French Horn Nation 2011

Last year I played with a massed horn choir for Make Music NY. It was an interesting event for me because, first, I was still breaking in the H200, and second, because I was still breaking myself in as a French Horn player again.

Fast forward one year. It was a smaller turnout this year, but I was definitely a different horn player. My confidence was back, as was the maturity in my sound. I was a contender, and happy to be one.

That doesn't mean I'm still back 100%. Bass Clef playing kicked my ass a little as I'm still not fluid in the fingerings. I also still get a little hinkey sightreading in that bad range between middle C and 2nd line G. But it's getting better.

I also got to have a nice chat with one of the other horn players, who, like me, was not a professional but does a lot of playing. He pointed out how there was a LOT of conservatory-trained horn players in town fighting over every paying gig, and we can be happy to have a group (or two) to play in. He's right.

So I held my own, and I was glad to be part of French Horn Nation.