. The opening is for piano with fragmented lines from the other players. The violin introduces the main melodic content, a combination of sustained notes and short rhythmic bursts. The piano maintains continuous sextuplets while the horn interjects. The piano and horn enter with more melodic content as energy grows. A short Calmo brings reprieve from the constant rhythmic materials, but this is short-lived as a faster tempo, Energico, returns. Energico is distinguished by the horn taking over as the dominant melodic voice.

A long, sustained note in the horn opens a second Calmo section, performed slower than the first. This calmo ends much as it started with a sustained pitch, this time held by the violin. A startling chord in the piano brings the work back to the opening tempo and melodic content. This scene is brief, giving way to calmo again, more sparse than its initial appearances.

The end of the final calmo feels like the conclusion of the work, but the ensemble interjects a return to the Energico. Another held note in the horn transitions to the final tempo, Leggiero. Here the opening themes and sound scape return one last time. The work concludes with the opening fragments restated and an extended trill in the violin, dissipating to nothing.

The reference recording is a live performance by the Esbjerg Ensemble. Joke Wijma is the hornist.

by Austris Apenis

Peruse this list to discover a wide variety of events available for horn players of various ages and ability levels. Websites are included. Some of these start soon, but the list includes possibilities for summer and autumn as well. Happy hunting, and happy tooting…and send us photos of you enjoying your experiences!

Freiberg, Aviram: Hanukkah Medley 2 for Horn Quartet
Hill, Douglas: Blue Hues and Joy! for Two Horns

Ein Waldhorn Lustig

…to get the most out of your practice time

by Sarah Schouten

Before I ever even mention the word scales in a lesson—or even hint at it—I can feel the eye rolls, groans, and general disdain heading my way. Perhaps instead of taking the view that scales are something we “have to do,” we can reframe our thinking and understand them as a vehicle to make our practicing and performing more efficient. We can use scales to help us strengthen multiple fundamental skills, thus maximizing our precious practice time.

Here are a few ideas to help you get started. 

• Intonation

  We often fall into the trap of tuning with our eyes or only tuning certain notes or intervals. Put on a drone and start playing your scales. The possibilities are almost endless. You can tune all the intervals, use a cello or other instrument drones to work on matching intonation and timbre, experiment with tuning apps, etc.

• Dynamics

  Need to work on dynamics? Why not use your scales? This way you can get practice doing both. You can also tailor this type of fundamental work to your specific needs, high/soft or low/loud, etc., to get the most out of your practice time. Need to work on a dynamic level with sustained pitches? Play your scale slowly. Need to work on changing dynamics (crescendo/diminuendo) or subito dynamic changes? Figure out a scale pattern that mimics your music and then repeat that practice in all the keys.

• Articulation

  Yes, this one seems obvious, but think outside the box a little here and manipulate your scale pattern to suit your needs. Do you need to work on light, staccato tonguing? Then perhaps create a pattern from your scale that includes repetition of notes. Do you have an accented note in the middle of a phrase? Add an accent to specific scale tones. Need to work on a slur-two-tongue-two pattern? Include that articulation in your scales.

• Speed

  Having trouble internalizing a tempo? Put on your metronome and play your scales at that speed; after a few days, see if you can find that beat on your own. Need to work on a steady internal subdivision? Play scales and subdivide while using a metronome to keep you honest. Have a tricky polyrhythm between your part and another? If you have duplets, put your metronome on triplets, etc.

• Combinations

  If you are now having fun and looking for more possibilities, combine any of the above ideas to meet your needs!

When practice seems daunting or you just don’t want to look at “that” etude anymore, identify a skill you need to address, put it into a scale pattern, and get to work. Be adventurous and create your own scale patterns and exercises. Let go of preconceived notions, get creative with the basics, and be amazed by your progress.

Happy practicing!

by Wojciech Kamionka

The 58th International Horn Symposium, Horn in the City of Kings, Kraków 2026, will combine traditional with some very unique events. It is certain to be an unforgettable occasion!

There are plenty of masterclasses planned, led by our amazing Featured Artists and special guests, lectures and presentations, daily yoga, with approximately 15 major concerts.   

Please do note that the schedule is still being finalized and, therefore, subject to change.

We will open IHS 58 on Tuesday, July 7th, with masterclasses, an opening concert at 4:00 p.m. featuring Advisory Council members, students participating as scholarship holders of the Erasmus Plus Program, and the excellent China Horn Ensemble. At 7:00 p.m., there is a concert featuring Andrew Bain, Bernardo Silva, Kristina Mascher-Turner, and Saar Berger with the Choir of Polish Radio performing Romantic works by Brahms, Schubert, Schumann, and Żeleński for horns and chorus.

On Wednesday the 8th, from the morning to the afternoon there will be masterclasses, performances by Contributing Artists, lectures, yoga, and the Dorothy Frizelle Orchestral Audition Contest with Fergus McWilliam, Barbara Jöstlein, Louis-Philippe Marsolais, and others in the judging panel.

After lunch, there will be two recitals with presentations by Takeshi Hidaka, Saar Berger, Bernardo Silva, Kristina Mascher-Turner, and Gabriel Betancur. Then, there is a unique concert for horn(s) and organ in the beautiful Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. We will also meet in a club after the concert.

On Thursday the 9th, we are continuing with masterclasses, concerts of Contributing Artists, lectures, yoga, and these competitions: IHS Premier Soloist Competition, Natural Horn Competition with Tommi Hyytinen as chairman of the jury, and Horn Quartets and Horn Ensemble Competition with Fergus McWilliam, Louis-Philippe Marsolais, Michelle Perry, Jon Luxton, and Kerry Turner in the jury panel.

In the afternoon, there are several events planned. First, a concert featuring Kateřina Javůrková performing Karl-Heinz Stockhausen's composition for Horn Solo, the Horn Quartet Tsunobue-Shudan Tokyo (Jo Kishigami, Jonathan Hammill, Takeshi Hidaka, Tsutom Maruyama), and the one and only Trompa Brasilis.

There is a unique concert in the historic Synagogue Temple as our prayer for peace in the world. Featured artist Saar Berger will perform compositions for horn alone, and an international Horn Ensemble combined of excellent players, led by Wojciech Kamionka, will perform a stunning and deeply touching piece titled War Horns by Paweł Pudło.

After the concert, there is a walk planned in the historic Jewish Quarter district and a picture of all participants of IHS 58 in a very special place. And as a good beginning for this summer evening, we will meet in a jazz club to listen to the Arkady Shilkloper Trio.

On Friday the 10th, we will start with masterclasses for the laureates of the IHS 58 competitions led by internationally renowned artists, concerts of Contributing Artists, lectures, and horn workshops. In the afternoon, we will have concerts by Featured Artists, including natural horn superstar Anneke Scott, performing with string quartet.

A concert featuring NU Corno Jazz and Arkady Shilkloper will open the evening.

On Saturday the 11th, there is an International Horn Society annual meeting planned in the morning, a concert featuring the winners of the competitions, and the Mass Choir and Horn Enthusiasts Ensemble concert.

Then we will take our horns and walk through the streets of Old Town Kraków. It will be something that this 1000-years old city has never seen before!

The afternoon will be full of masterclasses with our fantastic Artists.

In the evening, there will be another concert in a unique location, the Museum of Aviation. Kateřina Javůrková, Bernardo Silva, and Trompa Brasilis will perform as soloists with the National Wind Band of Poland.

On Sunday the 12th, we will start with a morning concert for horn and string orchestra. Christoph Ess, rising horn star Felipe Freitas, and Kristina Mascher-Turner with Peter Luff will interpret pieces by Elliot Schneider, Lars-Eric Larsson, and Kerry Turner. The IHS 58 String Orchestra will be led by Will Sanders.

After a coffee break, there will be another concert with wonderful chamber music in the program. Andrew Bain will perform the horn part in two masterpieces: Johannes Brahms’ Horn Trio and Krzysztof Penderecki’s Sextet. We will officially say, “Goodbye…and see you!” over lunch.

Every International Horn Symposium is special and different. The 58th, the first in Poland—and in Central Europe—will be absolutely unique in the stunning city of Kraków. Do not miss it!

The finalized, exact schedule will be posted soon…but isn’t this an amazing teaser!?

The closing date for the registration is May 20th. Join your horn family in Poland July 7th-12th for this spectacular, memorable event!