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The Enduring Enigma of Dale Clevenger

I have to confess something. I have mixed feelings about Dale Clevenger and his legacy. When I say this, please realize that this opinion comes...

Music-Making and Personal Identity

In a previous article, I told the story of how I came to study with my mentor, Milan Yancich. At the time I felt broken,...

On Mentorship and Recovery from Abuse

This photo and the memories associated with it are among my most prized possessions. This is Milan Yancich, the man who saved my creative soul....

Horn Camp Connect, and other thoughts one year into “The Year...

This past weekend I was honored to be featured for the monthly Horn Camp Connect session of the Kendall Betts Horn Camp. The video...

Lessons in Vienna, part IX: Lasting Impact on a Career

This series of articles expands on notes taken by Nicholas Smith in lessons with Roland Berger in 1977. This is the concluding article. Most players...

The important topic of how to refer to the 5th Symphony...

As a student I don’t recall anyone saying anything other than Shostakovich 5 in reference to the famous symphony and the famous horn excerpts...

What was the first French horn you owned?

This past week the parents of a young student I teach decided it was time to think about buying her a horn. The dad...

Deeper insights 5: Quitting?

As a final point in this series of deeper insights related to raising a handicapped child it would be this: giving up is not...

The Future of French Horn Playing

One thought I have heard (and have repeated myself) is that this is a “golden age” for the French horn. Or is it? Before getting...

Horn playing is fun

Horn playing is fun! For some readers, they certainly agree, yes, it is fun! But for others, maybe not so much. It is an...