The Horn Call Podcast

Welcome to 2022 everyone! My guest for the first episode of the New Year is Larry Williams!

Hornist Larry Williams has distinguished himself as a multifaceted performing and recording artist, teacher and administrator. Williams is currently Principal Horn of American Studio Orchestra, Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra, Sphinx Symphony Orchestra, and a member of the Lyric Brass Quintet, Rooftop Wind Quintet, and Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass. 

Williams formerly served as Principal Horn of The New World Symphony Orchestra and has performed with the Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco Symphony Orchestras, among others. His wide range of musical styles include: solo & chamber repertoire, orchestral, jazz, contemporary, film, and commercial music.  

Williams has performed on tours of the US, Russia, China, Japan, and UK, and has performed with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Arturo Sandoval, and others. An active soloist and recitalist, Williams has premiered and recorded several horn concerti including: Concerto for Horn and Wind Ensemble by composer Thomas Bough, Black Forest Concerto for Horn and Orchestra by composer James Schroeder, and has recorded several solo and chamber music albums.

Equally passionate about education, Williams currently serves as Adjunct Professor of Horn at Washington Adventist University, and is the Director of DMV Horn Academy. Williams served on the faculty of The Peabody Conservatory, Florida International University, and served as Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs at Johns Hopkins University. Larry Williams is a Yamaha Performing Artist/Clinician, and performs exclusively on Yamaha Custom Horns.

• Episode Highlights
• Learning what a Provost does/moving into an Administrative position at Johns Hopkins
• Returning/transitioning back to teaching and playing: “Repaying my dues”
• Compared to the old days of online teaching, Zoom is really nice!
• Upcoming performances
• Gateways Festival Orchestra: https://www.gatewaysmusicfestival.org/
• American Studio Orchestra
• Skills from music that helped in his administrative work and vice versa
• Collaborative skills!
• “I’ve learned to listen to my inner voice when it talks to me.”
• Horn players are resilient, curious people.
• “I had no idea you could major in music…”
• Auditioning for the New World Symphony
• Discovering that what works for him is doing a variety of different things – teaching, orchestral playing, chamber music, etc.
• Recruiting strategies and philosophies: you have to think long term, invest in the faculty, make sure the faculty are buying in and taking ownership of the recruiting process; get the students out and about–exposure to potential students
• “The IHS made me feel like I was part of a big horn-playing family.”