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Mouthpiece story — Testing “connections” with Maxime-Alphonse 4:12
Some certain works and phrases of works have interesting applications when it comes to testing mouthpieces and horns. In some recent lessons I have come back to the topic of “connections” of notes in...
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Grad auditions, part I. As they say, the times, they are changing
University horn auditions are over for 2022. I believe Horn Matters readers will find a number of interesting notes and tips in this short series reflecting on this round of auditions at Arizona State....
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Grad auditions, part II. New trends in solos
I don’t require any specific solos at ASU, and I found that, compared to prior years, there were a few changes. Lots of Strauss II I heard Strauss II in the past too, but there was a clear uptick this...
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Grad auditions, part III. Excerpts in general, and Till and Brahms 3...
For several years I’ve had the Till and Brahms 3 excerpts as being required of all grad applicants. It helps to have apples to apples components as I rate applicants. The bigger problem I say this...
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Grad auditions, part IV. You do need to transpose, and other helpful asides
For the final component of my auditions for some years now I have settled into a fairly simple and short sight-reading passage. For grad applicants I have them read the passage in F and then transpose...
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Screen time versus your horn playing (and everything else)
This past week I noted an article, “Study: Too much screen time harmful on molecular level.” Likely you have heard that overall, it is a good idea to control your screen time, especially outside of...
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The Paradox of Failure as a Goal for Success
Sometimes when I get contemplative about life, I look back and examine my past failures. Without a doubt, I have made some colossal mistakes and to be honest, some of them I remember with a bit of...
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A Meme Flood for April Fools’ Day
April Fools’ Day is an annual tradition celebrated in many cultures worldwide. It is a time for humor and jokes, and in recognition of this day here are some horn-related memes, both old and new....
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Rethinking how we teach horn – without Kopprasch
If you do a simple search of the topic “rethinking how we teach”, you will find a number of people reconsidering various aspects of pedagogy in relation to the pandemic and the changing times. Is it...
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A story involving Giardinelli mouthpiece fit, and Verne Reynolds
While well known for his horn music and teaching, Verne Reynolds was not known as an equipment guru. On the other hand, any good horn teacher has some practical knowledge of what helps students play...
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On Vienna horns and the important topic of wires
Something you might have noticed is that in Horn Matters (and elsewhere) I have rarely written about the Vienna horn. A perennially popular topic in our horn world, I have instead focused my own single...
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Reflecting on embouchure changes, injuries, and other playing issues (and an...
With many years to reflect back on, there are certainly periods of time when important things happened. For me, one of those important periods was 40 summers ago. Aspen, 1982, and the year that...
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The Tragic Tale of Mouthpiece Man
What follows is a parody, an absolute farce. But take heed dear reader; as bizarre as this tale may seem, it contains a kernel of truth here and there – things to think about later. Let the story...
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Brief Review: From Strength to Strength by Arthur C. Brooks
A new book by a (former) professional hornist that I have found very interesting is From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life by Arthur C....
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Brief Review: Horn Teaching at the Paris Conservatoire, 1792 to 1903 by...
I finally had time this summer to read properly a substantial 2021 publication by Jeff Snedeker, Horn Teaching at the Paris Conservatoire, 1792 to 1903: The Transition from Natural Horn to Valved Horn....
View ArticleUpdating The University of Horn Matters for a New Decade!
With The University of Horn Matters being online for ten years, this summer was a great one to update it extensively. I believe Horn Matters readers will find the improvements to be significant. What...
View ArticleTill, Toscanini, and the Berv Brothers
Working in my office, I often listen to old LP recordings. One that caught my attention prepping the office for the semester was Toscanini and the NBC Symphony Orchestra in 1952, playing Till (and...
View ArticleGender Balance in the Horn World: We Can Do Better
Before a recent faculty meeting, our first of the semester, we were challenged to be ready to share about “One thing in your discipline/area that fills you with pride.” One thing I’m proud about is the...
View ArticleTwo Tips for the New First Horn Player
As we all know, all the horn parts are good! But there is a point when you start playing first horn in better ensembles that point out a couple of extra responsibilities. Assistant what? One new thing...
View ArticleMailbag: The Topic of Contradictory Information on Playing the Horn
Recently a great, extended question came in related to playing mechanics and all the contradictory information out there. The reader wrote, … I’m finding myself frustrated in hearing musicians of all...
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