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About the Horn Studio
The Horn Studio at WMU is full of vibrant,
talented horn students. The number of students in the
studio usually ranges from 12-16 undergraduate music majors
and two graduate music majors. Horn students major
in a variety of music fields such as music performance, music
education, and music therapy. ALL music majors study
with the Horn Professor, not a graduate student.
Horn studio class is offered throughout
the year and in it students perform for each other and discuss
various horn topics. The Western Horn Choir, which
consists mostly of horn majors, rehearses regularly and performs
a full concert during the fall semester. The ensemble was
invited to perform in Lincoln, Nebraska and at the International
Horn Symposium in Denver, Colorado in 2008. Horn students
have the opportunity to study historical instruments--two
hand horns, an alphorn, and a Wagner Tuba may be checked out
for study. Additionally, guest artists frequently present
classes and perform at Western--recent artists include jazz
horn legend Arkady Shilkloper; Douglas Hill, University of
Wisconsin-Madison; William Barnewitz, Principal Horn of the
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra; Jeff Agrell, University of Iowa;
Erik Ralske, Third Horn, New York Philharmonic; Michelle Baker,
Second Horn, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; and Karl Pituch,
Principal Horn of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
The large ensembles, such as the Symphony
Orchestra, Symphonic Band, and Concert Band are first-rate
and many undergraduates have the opportunity to perform alongside
graduate students in our top ensembles. Other ensembles
combine select students with faculty members, including Western
Winds and the Annual Brass Christmas Concert. Chamber
music is prevalent and several wind quintet and brass quintet
ensembles form among the students each year, frequently receiving
faculty guidance. The Western Brass Quintet and Western
Wind Quintet are the two faculty ensembles, performing often
on campus and serving as models for student chamber ensembles.
The music facilities are terrific, with
excellent performance, practice, library, and computer facilities.
Its distinctive spaces include two recital halls, a multi-track
digital recording studio, an electronic music laboratory,
a 10,000 square foot music library, a state-of-the-art multi-media
room, a music therapy clinic, a computer laboratory featuring
a special MIDI station and Macintosh PowerPC computers (each
equipped with a Yamaha synthesizer and a Roland sound module),
and one of the world's largest installations of pre-fabricated,
sound-isolated practice rooms and teaching studios.
Kalamazoo is located in the center of the
midwestern musical scene, making it an inspirational and ideal
place to study music. Prominent professional groups
and events in the region include the Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids
Symphony Orchestras, Gilmore International Keyboard Festival,
Fontana Chamber Arts Series, and Brass Band of Battle Creek.
Additionally, Kalamazoo is midway between Chicago and Detroit
(2 1/2 hour drive to either city).
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