This book has been compiled to aid teachers and students in the development of the French Horn embouchure, particularly in the important period following elementary development. It is based upon the theory that, mechanically, nearly all of the problems to be met by the player in the orchestra, band, chamber ensemble, etc., can be covered by a comprehensive daily routine of practice. Various drills have been devised, with no claim to originality, to cope with the various mechanical problems of embouchure with which the player is faced in the field.
This book is a result of Eli Epstein's 18 years in the Cleveland Orchestra and 30 years of Conservatoire teaching. It breaks down into four parts, dealing with Technique, Musicianship, Warm up and Exercises and finally Applying the Method. It is both innovative and inspiring and presents his theories in a clear and understandable way, which gives the reader much to think about and practical ideas to help improve one's playing. An excellent addition to any horn enthusiast's collection.The third edition presents MRI images and data of an elite group of horn players, including Stefan Dohr, Fergus McWilliam, Sarah Willis, Stefan Jezierski (all of the Berlin Philharmonic), Marie-Luise Neunecker, Jeff Nelsen, and others. MRI films confirm that what we do internally, inside the mouth, pharynx, and thoracic cavity is just as important as what we do externally. And, just as there are hallmarks of healthy embouchures that most professional horn players employ, there are many consistent internal movement patterns among the elite group. Epstein presents tried and true methods to learn and teach these exemplary biomechanics. "Without a doubt the most physiologically correct book ever published on horn playing." ~John Ericson, Horn Matters
Gunther Schuller is a well-known composer, conductor, educator, and author of books on jazz; his remarkable career also includes playing in the horn section of the Cincinnati Symphony while still in his teens and in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra as Principal Horn from 1945 to 1959. Firstpublished in 1962, this revised edition of his classic book to horn playing includes an extensive guide to the literature for the instrument, with listings of more than 1,000 pieces from the solo, chamber, and orchestral repertory.
First to be published in the series was The Art of French Horn Playing by Philip Farkas, now Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Music at Indiana University. In 1956, when Summy-Birchard published Farkas's book, he was a solo horn player for the Chicago Symphony and had held similar positions with other orchestras, including the Boston Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, and Kansas City Conservatory, DePaul University, Northwestern University, and Roosevelt University in Chicago. The Art of French Horn Playing set the pattern, and other books in the series soon followed, offering help to students in learning to master their instruments and achieve their goals.
Everyone knows that members of the U.S. Special Forces are the top-shelf, crème de la crème, A-Number-Ones, specially hand-picked people to train and serve as the avant garde of the largest, most well-funded military on the face of the earth. But that doesn’t happen overnight! There are special training procedures—over and above basic training—that turn a swabbie into a SEAL, a grunt into a Green Beret, or a runt into a Ranger. Collected here for the first time is official information on USSF: • Sniper training • Reconnaissance • Intelligence and interrogation • Guerrilla warfare • Nocturnal operations • Fighting counter insurgencies • And more! With hundreds of photographs and illustrations demonstrating proven tips and techniques, The Ultimate Guide to Special Forces Skills, Tactics, and Techniques provides everything a warrior needs to know to be fighter-ready and strong.
The Audition Playbook is a two-part guide and workbook designed to help musicians of all instruments and levels efficiently and effectively plan and prepare for orchestra, band, or other ensemble auditions. No matter the goal, the Audition Playbook provides the framework upon which musicians can carefully create, implement, and follow their own plans from start to finish. Many factors go into having a successful audition and every winner will tell you about wildly different tools and secrets that set them apart from the pack. Every person--and every audition--is different. However, there are certain elements that tend to be universal among audition winners, and often, the most important factor is simply having a plan--a thoughtful, deliberate plan--and sticking with it. The Audition Playbook is not a "one-size-fits-all" template and does not set out to plan your entire audition for you. "Part One: The Guide" offers an overview of the the many different facets of audition preparation to consider and provides tools, suggestions, and exercises to implement into your own plan. "Part Two: The Workbook" provides the canvas upon which you will build your personal audition plan. Among the many topics covered: The four phases of audition preparation Goal-setting and re-setting Taking honest assessments of your technique, knowledge of the repertoire, and other skills Planning your daily and weekly practicing The development of performance skills Planning for the unexpected Recording your practice Mock auditions Writing your "Audition Day Script" Reflecting on your auditions Whether you're already a regular on the audition trail, a first-timer new to the world of auditions, or an already-established professional looking to up your game, the Audition Playbook is for you. ** Rachelle Jenkins is an accomplished horn player who has played with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Montréal Symphony, Iceland Symphony, Hawaii Symphony, and many other orchestras and chamber ensembles around the world. She studied at The Colburn School, McGill University, and the University of Central Florida. Foreword by Dr. Don Greene, author of Performance Success, Audition Success, Fight Your Fear and Win, and College Prep for Musicians.
With the growing interest in hand horn (natural horn) and jazz horn, Extended Techniques for the Horn by Douglas Hill is an important text in horn repertory. Virtually all the sound possibilities of the horn are included in this one book, with clearly and concisely organized descriptions, notation and comments to both performers and composers of horn music.
Fergus McWilliam has been a member of the Berlin Philharmonic since 1985 and was a founding member of the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet in 1988. He has spent the last twenty years touring the world with the Berlin Philharmonic and has made over a dozen recordings with his ensemble. During his career, he has performed with many of the major conductors of our times, including Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Ababado, Sir Simon Rattle, Leonard Bernstein, Carlos Kleiber, Seiji Ozawa, Pierre Boulez, James Levine, Daniel Barenboim and more. In addition, McWilliam also founded the Horns of Berlin Philharmonic and has helped re-establish the Winds of Berlin Philharmonic. His solo and chamber music activities continue to take him throughout Europe, the Americas and the Far East. Fergus McWilliam is also an internationally esteemed and sought-after teacher. He continues to give master classes at leading music schools in many countries, including the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Academy, the Hans-Eisler Musikhochschule in Berlin, the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School in London, the Paris Conservatoire, the Tokyo University of Fine Arts, the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, the Venezuela Youth Music programme and more. Blow your OWN Horn is Fergus McWilliams 'take' on horn playing and more generally on music education. Written in a very spirited style, the book covers all aspects of playing and the profession, including, practical elements such as: auditions, embouchure, breathing, exercises. In addition, McWilliam explores topics such as: mind games, attitude, strategies, relativity, under pressure, why do we need teachers and much more
