The Horn Call Podcast

Join us in Episode 59 for a conversation with Gabriel Radford, Third Horn of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Co-founder of The Embouchure Project.

Episode Highlights

• Studying with Fred Rizner at the University of Toronto and Danny Katzen in Boston
• Thoughts on playing third horn in the Toronto Symphony Orchestra: “listen to the soloists”
• Coping with injury and article in January 2025 issue of The Horn Call
• “Every case of embouchure syndrome is unique.”
• “If there’s a problem, you’re going to know it.”
• “If you can feel it you can fix it.”
• Horn Teaching
• The Embouchure Project: https://www.theembouchureproject.org/
• Resources for dealing with injury recovery

Our guest for Episode 58 is the fabulous Lisa Bontrager, Emeritus Professor of Horn at Pennsylvania State University, and a member of the IHS Advisory Council and the Brass Band of Battle Creek, among many other engagements!

Episode Highlights

• Musical Inspirations
• Teaching philosophy, other pedagogical ideas
• Studying with Louis Stout at the University of Michigan
• Advice for new or aspiring professional musicians and/or college teachers
• Brass band, brass quintet
• Chamber Music
• Brass Band of Battle Creek, tenor horn
• Millenium Brass
• MirrorImage Duo
• Importance of the IHS, serving in the Advisory Council

 

 

Our guest for Episode 57 is the amazing Christoph Eß, Principal Horn of the Bamberg Symphony and the IHS Country Representative for Germany.

Episode Highlights

• Current playing and teaching activities
• Important influences on horn playing
• Auditioning for orchestral positions in Germany
• New Strauss Recording
• German Horn Sound Quartet
• YouTube Channel and publications (warmups and others) https://www.germanhornsound.de/product-page/hornbasics-and-daily-warm-ups
• International Horn Society, Activities as Country Representative for Germany
• christophess.de
• germanhornsound.de

Our guest for Episode 56 is Mars Gelfo!

Episode Highlights

• Being rejected from music school 7 times
• Application of cognitive science to horn playing
• Practicing differently
• Performing with the Macau Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic
• Audition preparation
• Importance of wellness, whole person teaching
• Modacity Music practice app
• Using software to change the embouchure
• Kendall Betts Horn Camp memories
• Intrinsic practice
• “Focus on the ingredients!”
• “Have you tried easier?”
• Victor Wooten https://www.victorwooten.com/
• https://marsgelfo.com/
• Role of the tongue; playing the horn with your tongue?
• https://www.highrangemagic.com/

Happy 2025! Our guest for Episode 55 is the amazing Brian KM!

Show Notes

Brian's Website:

briankm.com 

Brian's Socials:

IG: @imbriankm

YT: @imbriankm

TikTok: @imbriankm

The AI Code of Ethics for Artists:

https://www.briankm.com/ai.html 

Musical Influences:

https://juliakent.com 

https://danielherskedal.com 

https://www.rachelkcollier.com 

https://www.daftpunk.com 

Brass Bands:

https://diebrasserie.com 

https://www.brassdelirium.com

Conan Clip: What an Audience Wants

https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkxx87HaDx1VlpAwqqZvAIqPZbF1s84LaAK?si=SNQhXuA2zDu14WEK

Ableton Live: Brian's Software

https://www.ableton.com 

Musical Entrepreneurship Advice:

http://meganihnen.com 

Brian's Audio Setup (See below)

 

Join us for a discussion with IHS Advisory Council member Emma Brown in this special New Year Bonus Episode!

Emma Brown is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Orchestral Studies from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. In 2023, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Horn Performance and a minor in Spanish from Michigan State University. Her major teachers include David Griffin, Greg Flint, Mark Almond, Corbin Wagner, Dr. Denise Root-Pierce, Janine Gaboury, and Dr. Caroline Steiger.

Emma was a charter member of the International Horn Society’s Student Advisory Council, serving from 2020 to 2023. She now serves on the Advisory Council. Emma has contributed multiple articles to the Horn Call, which have mainly focused on navigating musicianship as a student. She is passionate about providing resources, mentorship and connection to a musical community for young players.

Episode Highlights

• Studying with Corbin Wagner at Michigan State University
• Graduate school at Roosevelt University (Chicago College of Performing Arts)
• Inspiration from The Art of French Horn Playing by Philip Farkas
• Studying privately in high school before attending college
• Equipment talk!
• Deciding to pursue music as a career
• “I just like the way the horn sounds…”
• On being mentally flexible
• Transitioning from undergrad to grad school, prescreening auditions
• IHS Advisory Council and Student Advisory Council *SAC applications open January 6, 2025 at hornsociety.org
• Reasons to join the IHS!
• Anyone can join the IHS!

 

Our guest for Episode 54 is Nikolette LaBonte, Principal Horn of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, and a member of The Horn Call's Editorial Advisory Board.

Episode Highlights

• Teaching and Performing activities
• Edith Borroff Horn Sonata: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDb9J2_XtSA
• On choosing the horn: “the horn looks cooler than the oboe…”
• Studying with Peter Kurau at the Eastman School of Music
• Kendall Betts Horn Camp, Music Academy of the West
• “When we miss notes, there’s always a reason.”
• Book Recommendation: Bounce, by Matthew Syed
• Horn playing inspirations
• Listening to Rochester Philharmonic rehearsals
• Audition preparation
• Discipline and Motivation
• “Say ‘yes’ as much as you can…”
• Learning how to prioritize
• Playing and teaching natural horn. Shout out to Anneke Scott!
• “Yes, and…”

 

Our guest for Episode 53 is Dr. Libby Ando!

Episode Highlights

• Congratulations to Dr. Ando!
• Coda Brass Quintet: https://www.codabrassquintet.com/
• Working with the Rowan University Marching Band, Drum Corps
• Studying with Lyndsie Wilson at Rowan University, Elizabeth Pfaffle at West Chester University, and Leelanee Sterrett at Rutgers University
• Attending college during COVID
• Transcribing Ethel Smyth’s Cello Sonata
• John Burroughs quote, “Leap and the net will appear.”
• Research on orchestral excerpts by women composers: Alice Mary Smith, Augusta Holmès, Amy Beach, Ethel Smyth
• Advice for those who want to start a chamber group.

Join us in Episode 52 for a conversation with Ian Zook, Professor of Horn at James Madison University and the host of IHS57!

Episode Highlights

• Growing up in North Carolina, attending UNC Chapel Hill and the University of Michigan.
• Studying with Sören Hermansson and natural horn with Lowell Greer
• Trading North Carolina stories
• Favorite horn recordings
• Celebrating the differences and subtleties in horn playing around the world
• Czech School of Horn Playing, Tylšar brothers
• Horn and More Column, Horn on Record, ianzook.com
• IHS 57 planning, June 24-28, 2025: www.heritage-horns.com
• How to get to Harrisonburg, Virginia
• Join the IHS!

Join us in Episode 51 for a conversation with the amazing Aliyah Danielle!

Episode Highlights

• Growing up around music.
• Studying music education at Arizona State University
• Graduate school at Berklee College of Music in Valencia, Spain
• Growing up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Shoutout to Dr. John Ericson
• “I didn’t have a lot of free time in undergrad…”
• Musical inspirations
• Shoutout to Darcy Hamlin
• “I grew up listening to anything and everything…”
• Creating a structure for myself as an artist.
• Kendall Betts Horn Camp
• Learning work/life balance
• Moving to New York
• Advice for younger musicians
• “You can do more than one thing…”