The British Horn Society - News Archive 2004

Three of the London orchestras have recently announced the appointment of new low horn players. Olly Green, who returned from the Hong Kong Philharmonic having spent three years with that orchestra, has joined the Philharmonia Orchestra as fourth horn. Olly, from Lowestoft, studied at the Birmingham Conservatoire and then, as a postgraduate, at the Royal College of Music with Philharmonia principal horn, Nigel Black. Catherine Saunders, who has freelanced since leaving the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, has become second horn of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. David Wythe, an experienced freelance, joined the BBC Concert Orchestra as fourth horn in October 2003.

The National Youth Wind Orchestra will be collaborating with the Royal Northern College of Music in summer 2004, with horn professors from the RNCM expected to be among the course tutors. In addition to its main orchestra, the NYWO will also again hold its Focus course for chamber ensembles with Simon de Souza as the horn tutor. The venue is Repton School, Derbyshire from August 1 to 12. Organiser, Kit Shepherd, is currently finding a shortage of horn players applying for what is a very fine orchestra. This year only about a dozen have applied, as opposed to 57 clarinets and 31 flutes. Former Philharmonia and LSO horn player Andrew McGavin is a very supportive trustee of the orchestra, his brother Eric having been one of the founders in the late 1960s.

The Ensemble Modern is looking for a solo hornist. Obligatory pieces: 1st movement with cadence from Mozart's 4th horn concert as well as a concert or solo pieces after 1950. Further parts from the Ensemble's repertoire will be sent together with the invitation to the audition. Applications to: Ensemble Modern, Schwedlerstr. 2-4, 60314 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Email: info@ensemble-modern.com

The Associazione Mozart Italia (Italian Mozart Society) is organizing the second "AUDIMozart!" International Wind Competition for the performance of the Mozart's concertos for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn and orchestra. It will take place in Rovereto, Italy from May 24th to June 13th, 2004. Further details at: http://www.mozartitalia.org/uk/news/audimozart_2004/competition.html or http://www.mozartitalia.org

A number of manufacturers exhibited for the first time at last autumn's BHS Festival, with both Ricco Kühn and Vlastimil Jirácek visiting from the Continent. One result has been that Paxman is to sell Ricco Kühn horns in the UK. Paxman managing director, Chris Huning, describes the Saxon manufacturer's horns as "beautifully made". Ricco Kühn founded his company in 1990, having previously worked with Heinz Börner, the successor to Oskar Reissman, in Chemnitz. Around one thousand instruments have now been made by the firm, including full doubles, singles, altos, kinderhorns and Wagner tubas.

The second Ionian Summer Music Academy will take place in Corfu, Greece between 10 and 20 July 2004. Under the artistic direction of MELOS BRASS http://www.www.melosbrass.gr (Socratis Anthis: trumpet, Panayotis Kessaris: trumpet, Antonis Lagos: french horn, Spyros Faroughias: trombone, Yorgos Rarakos: tuba and euphonium. Participants will have the opportunity to attend instrumental lessons, led both by guest professors and the members of Melos Brass, and to combine their vacations with music lessons and music activities. The intensive instrumental lessons will be combined with participation in brass ensembles, daily concerts and a variety of cultural events (including a series of lectures by professors of the Music Department of the Ionian University). This year's guest ensemble is the internationally acknowledged 'Stockholm Brass'.

Participants of every age and level of studies are acceptable and wholeheartedly welcomed. The lessons will take place in the facilities of the Municipality of Corfu on Vidos islet. The participation fee for all the activities of the Academy is 290 Euros payable to the Secretariat of the Academy on the first day of the lessons. For those participants that come from outside Corfu there is low-cost accommodation available in two-bed or three-bed rooms. Those interested in this should notify the organizing committee by April 30th 2004 by submitting their application indicating their accommodation option by that day.

For information and application forms contact:
Mrs Effie Triandafyllidou
Tel: 0030 210 2029737, Fax: 0030 210 2233841
e-mail: academy@melosbrass.gr

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