Review: A New 3/4 Size Double Horn for Young Hornists

One discussion I have often with students is how much to warm-up, in particular before a major performance or recital. Over in my horn articles website there used to be an article called “Audition Central.” In it I offered this advice for auditions. Two days before the audition was always my last regular practice day. [...]

Reflecting on items over the past week. At The Horn, there is a review of Renee Fleming’s new book The Inner Voice. I am going to have to pick that one up. I have not kept my adoration for her much of a secret. Conductor Kenneth Woods is featured in a UK Guardian article that [...]

Over in the Phoenix Symphony Blog a post caught my attention. It features a horn player who auditioned and got into the YouTube Symphony. It is a timely topic as more and more auditions are requiring a video audition. First, the video. Any mistakes? Also note the horn support stick or PipStick. These are not [...]

April Fools produces some good humor. Two horn related items to not miss. First, following up on the widely successful Sousaphone Hero, Xbox just released the alphorn version! Alpine Legend is described in the website as follows: Jam with alpine legends like Franz “The Manz” Lang and Johann Hornbostel. Shake the mountain tops with 100 [...]

I would say I have been pretty good about cleaning horns over the years. Any horn I am playing gets a good cleaning at least every six months or so. However, I basically set aside my triple horn for the entire fall semester and did not clean it before I set it aside. I have [...]

Another follow-up to a popular series. In writing Negativity, Narcissism, and More Thoughts on Narcissism, I did some investigating and postulating to figure out events in my own life. A comprehensive article found recently at Slate.com has more-or-less confirmed some of the points made. 1.) The arts attracts narcissists. In But Enough About You …What [...]