Well, it seems like this board is generally pretty slow, aside from the periodic questions (including my own). I know that I would like to try to build up our little horn community some more, especially since I know there are plenty of knowledgeable, helpful, professional and amateur horn players that either post or simply browse here. And since I am not aware of any more active horn forums, I figure we should make the most of this.

Anyway, Let's start with some minor introductions. Not your biography, but maybe something like...

-What type of horn(s) do you own? Rent? Borrow?
-What are some of your favorite composers, pieces, sections for horn? Have you played them?
-What are you currently involved with, musically?
-Do you have any recordings of yourself playing? Solo, ensemble, whatever, share your talent! I've seen M-Papeghin's tribute arrangements, and those are awesome. But even if it's just a small clip, let us hear =]
-Have you ever travelled somewhere interesting due to music? Would you have gone there eventually even without music?


As for me,
I currently do not own a horn, but with the help of members here I am in the process of buying. I am pretty set on a Hoyer 6801, unless something comes up and really strikes me as my dream horn. I've borrowed many school horns in the past, more different brands and models than I can even remember over the decade and a half I've been playing.

As far as my favorite composers for horn...Aside from the obvious classical composers, I have a contemporary favorite. Say what you will, but I absolutely love playing pieces written by Eric Whitacre. I realize he writes high school level music, but his horn parts were always my favorites during high school, and even today I can remember the passages, solos, solis. During high school we played Cloudburst, October, and Sleep. I played first horn and just thought it was so beautiful. Our band and horn section were award winning, so when we played the songs, it was so pretty that I could just relax and sink back into the sound all around me, like being in the middle of a recording. His pieces were my first real taste of dissonance, and since then I have loved that aspect of music. Plus, a more silly sentimental reason, is that I was infatuated with one of our oboists, and the call-response between horn and oboe in october always made me feel all warm and fuzzy. Yeah, young foolish love, right? Haha, anyway...

Recently, as of this past summer, I have found myself for the first time not preparing for a concert since the 5th grade. Having finished my first four years, I am taking some time off to work full time and save up some more money to continue school.

Unfortunately, I don't have any recordings of myself playing on my computer. I know I have some recordings of my high school and college bands at concerts somewhere around here. If I can find the CD's I'll try to get a couple up.

I have been to places I would never have been able to go if it weren't for music and playing the horn. Middle school was my first trip to Seattle, when I decided I wanted to work toward attending school here. High school brought me to Los Angeles, San Fransisco, Vancouver BC and Whistler. College took me to South Korea and Italy! I never thought I would have opportunities like these, music really is the best thing that's happened to me.


Anyway, as cheesy as it may be, this is my musical introduction. Now it's your turns! Don't leave me hanging, let's socialize!

-Type of horns (in order of most/least used):
Conn 8D (1961)
Kratz Bb/C largebore single (2008)
Paxman 40M (1974 nickel)
Conn 6D (1959)
Cortois F single(piston valves)

-Favorite composer : Mahler.
-Favorite piece : Saint-seans #3 Organ symphony (3rd Horn part)
-Current involvement: playing in the USA and Mexico. Orchestras, Opera, and Operetta.
-Recordings? I don't have stuff I keep myself, but there is a bit out there of group I have played with.
-Ever travelled somewhere interesting due to music? Yes.
-Would you have gone there eventually even without music? Probably not.

-What type of horn(s) do you own?
Conn 8D
-Who are some of your favorite composers?
Mahler-he's the reason I started playing horn in the first place.
-What are you currently involved with, musically?
I play in a band at the local University and teach jr. high.
-Do you have any recordings of yourself playing?
The only recording I have of myself is my senior recital from 5 years ago. However, I was a flute major and have only been playing horn for about 9 months, so my footage wouldn't do us much good

Sarah

I have a Josef Lidl horn... it's a double, quite old but a very good horn. Anybody I've seen who is really knowledgable have said that it is a good one. (I rent/buy it off my school).

I love most of Mozart's compositions for horns... they are very good. They sound good and are challenging - at least for me - to play.

Currently, I am in the school senior band, and the local orchestra. I also just recently attended a workshop for two days with my state's professional orchestra, which was incredibly educational and heaps of fun

I love M-Papeghin's recording, but I don't have any of myself lol... Apparently my school band is going to be recorded some time though...

Umm, on band tour we're gonna go to Adelaide... that'll be exciting, and wouldn't have gone there without music. Actually, I've been quite a few places with music that I wouldn't otherwise have gone...

So that's it about me... I'm interested to see any other posts here...

I play a Yamaha 667VS.
Favourite composer is Tchaikovsky.
Favourite Orchestral work is Mendelssohn's 3rd Symphony, 4th horn.
Involved with the university Wind Orchestra, Woodwind Quintet, Brass Choir, and have gotten to play with the local Symphony Orchestra once.
Denver IHS 2008, Macomb IHS 2009.

Mozart!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxRpK1IoLvY

Why not...

Here we go:

-What type of horn(s) do you own? Rent? Borrow?
Currently, I have:
Otto 180K
Paxman 40M (early version)
Yamaha 321

Previously, I've had:
Lawson Fourier
Yamaha 891
Finke Americus
Holton 281 (Lawson-ized)

-What are some of your favorite composers, pieces, sections for horn? Have you played them?

Mahler
R. Strauss
Prokofiev
Beethoven

The opening of Mahler 3 is fantastic! As is the entire piece.

-What are you currently involved with, musically?
Currently, I sub/gig in the Washington DC and Richmond, VA areas. I've been playing a bit with the Richmond Symphony and love it. I'm also currently putting together a professional chamber orchestra in the Fredericksburg area.

-Do you have any recordings of yourself playing? Solo, ensemble, whatever, share your talent! I've seen M-Papeghin's tribute arrangements, and those are awesome. But even if it's just a small clip, let us hear =]

I do. Since my other musical exploits are as a recording engineer, I have quite a few recordings of myself playing. When I'm around that computer that has those, maybe I'll upload a little something.

-Have you ever travelled somewhere interesting due to music? Would you have gone there eventually even without music?
Not sure... I've travelled a few places, none of which I'd call particularly interesting. So, probably not - I can't imagine myself going there if it weren't for the music.

This is Colombo from Spain (a bit of normal socializing to begin with).

-What type of horn(s) do you own? Rent? Borrow?

Last August I bought MY first horn, a Yamaha 567D. I decided on this model instead of on the most favoured by people around me (Yamaha 667D) because I think that getting a better horn would have been a extravagance, at least for my present abilities and prospects. Before that I had played two borrowed horns, an awful H&B 400 (which I've still got, since it's owned by the town council, and they told me they would tell me where to take it, but they haven't), and another Yamaha my teacher lent to me (it was a better model than my 567D, but I don't know which one).


-What are some of your favorite composers, pieces, sections for horn? Have you played them?

I think I like a horn wherever I hear it. But I'd say probably Mozart. I've just started to learn his concerto in D.

-What are you currently involved with, musically?

I play in one of those bands in which there is a bit of everything, people between 7 and 70 (well, no, we've got two clearly over 70), some play well, some do a lot of playback, everything is rather out of tune, but we have a great time. I'm 4th horn, not for any specific reason, but because when I joined the band there were two French horns, and I decided to sit in the lower section. Then, the other player in the lower section said she peferred to play the higher line when there were two. Now we've got a small child playing 2nd horn (he playbacks most of the time). The only one who can really play well is the 1st horn. Next year we're having a fifth player, but I don't know what he will play.


-Do you have any recordings of yourself playing? Solo, ensemble, whatever, share your talent! I've seen M-Papeghin's tribute arrangements, and those are awesome. But even if it's just a small clip, let us hear =]

Some time ago I borrowed a computer microphone and tried to record myself, but I got "stage" fright, and I didn't consider that any of it was worth keeping. YouTube is graced with a video recording of a song in one of the shows we played with the band, but my supposed "talent" is so buried in there that I don't think it's of any interest to anyone.


-Have you ever travelled somewhere interesting due to music? Would you have gone there eventually even without music?

I've only travelled once to play with the band. It was to a small village (some 850 people) but with a good band, and we were their guests. I don't think it was an interesting place per se, but being a place that afforded us the possibility to play made it interesting for me.

Cute idea, you Thillygooth....

-Type of horns (in order of most/least used):
Holton Merker 276
Reynolds single Bb
Natural horn (Leonard Brown valvectomy)
Previously owned a Holton 179 and Yamaha 667

-Favorite composers : Dukas, D. Uber, Tcherepnine, MaryAnn Tilford, Lowel Shaw

-Favorite piece: Vilanelle

-Favorite all time horn player: Pierre Del VesCovo (especially playing "Vilanelle" melts me)

-Current involvement: Resurrecting the Val-Kyra horn quartet, promoting BE, perfecting Vilanelle (a life long project for me!) TCC chamber orchestra, TCC sympphonic band

-Recordings? just a few mp3s of my clam festivals

-Ever travelled somewhere interesting due to music?
Denver IHS symposium 2008
Going to SLC,Utah area next week to see my son perform (he sings) and to meet with Steve Park to demo BE exercises

-Would you have gone there eventually even without music?
Denver, no. SLC, yes. I go there from time to time for other reasons, but I'm excited to get a chance to meet with Steve Park. (Check out his youtube videos. He's an amazing horn player. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2J9cvNRs1U In this one, he's playing on his new Ricco Kuhn. Sheesh, he's good!)

Valerie Wells
http://www.beforhorn.blogspot.com/

-Type of horns (in order of most/least used):
Just one...Holton 179
Previously owned some relatively cheap compensator (i have no idea which?!)

-Favorite composers : Brahms, Saint Saens, Mahler, Mozart, Strauss and then Chopin (not horn music but still :P)

-Favorite piece: Schumann Konzerstuck for Four Horns

-Favorite all time horn player: Michael Thompson

-Current involvement: A variety of school bands, local symphony orchestra, english junior symphony orchestra (which has just recently closed down )

-Recordings? Various videos of solos performances and a mp3 of Schumanns Konzertstuck

-Ever travelled somewhere interesting due to music?
Not really - I hope to in the future but at my level there arent many oportunities to go anywhere 'exotic'!

-Would you have gone there eventually even without music?
Can't answer this but if i could, i doubt the answer would be yes.

Kind of horn: My school's loaner holton which is in horrible condition. And (hopefully) soon a new Jean Baptiste professional quality horn. Favorite composer: Mozart Favorite composition: Mozart's thid horn concerto. current activities: school band,and next year, probably NYSBDA honor band . Recordings: sadly none travel: Not yet...