Ensembles

The ensemble "Nippon" was organized for IHS 58. It consists of active and retired orchestra musicians, current and retired professors, freelancers, amateurs, and students. Two members, Sumiharu Arima (former principal player of the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra) and Nozomu Segawa (IHS Honorary Member), lead this ensemble and were classmates who graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts 43 years ago.

The goal is for all Japanese participants in IHS 58 to perform together on this ensemble's stage and take part in the gathering of horn enthusiasts from around the world. Furthermore, the horn is an instrument that creates harmony. Just as the horn produces warm harmonies, we will play with prayers for peace, hoping that harmony will be maintained throughout the world.

Founded in 1978 by young and mid-career horn players active in major orchestras in the Tokyo metropolitan area, the ensemble has since developed a wide range of performance activities. These include an annual and highly exciting subscription concert, appearances on NHK-FM radio, participation in various events, salon concerts and school outreach programs, concerts organized by the Japan Horn Society.

At its regular concert series, the ensemble has welcomed distinguished guest artists such as David Cooper of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, fostering international artistic exchange at the highest level.

In 1995, the ensemble appeared at the International Horn Symposium 27 held in Yamagata, Japan, and in 2014 at the International Horn Symposium 46 in London.

In addition, the ensemble organizes an annual summer camp, inviting internationally renowned artists such as Stefan Dohr, Kerry Turner, and Kristina Mascher-Turner as guest instructors, placing strong emphasis on education and the development of the next generation of horn players.

With a repertoire of more than 200 works, the ensemble continues to expand its musical horizons by regularly commissioning new compositions, alongside original arrangements created exclusively for the group.

Trompa Brasilis is an ensemble formed by Brazilian horn players who are members of prominent orchestras and educational institutions across Brazil and Europe. Comprising musicians Felipe Freitas, Lucca Zambonini, Tiago Carneiro, Daniel Filho, Dayanderson Dantas, Mateus Lisboa, Johann Pereira, and Jônatas Nascimento, the project was conceived by Professor Will Sanders from the Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe. This initiative is the result of a consistent academic and artistic exchange between Brazil and Germany, cultivated over more than three decades through cooperation between the German institution and major Brazilian universities, including the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UniRio), and the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). 

Members of the group have performed regularly with Rotterdam Philharmonic, Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, São Paulo Symphony, Beethoven Orchestra Bonn, and Opera and Symphony Orchestra of Rio de Janeiro, among others. 

The octet is dedicated to promoting Brazilian music and exploring the chamber music possibilities of this instrumentation. Their repertoire features original works composed specifically for and dedicated to them, alongside arrangements and adaptations from popular and symphonic repertoires, both Brazilian and international.

The official debut of Trompa Brasilis took place at the end of the first half of 2024 during an international tour featuring a series of six concerts across Germany, the Netherlands, and France. During this same period, the musicians recorded an audiovisual project at the Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe. Subsequently, in 2025, they recorded their debut album, highlighting a repertoire that emphasizes the richness of Brazilian music, flowing seamlessly between popular and classical genres.

Oná is a Canadian chamber-jazz ensemble formed by musicians who have achieved international recognition in their respective careers on the Classical, Jazz, and World Music stages. The unique instrumentation of the ensemble, featuring two french horns, bassoon, reeds (soprano saxophone, flute, and clarinet), guitar, bass, and percussion, provides a captivating global, classical sound combined with the soul and vitality of Brazilian music.

Formed in 2024, Oná Ensemble has already distinguished itself as a distinctive artistic and cultural voice in Canada and Brazil. True to its name, Oná strives to create “new paths” for musical creation, collaboration, and performance.

www.onaensemble.com

The China Horn Ensemble was founded in 2015 by Man Yi, a horn teacher at the Central Conservatory of Music. It quickly resonated with outstanding young Chinese horn players at home and abroad, forming this vibrant horn ensemble. Over the past decade, the ensemble has continued to appear at important music festivals and performance venues at home and abroad, becoming a representative group for the development of Chinese brass music in recent years. Many members are currently engaged in teaching work in major music colleges and universities. They are not only performers, but also educators dedicated to cultivating young music talents.

The China Horn Ensemble recently held concerts in Berlin, Paris, Chengdu, Guangzhou and Beijing to commemorate its 10th anniversary. Industry insiders believe that the international tour of the China Horn Ensemble not only demonstrated its superb professional standards, but also won more attention and recognition for Chinese horn art worldwide.

The French horn section of the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra is a professional ensemble that performs in Lithuania and internationally. The group promotes Lithuanian French horn music and performs a wide repertoire, from classical to contemporary works. Lithuanian composer Jonas Tamulionis specially composed the piece, “Wir spielen Amadeus,” for this sextet, and it will be performed for the first time at the 58th International Horn Symposium in Kraków.

Founded in 2015, the NU CORNO has become the premiere horn ensemble for the commissioning and performance of new works for the genre. Under the guidance of Founder and Artistic Director Steven Cohen, the last decade has seen NU CORNO premiering countless new works as a featured ensemble at numerous International Horn Symposia.

Established as a part of the NU CORNO family in 2022 to focus on jazz and commercial music, NU CORNO JAZZ premiered at the International Horn Society Symposium in Montreal, Canada in 2023. Under the musical direction of Dr. Steve Schaughency, the ensemble of 8 horns with a rhythm section of piano, bass, and drums, is made up of a roster of internationally recognized horn players familiar with the varied styles and nuances of jazz and commercial music.

In three IHS appearances, the ensemble has already introduced 23 new pieces to the large horn ensemble repertoire from internationally known jazz composers and arrangers. In addition, many of the world’s leading jazz horn players have been featured with the group as soloists: Arkady Shilkloper, Tom Varner, Adam Unsworth, Victor Prado, Shanyse Strickland and Aliyah Danielle. NU CORNO Jazz strives to bring the highest levels of performance to all genres of jazz and commercial music by bringing these new works to life.

The Wrocław Historical Horn Quartet was founded in 2023, inspired by musicologist and horn player Tomasz Grochalski. The ensemble is composed of horn players associated with various orchestras in Poland: Tomasz Grochalski (Warsaw Chamber Opera), Marcin Drużdż (military orchestra), Juliusz Tkacz (Wrocław Opera), and Jan Sikora (Wrocław Opera). The quartet specializes in performing music from the 19th century and first half of the 20th century on historical valve and piston horns. In 2023, they recorded Ignacy Jan Paderewski's horn quartet, discovered in the collections of the National Library.