The day after the Louisville Orchestra musicians unanimously rejected management’s latest contract offer, orchestra CEO Robert Birman said he and his team are done negotiating with the musicians for a new contract.

“I believe we are at the end of that process now,” Birman said Wednesday. “There is nothing more to give the players. If they want to work, they need to come back to work, and there’s nothing left for the orchestra to put on the table.”

Reportedly, the primary target for the national flyer has been academia. The finer details behind this maneuver can be read over at Drew McManus’ Adaptistration site in the article “Should I Take the Louisville Audition?” (The dialogue in the comments section is also worth looking at.)

On 11/07/2011, Cincinnati Enquirer music critic Janelle Gelfand wrote:

In August, the orchestra was placed on the unfair list by the New York-based musicians union, the American Federation of Musicians, after CEO Robert Birman said they might put together an orchestra of nonunion musicians or go around the union and make agreements with member musicians.

That has alerted the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music dean Peter Landgren, who last week sent a warning to CCM faculty that the orchestra may try to recruit CCM students. He wrote in a memo obtained by the Enquirer:

“I ask that you counsel your students against taking this audition. Their future performing careers are of value to each and every one of us, and their future careers would be in jeopardy if they begin playing with this ensemble given the current circumstances. CCM is the closest world-class school to Louisville, so it is a natural that our students may be interested in or approached by others to take advantage of “this opportunity.” It is not a positive opportunity for them and their future…”

Stakeholders

The Louisville Orchestra musicians are ICSOM members and, like with the Craigslist advertising, their management is testing out a new standard for how low an organization can go in order to enforce its will. These attempts to circumvent due process may also serve as a litmus test for future labor negotiations with orchestras in other regions of North America.

This is a topic that all musicians everywhere should be paying attention to at this moment. While many of us might be celebrating a holiday or taking a vacation in the coming months, the evicted Louisville Orchestra musicians will be unemployed and out-of-work.

The national call

The original PDF flyer is available on the LOI web site. (It should also be noted that the entire roster of musicians and names has been removed from the About Us area of the LOI web site.)

Reading between the lines, poking a stick into it and adding in a satirical twist, the LOI flyer might perhaps be more accurate if it read like this instead:

Click the image for a larger view or download the PDF version.

* * *

More LO commentary and humor:

• The New and Improved Louisville Orchestra
• Pimpin’ with the Louisville Orchestra

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It seems to indicate that I am not the only one who is confused and dismayed at the gross tactics being employed by the LO management in its current labor conflict. The mere idea of using an online service like Craigslist to solicit professional musicians, for example, is truly bizarre and quite frankly, worthy of mockery.

This personal observation aside, it is a very serious situation where lives, livelihoods and a long-standing cultural institution are all at stake; this is absolutely what needs to be kept in the forefront whenever looking into the details behind this disaster.

Seeking replacement musicians

In an attempt to oust the current roster of musicians (and perhaps also to generate public support), the powers-that-be at the LO have been reaching out to academic institutions and the internet for replacement musicians. This action has been widely condemned, most notably by ICSOM President Bruce Ridge:

Any musician accepting such work would not be serving the cause of art in America, or serving their career and family. Musicians accepting work as replacements would be taking food out of the mouths of fellow musicians, as well as depriving them and their children of health insurance.

(More.)

From my own limited perspective it is difficult to tell if this action by the LO management is in earnest or if it is just another hard-ball power move designed to break the union and humiliate the current musicians into accepting Draconian cuts in pay and personnel.

I would imagine too that professional musicians and orchestra managers across America all have their eyes focused intently on Louisville in order to see what will happen next. Under any scenario – hypothetical, real or imagined – the actions of the LO are certainly unprecedented, and what happens next may serve as litmus test for other American orchestras and their future contract negotiations.

The plain truth

If you did not understand the not-so-subtle message behind the sharp parody of last Friday’s article, today’s submission should help to make it abundantly clear.

Stated plainly – - if you are planning to apply to the Louisville Orchestra for employment as a replacement musician you will be in effect, selling your soul.

* * *

* * *

Please feel free to download and share this satirical poster – click on it for a much larger, more printable version.

(More LO parody?)

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While I do have some colleagues who have successfully used Craigslist to buy, sell and trade items, I would rather put my hand into a box of angry bees than to ever get involved with it.

The history behind this bizarre managerial move is much too complicated to get into, but it is suffice to say that this is just one of the many strange tactics that have been employed during the Louisville Orchestra (LO) labor conflict. The LO management has repeatedly engaged in arbitrary deadlines, unreasonable ultimatums and open solicitations for replacement musicians.

(For more background on the whole scenario, take a look at the compilation of articles at Drew McManus’ Adaptistration site.)

A den of inequity

In short, the LO musicians have been locked out by their management. Much to the credit of the LO musicians, they have managed to keep their public face classy and have avoided the extreme hyperbole and histrionics that have characterized other orchestral musician responses towards similar unfair management practices.

The LO management, on the other hand, asserts that the musicians are not locked-out but are on strike – even though an official strike has never been declared.

For many months every dirty trick in the book has been exercised by the LO management in order to force the situation towards their favor. Their latest action of soliciting musicians through Craigslist is certainly unprecedented; given too the dubious reputation of Craigslist itself, it is also outrageous.

A quick search of recent news items related to Craigslist reveals some of the criminal activity that regularly goes on:

• Craigslist Used in Deadly Ploy to Lure Victims in Ohio
• Craigslist Scams Cheats Apt. Hunters Of Thousands
• Madison Police See Rise In Craigslist-Related Scams

The ‘New’ Louisville Orchestra

Until recently, Craigslist was commonly used as a hook-up point for illegal prostitution and the service did very little to hide this fact or act against it. It wasn’t until late 2010 that Craigslist shut down its adult-services section, following pressure from state officials and human-rights advocates as well as the highly publicized April 2009 murder of a woman who advertised “massage” services on the site.

When considering this history, one cannot help but wonder what the future Louisville Orchestra would look like if they were to actually hire musicians through Craigslist.

Perhaps the line-up will look something like this?

* * *

Principal Flute
Vanessa “Candy Lips” Fox

I am so happy to be a new member of the Louisville Orchestra! As a street-level worker who is intimately familiar with the service industry and doing what I am told, I am very familiar with this territory. I think that I will fit in perfectly.

The schedule is really great – I can still keep my late-night side career going without any conflicts. The late morning rehearsals are perfect – they let me sleep in after a hard night’s work.

Some of my johns … er … I mean “freelance customers” might even get a kick out of the whole flute thing! Back in high school (when I was in band camp) my milkshake brought the boys to the yard.

Third Horn
Cindy-Lou Coomlowdy

This is a perfect opportunity for me. Since I just graduated from college, I desperately need a job to pay off my student loans.

Some people may look at this negatively but I look at it as a golden opportunity.

Who cares if this undermines the futile efforts of those other stupid musicians or if it ruins my future prospects for employment?

I need a job now and this is what I need – I can’t wait to get started!

Section Cello
Ralph “The Party Man” Ventura

WOO HOO! All righty righty yeah …. YEAH … woooooo!!

This is awesome (*hick) and I … what, what were we talking about?

Oh yeah … WOOOOOOOO!!! All righty righty … cello is sooooo AWESOME!!!

Hey, is there a bathroom nearby? I think I’m gonna be sick.

Percussion
Marty Rock-Angerball

Yeah I used to play drums back in junior high school. It’s like riding a bike ain’t it? You never forget how to do it – right?

I play just fine. You hear me? I SAID that I play … just … fine.

So shaddup and start waving the stick Mr. Maestro.

Conductors do not intimidate me. If one of those losers disrespects me, I’ll shank that a**hole and teach ‘im a lesson he’ll never forget.

That goes too for anybody that says I play too loud or whatever. Just give me some sticks and a drum to bang and we are all good to go.

I can’t wait for the Mahler Sixth symphony hammer-time. Those old ladies in the front row won’t even know what hit ‘em. Heh heh.

Wait… what?! You say that Mahler 6 is not in the upcoming season?!

I will have to fix that.

Principal Oboe
Johnson K. Johnson

The oboe is a beautiful instrument that requires a beautiful mind to play it. I am beautiful in all aspects and am relieved that the Louisville Orchestra has recognized that fact.

My life is complicated and my first concern is looking good and feeling good.

Does this dress make me look fat?

(More LO Parody?)

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• A joy of creative writing.
• Public service and contribution.
• A means to ponder and think out loud.
• Interaction with other people.

Since then, the psyche of musicians and what makes them tick has been a topic of many articles. It has become a subject of fascination and it is something that motivates me to speak out.

Background

After leaving my position with the Mexico City Philharmonic I became a graduate assistant at Arizona State University and studied horn with Thomas Bacon. At the time internet technology, and in particular making web pages, was a new concept. It became a hobby that quickly developed into a sideline career.

When I got started with web design in 1995, Ron Boerger’s Horn Player’s FAQ reigned supreme as a horn resource. It was the inspiration for me to try out a new medium to showcase Thomas Bacon and his efforts at ASU.

A gradual transition

Since that time I created and launched many web sites, including those for The International Horn Society, Robert King Music and Osmun Music.

I first began posting articles around 2008 with the Horndog Blog. My efforts were sporadic at first as I struggled with balancing and maintaining multiple careers in music, teaching and web development.

It was a path paved with some detours and pitfalls, but in the end I managed to land on my feet. I am fortunate today to have a good career as a web developer by day and as a professional musician on nights and weekends.

Dark shadows

The work environment for some musicians – as any veteran professional might confess – has a shadowy underbelly, one that is rarely discussed outside of the concert hall. It is like a dirty family secret, perpetuating itself from place-to-place and generation-to-generation.

How do I know so much about annoying and alienating colleagues? Mainly because (I am embarrassed to admit) I have participated in many of these behaviors myself!

As my career transitioned more towards web development and marketing this was something that became clearer over time. Looking from a different perspective can change everything.

A whithered path

Boredom and cynicism are the green-eyed monsters in the classical music world. Its venomous effect sinks in like slow, deadly poison.

Some people deal with this creatively by pursuing outside projects, for example: taking up a hobby, teaching students, becoming a soloist, making a recording or writing a book. Others, fall prey to it and cope in a variety of ways.

This is not to say that the business is inherently evil and full of misfits, but rather to say that at some point we all must face choices.

• Do I take the high road or the low road?
• Do I wallow in the mud or do I try to rise above it?
• Can I make a dent in this world?
  

Cynicism and negativity are realities in any profession really but in the Arts especially, where hearts and emotions are at the core, it is a trap that ensnares a number of good people.

It is something for all of us to be wary of and in some circumstances, something to act on proactively.

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I manage to get in 2-3 hours of practice each day and I do it mainly for personal pride and enjoyment. I strive to maintain a high professional standard for the two main groups I regularly perform with: Arizona Opera, and the West Valley Symphony.

I am not the busy performer that I once was and in combination with my current day job as a web developer, this collection is plenty to keep me on my toes. Fortunately my wife is very supportive and understanding of my sometimes very noisy and repetitive practice habits.

Lots of music to practice.

Gallay 12 Studies, Opus 57

Springtime is a busy time for opera, symphony and chamber music concerts and I have my hands full with lots of repertoire to learn. That being said I do like to work on etudes and other projects to stay sharp and keep thinking creatively.

I am currently working on #8 in various transpositions and octave ranges. Musically, I want to make the opening as free, happy and easy-sounding as possible. For myself, this involves bending the time a little or stretching a note here and there.

Getting the right lilt is the trick with Gallay #8.

Ward Fearn: Exercises for Flexible Horn Playing

The first exercise in this book is something that I play several times a week. Transposing it in different keys helps to keeps things interesting.

It starts with a relatively small range and gradually, it expands in range and dynamics. This exercise in its entirety is two pages and the sample below is only an excerpt.

#1 is an excellent long tone / flow study.

This excerpt from Exercise #4 is another good example of the quirky melodic style.

Harder than it looks.

Verdi: Otello (Horn III)

Verdi’s music is not subtle, and for those that prefer more cerebral German opera, the heart-on-your-sleeve nature of Verdi can seem a tad overwrought.

Verdi’s Otello is currently on my practice stand for an upcoming Arizona Opera production opening this weekend in Tucson. This is my 15th year with the Arizona Opera and the rehearsals so far indicate that this production will be a great one. Principal horn Peter Erb is doing a solid job, and he is also a good guy to work with.

The horn writing in Otello is technically much more advanced than in Verdi’s early operas. Gone is the oompah-pah writing of Rigoletto; we now get tricky chromatic passages and long, vocal melodies.

The excerpt below is a permanent fixture on the Arizona Opera horn auditions. It is very fast and is for Horn in E. Click for a larger view.

This second example is exclusive to Horns III and IV. It is a long, exposed melody in unison with the bassoons.

Each phrase ends with a unique chromatic twist and this is something I listen and watch for.

Did I mention that all of this is for Horn in A-basso?

Rochut: Melodious Etudes for Trombone, Book One

This particular volume is a touchstone that I regularly revert to. The vocal style goes hand-in-hand with Verdi.

A typical example of the vocal-style writing in the Rochut books.

Beethoven: 2nd Symphony (Horn I)

In a few weeks, rehearsals will start up again for me as principal horn in the West Valley Symphony. On the plate (among other things) is Beethoven’s 2nd symphony.

Horn in E. There is a companion line for Horn in A that appears later in the same movement.

This will be the first time that I have played principal on this piece. I am looking forward to the challenge.

Wagner: Götterdämmerung

On the practice stand too – hidden in back – is the first horn book to Wagner’s opera, Götterdämmerung. I am reviewing this for a future article on the Short Call.

Related to this research, I have recently organized all past Horn Matters articles on Siegfried into a new sub-category.

As it currently stands, most of the articles pertain to the Long Call from Siegfried and the topic is well-covered.

• Siegfried

In the final chapter of the Ring cycle however the Call appears yet again – and in a completely different context. This story is something that will be addressed in a future article, but in the meantime …

I need to go practice!

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And – in the final measures there is typically an extra bonus that is a lot of fun to play.

A few highlights

The Horn I part starts out with plenty to chew on and digest.

The first page alone covers a wide scope; the feel is that of turbulence and drama. In a sense it is almost operatic, and this probably explains why I enjoy this piece so much.

(All the excerpts below are for Horn in F.)

Right out of the gate, the 1st horn has a lot to do.

In the second movement, a brief solo scores very high on my imaginary list of favorite orchestral horn solos.

It is a sublime moment.

A favorite spot.

Horn III

Take a look too at the Horn III part available from the IMSLP page.

Like Dvořák’s other orchestral works, it has an active third horn part with occasional solos and lead moments peppered throughout.

The home stretch

Looking at the final page of the Horn I part, we see mostly tutti passages. The piece is winding down and the end of the tunnel is in sight.

The rather unassuming ending.

At face value this ending looks relatively straightforward.

However there is an unwritten tradition where different notes are played in the final Molto maestoso. I am not sure where this tradition began, but I have been told that it was something that George Szell commonly did with the Cleveland Orchestra and that it perhaps began there.

“Bonus Notes”

This bit of re-orchestration does have some merit; it adds volume and depth to an important line that otherwise may not be heard.

The passage in the red box below is typically doubled by the first horn player, sometimes in tandem with Horn III or even a trumpet. I performed it once where – at the conductor’s request – the entire horn section joined in.

We liked that con mucho gusto but in hindsight, it might have been overkill.

The horns typically play these notes.

Unlike tricky transpositions, this practice is something that most conductors expect or at least know about.

If you are a section player playing this piece, a consultation with the principal is probably a good idea. For example, I could see a number of reasons to double only the first three measures – or even just the first two – of the clarinet part highlighted above.

What notes?

Ah… but what are the notes to play you ask?

I will only give a small hint: Clarinet in A is equal to Horn in A.

Bonus resource

• A direct link to the IMSLP Symphony No.7, Op.70 (Dvořák, Antonín) page
  Download PDFs – audio MP3s, score and parts

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The basic “A-horn” rule-of-thumb for the 3rd hornist is this:

1. If your “up” transposition puts your sounding pitches above the 1st horn, you most likely need to invert the interval transposition to sound below the 1st horn.
2. However, if your A-horn passage is a solo, it might be an “up” transposition.

This is not a hard-and-fast rule as there are some exceptions, most notably in Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor.” A prominent horn quartet passage (in Act II) can go either way depending on the conductor’s preference. I have performed it both ways.

Semiramide

This week I was reminded of Rossini’s Overture to Semiramide and its unique pitfalls. The opera itself, which takes place in ancient Babylon, is rarely performed these days due mainly to the male contralto lead role (a castrato part).

Its overture on the other hand is a regular staple in orchestra concerts. After an up-tempo introduction, the horns (and bassoons) are prominently featured in a hymn-like prayer. The horns at this point are keyed in D.

Click for a larger view.

This passage is fairly straight-forward in terms of horn transposition. However, things become less clear later in the same overture. The transposition for Horn III is Horn in A and there is no indication of whether it is basso or alto.

Click for a larger view.

For the intrepid horn player caught unprepared, this passage can be a good lesson. While the solo at m. 181 is performed in A-alto, the remainder is A-basso. While I have yet to find any documentation as to why it is this way, this is the time-honored tradition in 19th-century Italian operatic horn parts.

This is especially true in bel canto opera.

Lessons from youth

I have a pretty vivid memory of playing this part many years ago in youth orchestra and being utterly confused. I made the mistake of asking the conductor what to do (instead of my private horn teacher). The conductor insisted that everything was to be played in A-alto.

As a horn player with only a few years under my belt and a weak high-range, the experience was both humbling and humiliating.

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As stated elsewhere in this site, I occasionally play with the Phoenix Symphony, almost always 7th or 8th horn on large works. People sometimes ask me if I am a member of the Phoenix Symphony horn section, the answer is no, I have a full-time job already at ASU, but as time allows I do enjoy playing big works with them.

This week they are playing Mahler 1, and with ASU out I have the time to play. I was surprised some weeks after agreeing to perform to find out that I was engaged to perform assistant first. This year the Phoenix Symphony has no principal horn, so the central and unusual thing that happened this week is that two of the candidates for principal horn were in the horn section for the Mahler, one on principal and one on seventh, so I was bumped down.

There is [was] an article in my main site on Assistant Playing that is a version of my Horn Call article on the same topic. Nothing against the guest principal who did a fine job or against playing assistant in general, but it is the first time since roughly 1989 that I have played assistant on a series concert (the last time was with the Indianapolis Symphony when I was a Doctoral student) and it was at first anyway a bit of a shock to the system. I was third horn in Nashville for six seasons during which I often moved up to principal, and I play principal horn every summer at Brevard, so having used an assistant player quite often the shoe was certainly on the other foot, especially in a work like Mahler 1 on which I have played principal horn twice recently and will again this summer.

I believe that I have done my job this week as well as any assistant first out there. The experience did fuel the fire a bit on a couple topics I am writing about for future publication elsewhere, so I will save those thoughts for now, but in short, playing big works like Mahler is enjoyable on any part, and as a frequent principal hornist I can assure you that I appreciate the role and help of a strong assistant horn player, they make it possible to play your best on principal.

TIP OF THE DAY: I have also said in a very recent post that conductors in general have a preconceived notion that horn players drag. Not to take anything away from the conductor in Phoenix, but he played right into my theory and his comments would indicate to me that he believes the horns drag. Beyond that, he is correct to a point, much of the orchestra, at least how I saw his beat, was dragging at times. He kind of compounded the problem, too, as I believe that he may actually be trying to conduct slightly in front of what people are playing, not really expecting that these same people will actually play right on top of his beat. What to do as a player? My advice would be to play right on top of the beat the conductor is giving, on the whole this will lead to the least amount of comments from the podium to the horns. They think you will drag; it is better to be slightly ahead than slightly behind.

This week I am playing with the Phoenix Symphony as second horn on Corigliano, Pied Piper Fantasy (I was principal horn on the recording just linked–Bruce played on it too) and Berlioz, Symphonie Fantastique (featured in my dissertation, a favorite work), with rehearsals starting today. It is a week off from ASU (it is hard to sub with the symphony on a teaching week) and I am really looking forward to playing in a professional section again. I do enjoy orchestral playing. The one element I am not looking forward to, but will be able to manage, is getting used again to what I perceive anyway to be a slightly delayed beat from the conductor. I am sure I will be in the groove with it pretty quickly again, it is not unclear and the orchestra seems totally used to it, but it is different than what I have mostly seen in my career. I really prefer to play on top of the beat but in this case my goal is to play exactly with the first horn.

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With that context in mind I have been meaning for some time to feature three different CD horn orchestral excerpt projects that it would be great for horn students to keep in mind for excerpt study while we are still in an era when CDs are easy to buy and use.

OrchestraPro: Horn

This was I believe the original recording of this type and format. It is at present listed in iTunes as “Orchestral Excerpts for Horn” and was recorded and narrated by David Krehbiel, former Principal Horn of the San Francisco Symphony and prior to that of the Detroit and Chicago symphonies. This project includes recordings of twenty major excerpts with insightful commentary and is available from Summit Records (cover image source) and other sources.

Audition: Improbable

Not long after the Krehbiel project another appeared featuring Roger Kaza, then of the Houston Symphony but at present Principal Horn in St. Louis, with a cast of characters including William Ver Meulen, Brian Thomas, Philip Stanton, and Bruce Henniss. The setup is that Audition: Improbable is a conference or workshop lecture by “Professor Bruno von Hornigschnegel” that features secretly recorded selections from the finals of a major orchestra audition. The information included is spot on and presented in a very entertaining format. This is available for purchase from a number of sources including Pope Repair, from whom this cover image was linked.

The Horn in Opera

The most recent of these projects is The Horn in Opera by Richard Chenoweth, Professor of Horn at the University of Dayton and for 35 years second hornist with the Santa Fe Opera. This came out in 2008 and includes excerpts from 19 different operas. This is more in the style of the Krehbiel project but with a bit more depth. There is much more on this recording and the content in The Horn in Opera website, the source of this cover image.

The Future?

All three of these projects are certainly worth buying and to my mind really are best heard as physical CDs. Any of them if you were to just cherry pick out a few tracks you will pick up something but there is a bigger picture in all that you can only pick up listening to the whole recording top to bottom in order. The Krehbiel is available as a download in iTunes and if you buy it there buy the whole album! So far as I can tell the others are not available as downloads. Perhaps they will be in the future or might someday be converted to a web-based format. All three though are ones that students of the horn should be aware of and make use of today.

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Visually it really is quite a show. Video does not do it justice and from the pit you can’t pick up much of it. I can see why there are audience reactions here and there ranging from clapping to laughter. The giant mice in particular made a scene in the production we saw that could be scary for young children into one that was funny.

Sound was the big surprise for me. Out in the audience the orchestra had a rich sound and actually somewhat soft. In the pit it can sound loud and harsh at times, so much sound is swirling around such a small space, like an orchestra playing inside a garbage can. But out in the cheap seats where I was with my family it sounded great. We all enjoyed the show; I could only have hoped for it to be a bit louder overall, which was probably a quirk of the acoustic.

The horns sounded great, and I know there were at least two subs in the section who had been my students at some point so that was also great to hear.

The one item I really did not like in the production was the substitution of an electronic keyboard for the girl’s chorus at the end of the first act. If you have not performed this score with a girls chorus (we used one in Nashville) you don’t quite know the before and after but for me the electronic chorus sounded strange and almost ghostly. A live chorus would be great but at least I would hope they might upgrade the sampled sounds before they do the next run.

In any event it was a great show and it is one that if you have never seen it live in a hall you really should, the effect is quite different in the audience than it is in the pit.

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The dialogue begins with what more-or-less amounts to a mission statement:

1. The vacancy belongs to the orchestra. In no way is it the property of the public domain. The orchestra is not obligated to fill a position once it has been advertised and we reserve the right not to select anyone at an audition. In my time we have more than once taken over eight years to find the right person.

2. We, the members, know pretty well what we are looking/listening for: we know our collective sound, our musical language, our collective artistic personality. The audition is not therefore primarily a contest between competitors for a gold medal. Much more importantly, we search for the “right” musician, not necessarily only the “best” player.

3. The orchestra decides who is chosen – all musician-members vote on the basis of one musician – one vote. Neither a select audition committee, nor principal players, nor the concerned section and certainly not the conductor controls the audition decision. Tenure is also granted by the orchestra membership alone, based on a secret vote.

It offers a glimpse into an interesting mindset from a few years ago … perhaps some old ghosts are in there?

Read more here.

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• French horn mushrooms
  They look delicious.

• The mysterious blue horn
  Apparently on the American television comedy How I Met Your Mother a classic mellophone, which has been a standing background prop, took center stage in a recent episode.

And a few days later, just when Ted thought she’d forgotten about it, he storms her room to confront her about another empty milk carton and finds it empty, save for a blue French horn (sic).

• Dry humor from John Adams
  The composer takes a dig at New York audiences and their tendency to head for the exits whenever contemporary music is programmed.

• Music in the blood
  Principal horn Michael Winter of the Syracuse Symphony is featured in this article at Syracuse.com.

Winter has music in his genes. Both his father and grandfather were professional musicians. His grandfather, a French horn player, offered Winter a custom-crafted French horn when he was 11. Winter jumped on the chance to take up horn with his grandfather.

“I consider myself fortunate. I really had no business with such a fine teacher and instrument. I never had the chance to play (the horn) like a kid and my grandfather made sure I never developed bad habits. Plus, I hated piano lessons,” Winter said.

• An example for parents
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• The back and forth in Cleveland
  The drama of the fired Plain Dealer music critic and the Cleveland Orchestra is not over. A lawsuit is in action and new developments shed more light into this story.

  This is a good place to start.

Photo Credit: http://www.pacrimmushrooms.com/fresh-Baby-French-Horn-Mushroom.php

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Curious to see how things looked for the Nashville Symphony specifically I was able to find this great video on YouTube of flood damage at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. In short, the basement was completely flooded but the hall itself remained dry.

As they note in their website,

With Schermerhorn Symphony Center damaged by the extensive downtown flooding, the Nashville Symphony has moved swiftly to find alternative venues for upcoming concerts.

The Nashville Symphony is moving temporarily back to the Tennessee Performing Arts Center for some large concerts, which is where they performed when I was in the group. More centrally downtown and on higher ground, I am sure it remains a workable venue for Classical music. A press release goes into more detail.

Meanwhile, the Nashville Symphony is also pleased to announce that most of the remaining concerts for its 2009/10 season have already been rescheduled to take place at alternative venues while the Schermerhorn undergoes repairs. The Symphony’s much-anticipated presentation of the Los Angeles Philharmonic (May 15 at 8 p.m.) will take place in TPAC’s Andrew Jackson Hall, as will the Nashville Symphony’s own performances of Bartók’s stunning Bluebeard’s Castle (May 20 at 7 p.m., May 21-22 at 8 p.m.), complete with 14-foot Dale Chihuly sculptures onstage. Current ticket holders will be reseated at TPAC by the Symphony’s box office staff. Remaining tickets for these events will be on sale in the coming days. Everyone is encouraged to check NashvilleSymphony.org regularly for up-to-the-minute information.

This flood will disrupt the lives of many musicians and arts organizations for quite a while. If you want to support the symphony specifically in this time of need, on the main page of their website they currently have the following information on how to help support the Nashville Symphony.

The Nashville Symphony is enormously grateful for the generous support of individuals during this time of need. If you would like to make a donation in support of the Nashville Symphony, you may do so by mailing a check to the Nashville Symphony or making a pledge via email.

Their Facebook page is another great place to check for more information. This is certainly a good time to at the least become a fan of the Nashville Symphony. Finally, to support musicians in general, check the website of AFM Local 257 for more; the AFM has set up a flood relief fund of their own.

UPDATE: Text updated relating to the Opry House and Ryman.

UPDATE 2: More on damage to the Opry House at Opryland.

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WARNING: PG-13 rating for brief cartoon female nudity. I blame it on crazed groupies that hang out with sketchy double-bass players.

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As such, this post borders on materials also discussed in my Orchestra 101 series as we get to the topic of how horn sections actually run. Which in this case on a professional level will certainly vary orchestra to orchestra and master agreement to master agreement.

For example, for a heavy program performed by a top level orchestra with a designated Associate Principal horn the Associate would play principal on the first half and the Principal first on the second, with use of an assistant first horn possible/probable on either half. When I played in Nashville however I was Third horn we had no designated Associate so we would have done the seatings differently on the same heavy program; the Principal would have played Principal for the entire concert but with an Assistant. Only if she was completely gone I moved up to Principal from Third (and received overscale for the services impacted), the assistant moved to third, and an extra was hired to play assistant. Shortly after I left Nashville the third horn position was changed to Third/Associate, so I assume at that time the situation became more flexible and no overscale was involved if the third moved to first for a work or two.

Back to the generic heavy program example, no professional orchestra I have ever played with as a member or extra would require a principal horn to not use an assistant on a demanding program, but I suspect that the times they are a changing in the United States! Management will try to save whenever possible. It makes it really hard to play your best when there is no assistant available, especially if it is a heavy program with just four players, but it does save money and the audience may not notice the difference either, even if your chops do.

I should mention there is another model is that I am told is seen in Europe. They don’t use assistant players but “platoon” larger numbers of horns, with a full section on one half of the concert and another full section on the other half, with perhaps no players performing the full program.

In short, what you experience out in the real world of music will vary but in the best orchestras in the United States we typically see five or six member sections that will function along the lines described above and it is a good model to try to follow if possible in your situation be it amateur or professional.

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