Greetings, and welcome to the June 2022 issue of Horn and More!
As always, Mike Harcrow and his editorial team at Horn and More have assembled a world-class collection of horn knowledge, delivered to your inbox for free! In a world where everyone seems to be selling something, it is heartening to know that this e-newsletter has been created for the sole purpose of sharing information about the horn and horn playing across the globe. If you are a regular reader of Horn and More and/or frequently visit other resources on hornsociety.org, you may be wondering how best to support these initiatives. It’s simple: Join the IHS! In thinking over the various benefits of membership in the IHS, I brainstormed the following list. There are certainly more, but these are some of the big ones for me:
The International Horn Society Website: The official online home of the IHS, www.hornsociety.org, is a wonderful resource, with lots of great content available to everyone. Whether you peruse the classified ads and job listings, search The Horn Call Index, prepare for auditions using Horn Excerpts, or shop for music using the Online Music Sales page, there is a wealth of information on this site. However, the best content in my opinion is available only to IHS members, including electronic copies of The Horn Call going all the way back to the first issue, and a variety of video content. If you are a frequent visitor to the site but have not yet joined the IHS, consider supporting it through your membership. Organizing, maintaining, and updating a website is no small task, and your membership would help defray some of the costs.
Thesis Lending Library: This repository of horn-related knowledge and research is one of the most extensive collections available outside of a major university library, and is free for IHS members. A refundable deposit is required to borrow from this library, but it is well worth it.
Commissions and Competitions: The IHS regularly supports the creation of new works for the horn through its Meir Rimon Commissioning Assistance Fund. If you’ve ever wanted to take part in commissioning new music for the horn but couldn’t acquire the funds, consider joining the IHS and applying for an award from the Meir Rimon Fund. In addition to commissioning assistance, the IHS also hosts a Composition Contest, as well as several scholarship competitions.
Membership is Relatively Inexpensive: IHS dues are very affordable, especially considering the variety of programs that the organization supports. A student electronic membership is $25 USD annually, which amounts to $2.08 USD a month. I tell my students that if money is keeping them from joining the IHS, consider that forgoing one cup of premium coffee (or other small luxury purchase) per month would more than cover the cost. The IHS Friendship Project offers adjusted one-year regular and electronic memberships to residents of countries based on the United Nations Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI). To view the adjusted rates and see if you qualify for a Friendship Project adjustment, visit The Friendship Project page. A Club Membership discount is available for groups of eight or more members joining together. For more information, contact Membership Coordinator Elaine Braun at membership-coor@hornsociety.org.
The Horn Call: Published tri-annually in print and electronic format, this is the official journal of the IHS and a great resource and companion to Horn and More. Each issue contains news and reports from around the world, feature articles, recording and music reviews, and fantastic columns. If you aren’t reading The Horn Call, you are missing out!
Networking/Collegiality/Friendship: Last but not least is the opportunity to meet new colleagues and friends at the annual international symposium, various regional events, and other in-person and virtual interactions. As with any organization of its kind, the IHS brings together numerous backgrounds, interests, and experience levels, with a common thread being a love of the horn. It should also be noted that IHS-affiliated events – festivals, workshops, masterclasses, etc. – do not have to pay for online or print promotion, so long as quality materials are provided. And, in my experience, the IHS is a friendly and welcoming organization, with a history of strong leadership.
I hope this has given you some food for thought, and I encourage all horn players of any level to support our official organization.
James Boldin IHS Publications Editor
Have Horn, Will Travel
by Chris Castellanos
Hello, I’m Chris Castellanos, and I am a travelholic. Some call us road warriors, others call us crazy. I love the travelling aspect of my job just as much as I enjoy the playing. I love meeting new people, playing new venues, the air travel, car rides, the after-concert hangouts, and everything that comes with being a touring musician! Of course, it’s not always smooth sailing, and there’s a lot that goes into making your travel a better experience. With that, I’ll let you know the kinds of things that I personally do to make road life as good an experience as possible.
First, since we are all musicians, it should come as no surprise that my #1 rule for travel is to make sure that I am giving myself the best chance for success on stage at all costs. This means, whether it’s an audition, a one-time gig, or a full-blown tour, I make sure that my travel allows me to be punctual, comfortable, and as stress-free as possible. No, I don’t mean that every flight is first-class or that every hotel is the Four Seasons; but I do mean that taking a flight that departs at 6:00 a.m. and has a four-hour layover and which gets you to an engagement with only a few hours to spare is NOT worth saving a little bit of money. Why in the world would one jeopardize months of preparation for an audition? or sacrifice sounding anything less than their best on a rehearsal or show just to save some money on a flight?
It’s with this in mind that for a morning or early-evening engagement, if possible, I will almost always opt to fly in the night before. Even if this costs me a hotel for the night, I rest easier knowing that I am there already and don’t have to worry about unforeseen issues travelling on the day of the scheduled event. If my engagement...
Ugo Merlone, professor of Conflict Management and Negotiation and Strategic Decision Economics at the University of Turin and an amateur horn player, and Irene Alfarone, a former student of his and a violin graduate, have just published an article in the journal Psychology of Music on the effects of Covid-19 on musicians' job insecurity. They collected responses from more than 200 Italian musicians, and the analyses revealed that musicians felt greater job insecurity after the pandemic than before. On the positive side, however, the motivation to continue their artistic careers prevented musicians from quitting their jobs even after the pandemic. The findings shed light on the difficult employment situation of musicians and encourage constructive dialogue on how to address this issue in a post-pandemic scenario. The article is available at:
The authors are happy to provide further details upon request. Additionally, the authors wonder whether it would be of interest to some to extend the research more specifically to the greater horn community. If anyone would be interested in focusing the study on horn-players from around the world with the goal of submitting the findings for publication in The Horn Call, please contact Professor Merlone at ugo.merlone@unito.it.
Uzbekistan
by Shahriyor Berdiyev
In Uzbekistan, culture and art are becoming more and more a part of everyday life in a diverse society. The cultivation of interest towards classical music is evident in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, where many orchestras give regular concerts. Every weekend, you may hear concerts presented by symphony orchestras, chamber orchestras, military brass bands, or opera companies.
Prominent professional musical organizations in Uzbekistan: National Symphony Orchestra State Symphony Orchestra Turkiston Chamber Orchestra Chamber Orchestra of Young Talents Soloists of Uzbekistan Chamber Orchestra Navoi Opera Theatre Opera House “Operetta” Military Band of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan Military Band of the Border Troops
Such a vibrant concert culture creates a demand for horn players capable of performing musical masterpieces of different eras and genres. Accordingly, there are many music schools in Uzbekistan where students learn the basics of music from an early age. Most music schools in Uzbekistan were founded during the second half of 20th century, beginning during the Second World War, as many Soviet professors migrated east, including several music teachers who eventually would raise the next generation of musicians in Uzbekistan.
Prominent music schools in Uzbekistan: The music school named after Reinhold Glière The music school named after V.A. Uspensky Republican Specialised Musical Academic Lyceum...
The IHS is looking for help! We have an opening for an Exhibits Liaison, an ongoing position with compensation. This position fills a need the IHS has to provide a resource to the International Symposium Coordinator, other workshop hosts, and the IHS Advertising Agent to facilitate the presence of exhibitors at international workshops and symposia as well as at regional or other workshops. For more information and to submit your resumé and cover letter, please visit www.hornsociety.org (member log-in required). Application deadline is June 4, 2022.
Interview — Dante Yenque
Dante Yenque is a groundbreaking Latin-American hornist and composer. In this substantive Spanish-language video interview, he shares some of his innovative thoughts and processes with Horn and More editorial staff member Gabriella Ibarra. For more of Yenque’s amazing playing, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X57GB3I1_d0.
English subtitles are available
IHS General Membership Meeting
IHS 54 is fast approaching! During the Symposium, the Advisory Council will be holding its annual meetings, and any active members may propose new business to the Advisory Council. Such proposals must be submitted in writing to IHS president Radegundis Tavares (president@hornsociety.org) or to executive director Julia Burtscher (exec-director@hornsociety.org) by June 30, 2022. We will also be holding our open General Membership Meeting and hope to see you there!
Recitals in South Korea
by Sindy Wan
Covid restrictions are completely lifted in South Korea now, so performances are happening again with great regularity, including numerous horn recitals.
In April, the Annual Orchestra Festival was held. Korea's representative symphony orchestras performed daily during the event, and hornist Hong Park Kim of the Oslo Philharmonic performed as soloist on the April 22 concert. Seoul Philharmonic hornist Sergey Akimov, accompanied by his wife Min Ji Lee, gave a solo recital May 22. Notable upcoming events in Seoul include:
Kyu Sung Lee, Horn Recital 2022/06/21 19:30 Seoul Arts Center
Hyung Il Kim, Horn Recital 2022/06/29 19:30 Seoul Arts Center
Seoul Brass Sounds Concert 2022/07/09 20:00 Seoul Arts Center
Hyung Won Son, Horn Recital 2022/07/23 20:00 Seoul Arts Center
Tae Hoon Im, Horn Recital 2022/11/01 19:30 Seoul Arts Center
Felix Klieser, Horn Recital 2022/11/09 19:30 Seoul Arts Center
If you are visiting Seoul during any of these events, please make plans to attend. You are always welcome!
Dauprat: Music for Horn
by David Fliri
About four years ago, I got the offer and invitation to record a CD. I quickly realized that I wanted to contribute a recording of rare repertoire by unknown composers who aren’t recognized enough today, and which would be interesting for the horn community. I already knew about Louis-François Dauprat’s sextet and his method book, but while researching his life and musical career, I read about his other works and found most of the manuscripts in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. After lots of researching, editing, rehearsing, and recording, finally, in December 2021, our CD Dauprat: Music for Horn was released. Covid gave us some trouble as we had to postpone our recording session several times, but eventually we managed to finalize our work. So, I am now very pleased to present the CD to the International Horn Society.
At this point, I want to give special thanks to my dear colleagues and friends Wolfgang Brunner, Erik Košak, Gabriel Stiehler, and Markus Hauser, not only for their wonderful playing but also for their encouraging and inspiring contribution to this adventurous project. We were extremely fortunate to be able to perform on an original horn by Lucien Joseph Raoux (circa 1817) and on copies according to Lausmann and Raoux, replicated by Andreas Jungwirth. These were the perfect instruments for the project as Dauprat himself won a cor solo made by Raoux as the Premier Prix at the Paris Conservatoire in 1797. This very instrument is currently on display in the Musée de la Musique in Paris. Later, he also worked with the Raoux family to further develop the horn. Also for our recording, Wolfgang Brunner played on a fortepiano after Conrad Graf (circa 1830), replicated by Robert Brown.
This volume commemorating the 50th anniversary of the International Horn Society is presented in a format befitting such a celebration. The book combines photos and other visual aspects found in coffee table books with narrative historical accounts of the formation of the society and its activities over its first half-century. The book has a faux leather cover and 246 full color pages, covering all workshops and symposia, publications, commissioning programs and projects, scholarships and other programs, and a look at the people that make up the IHS community. A special section for our business supporters is also included. This wonderful celebration of the IHS has a price of $75 (no money is required up-front). Shipping charges will be added based on location/address, and you'll receive an invoice directly from the IHS for payment. Order your copy now!
Pedagogy – Creativity, Technique, and Emotion
by Julie Landsman
I recently interviewed Julie Landsman, retired Principal Horn of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and horn professor at Juilliard and the University of Southern California, about her horn playing and her teaching. We discussed foundations of technique and musicianship, and how to teach these things to students. The essay below puts Julie’s words into a narrative flow about horn playing and pedagogy. We began by talking about Carmine Caruso, who worked with many brass players in the 1970s and developed a series of exercises designed to build a stable technique. -Daniel Grabois, Pedagogy Column Editor
The Carmine Caruso exercises are totally a part of my teaching and playing. They have been there since I was twelve. I’m always in the Carmine mindset when there’s a horn involved. But I have found that you really need to move at the pace of the student, not of the method. Being wise as a teacher in what I give my students really helps tailor what I give to each student in the Caruso. For example, some of my students do better without free buzzing, and we may find a few ways around that. It really depends on the student. If you force free buzzing, you could get in trouble.
What you don’t want to do with the Caruso is overdo it. Those who overdo it run the risk of getting injured. Keeping the mouthpiece in place and breathing through the nose is a really good idea for the Caruso, but I would never recommend it for regular playing. It helps stabilize the embouchure as it moves through the registers. There are so many aspects to this method that I find therapeutic and helpful. Developing an embouchure that doesn’t need a lot of reset as you go through the register breaks is one of the greatest assets of the Caruso method.
Greetings, and welcome to the June 2022 issue of Horn and More!
Hello, I’m Chris Castellanos, and I am a travelholic. Some call us road warriors, others call us crazy. I love the travelling aspect of my job just as much as I enjoy the playing. I love meeting new people, playing new venues, the air travel, car rides, the after-concert hangouts, and everything that comes with being a touring musician! Of course, it’s not always smooth sailing, and there’s a lot that goes into making your travel a better experience. With that, I’ll let you know the kinds of things that I personally do to make road life as good an experience as possible.
Ugo Merlone, professor of Conflict Management and Negotiation and Strategic Decision Economics at the University of Turin and an amateur horn player, and Irene Alfarone, a former student of his and a violin graduate, have just published an article in the journal Psychology of Music on the effects of Covid-19 on musicians' job insecurity. They collected responses from more than 200 Italian musicians, and the analyses revealed that musicians felt greater job insecurity after the pandemic than before. On the positive side, however, the motivation to continue their artistic careers prevented musicians from quitting their jobs even after the pandemic. The findings shed light on the difficult employment situation of musicians and encourage constructive dialogue on how to address this issue in a post-pandemic scenario. The article is available at:
In Uzbekistan, culture and art are becoming more and more a part of everyday life in a diverse society. The cultivation of interest towards classical music is evident in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, where many orchestras give regular concerts. Every weekend, you may hear concerts presented by symphony orchestras, chamber orchestras, military brass bands, or opera companies.
About four years ago, I got the offer and invitation to record a CD. I quickly realized that I wanted to contribute a recording of rare repertoire by unknown composers who aren’t recognized enough today, and which would be interesting for the horn community. I already knew about Louis-François Dauprat’s sextet and his method book, but while researching his life and musical career, I read about his other works and found most of the manuscripts in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. After lots of researching, editing, rehearsing, and recording, finally, in December 2021, our CD Dauprat: Music for Horn was released. Covid gave us some trouble as we had to postpone our recording session several times, but eventually we managed to finalize our work. So, I am now very pleased to present the CD to the International Horn Society.
This volume commemorating the 50th anniversary of the International Horn Society is presented in a format befitting such a celebration. The book combines photos and other visual aspects found in coffee table books with narrative historical accounts of the formation of the society and its activities over its first half-century. The book has a faux leather cover and 246 full color pages, covering all workshops and symposia, publications, commissioning programs and projects, scholarships and other programs, and a look at the people that make up the IHS community. A special section for our business supporters is also included. This wonderful celebration of the IHS has a price of $75 (no money is required up-front). Shipping charges will be added based on location/address, and you'll receive an invoice directly from the IHS for payment. 
The Carmine Caruso exercises are totally a part of my teaching and playing. They have been there since I was twelve. I’m always in the Carmine mindset when there’s a horn involved. But I have found that you really need to move at the pace of the student, not of the method. Being wise as a teacher in what I give my students really helps tailor what I give to each student in the Caruso. For example, some of my students do better without free buzzing, and we may find a few ways around that. It really depends on the student. If you force free buzzing, you could get in trouble.
