The Horn Call Podcast

Episode 45 of The Horn Call Podcast features Tommi Hyytinen, a member of the Finnish Radio Orchestra and horn and natural horn faculty at the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki.

Episode Highlights

• Starting out on the horn
• Finnish horn playing tradition
• Attending the Sibelius Academy
• The path from student to professional
• Balancing school and professional work
• Musical inspirations, legacy of Holger Fransman
• Studying with Radovan Vlatkovic
• Audition process in Finland
• Instruments used in horn sections in Finnish orchestras
• The “Finnish Horn Sound”
• Chamber music work
• Golden Horns Quartet, performing on television in Helsinki
• Pop music influences
• Playing from the Core book
• Work with Pilates
• Breathing misconceptions
• Lieksa Brass Week

Join us in Episode 44 for a discussion with Michelle Stebleton, Professor of Horn at Florida State University and a member of the IHS Advisory Council!

Episode Highlights

• Starting out as a horn player
• Attending Interlochen Arts Academy, studying at University of Michigan with Louis Stout and Lowell Greer
• Musical inspirations
• Performing in the Midland-Odessa Symphony
• Path to teaching, path to FSU
• “If you want to play well, playing has to be your hobby.”
• Playing in lessons, teaching techniques
• “I teach macro to micro.”
• Teaching tone “Stebletones”
• Sighing through the horn
• Involvement with the International Horn Society
• Editing the “Teacher Talk” column in The Horn Call

Our next guest on The Horn Call Podcast is James Hampson, of Hampson Horns!

Episode Highlights

• Deciding to change majors from engineering to music
• Mozart operas and becoming fascinated with the natural horn
• Remembering Lowell Greer
• Studying with Marc Guy at SUNY-Fredonia
• Dick Martz Collection: https://www.rjmartz.com/horns/
• Moving Hampson Horns from Ohio to New York
• Douglas Lundeen and Rutgers University
• Early Music scene in Boston, studying at Boston University
• Shout out to Paul Austin!
• Brass Witch: https://www.brasswitch.com/
• Mouthpiece consulting, Alpine Mouthpieces: https://www.alpinemouthpieces.com/
• On mouthpieces: “Our bodies change.” And “One mouthpiece isn’t going to fix everyone’s problems.”
• Take care of your instrument.

Join us in Episode 42 for a chat with John McGuire, Associate Professor of Horn at Colorado State University, and the host of the 2024 International Horn Competition of America AND the 56th International Horn Symposium, July 26 – August 2 in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.

Episode Highlights

• Planning process for IHCA and IHS Symposium: https://hornsonthehorizon.com/
• Shout out to Nancy Joy!
• How competitions can be beneficial
• Venue: Colorado State University and Fort Collins, CO
• Rocky Mountain National Park
• Weather, altitude, staying hydrated!
• Guest Artists for IHCA
• The planning team for IHCA/IHS56

Join me in the 2023 Holiday Bonus Episode for a chat with Allison DeMeulle, IHS Interim Executive Director, and Johanna Lundy, IHS Treasurer and member of the Advisory Council.

Episode Highlights

• How the IHS works; overview of the past year
• Allison’s transition to Interim Executive Director of the IHS
• What does the IHS Treasurer do?
• Overview of IHS programs (what do membership dues and other contributions help fund?)
• Role of social media, Social Media Coordinator position
• How can someone’s contributions help the IHS?
• Revamping awards and scholarships programs
• New website at hornsociety.org
• Shout out to Dan Phillips!
• Fellowship and community are important
• Reaching out to horn players around the world
• Benefits to joining the IHS, how to join, how to help support the IHS: https://www.hornsociety.org/donate
• Student advisory council
• Shout out to the Advisory Council!
• Shout out to Mike Harcrow and the editors at Horn and More!

Our guest for Episode 41 is Musician 1st Class Erika Loke, a member of the United States Naval Academy Band and Editor of the Military Matters column in The Horn Call.

Episode Highlights

• Graduate school at Wichita State, performing with the Wichita Symphony orchestra
• Doctoral school at the University of Maryland, Auditioning for military bands
• Naval Academy Band in Annapolis, Maryland
• Band Excerpts to know: American Overture, John Williams
• Moving across the country
• Attending Kendall Betts Horn Camp with her father
• Horn and Electronics album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=557_IZ2_oxQ&list=OLAK5uy_lSjVMkog_4c0mhjBkHOYR4DrpdGnkobUc
• Shout out to the IHS Meir Rimon Commissioning Assistance Fund
• The Ring Cycle, abridged for Wagner Tuba and Piano with offstage horn
• More music for Wagner Tuba
• Performing with the Lieurance Wind Quintet
• Life in the Naval Academy Band
• Balancing work and family life
• Upcoming projects
• Shout out to Brian KM and Nick Fife!

Join me in Episode 40 for a conversation with Caiti Beth McKinney, creator of the REPresent Project and Podcast!

Episode Highlights

• On choosing the horn over violin and other instruments
• Musical influences, horn and otherwise
• Most interesting practice spaces
• Shout outs! to Heather Test, Michelle Stebleton, Gina Gillie, Ashley Killam, Lin Foulk Baird, Ken Amis
• On loving film music, studying with Richard Todd https://richardtoddmusic.podia.com/
• REPresent project and podcast: https://www.caitibethmckinney.com/represent-the-podcast
• Boulanger Initiative https://www.boulangerinitiative.org/
• Diversify the Stand https://www.diversifythestand.org/
• https://www.linfoulk.org/index.html
• https://www.temresource.com/
• Resources for performers and teachers
• Upcoming events, performances, etc.
• “There’s so much good music out there.”

Our guest for Episode 39 is the multi-talented Shanyse Strickland!

Episode Highlights

• Switching to the horn from flute
• Auditioning for college on flute, horn, and euphonium!
• Studying with Bill Slocum and Stacie Mickens at Youngstown State University.
• Be a good musician first, and a good instrumentalist second
• Early inspirations on the horn
• Respect for Julius Watkins
• “I just like challenging myself.”
• Changing in undergrad from being a flute performance major to horn!
• Shoutout to Stacie Mickens!
• How a mouthpiece change was lifechanging.
• Freelancing, performing on Broadway in New York
• “Think outside of the box.”
• “The industry wants somebody different.”
• Getting started as a composer, first commission for Lantana Brass Trio’s album, Crossing Barriers: https://www.amazon.com/Crossing-Barriers-Bernofsky-Rodriguez-Strickland/dp/B0BNGHXRT9
• Shoutout to Margaret McGillivray
• Into the Spider-verse Tour with the Broadway Sinfonietta

We kick off Season 4 and Episode 38 of the Horn Call Podcast with Leelanee Sterrett, a member of the New York Philharmonic! 

Episode Highlights

• Musical influences, early experiences at Interlochen Arts Academy
• Shout-out to Julie Schleif
• Shout-out to Douglas Hill
• Graduate study at Yale, studying with William Purvis
• Preparing for competitions and auditions
• Advice for music students today
• Women Composers – repertoire in general
• Practice/maintenance routine
• Daily/Weekly schedule in the NY Phil
• Involvement with the IHS

My guest for Episode 37 is Dr. Margaret McGillivray!

Dr. McGillivray is on the faculty of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in the Washington, DC, an active freelance musician, and the organizer/initiator of the new solo collection LIFT: Solos for Horn by Black Composers, available from Cimarron Music Press.