American Horn Quartet Hosts Masterclass for Brass Students

The American Horn Quartet (AHQ) will present a masterclass at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 18, in Goodson Chapel – Recital Hall. Hailed as, “the finest brass chamber ensemble in the world” by American Record Guide, its members include Kerry Turner, Kristina Mascher-Turner, Geoffrey Winter and Denise Tryon. This event is free and open to the public for quiet observation; no tickets are required.

Entering its fourth decade, the AHQ continues to be unique in the field of brass chamber music. Its exuberant performances have brought audiences all over the world to their feet. In 1982, four American horn players who were working and residing in Europe met for the first time to explore the potential of the horn quartet, a chamber music formation with a surprisingly long tradition. They quickly began to supplement the existing repertoire with their own compositions and arrangements. The group has undergone a few personnel changes since the early days, but has always maintained the highest standards of artistry and technical mastery.

The individual members of the AHQ are all successful soloists in their own right, having won top international competitions in Geneva, Prague, New York, Passau (Germany), and Munich. To these accolades, they added top honors with the quartet at chamber music competitions in Barcs, Hungary (Philip Jones Competition); Brussels; and Tokyo.

Besides being featured at horn and brass festivals around the globe, the American Horn Quartet has established itself at regular chamber music concert series on the international circuit. They have also appeared as soloists with numerous symphony orchestras, among them the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Sinfonia Varsovia, Philharmonica Hungarica, the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi, the Brabants Orchestra of Eindhoven, the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, and the Bordeaux Aquitaine Symphony Orchestra in France, just to name a few.

The AHQ has appeared as featured soloists at several International Horn Society symposia, including in Tallahassee, Florida (where it received a five-minute standing ovation after their performance); Kansas City; Indiana; Yamagata, Japan; Valencia, Spain; Denver; Brisbane; London; Montreal; and Los Angeles (where it received a five-minute standing ovation before the concert began). Other highlights include performances at the Barbican in London, and the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles; an appearance with orchestra at the Tonhalle in Zürich; recording collaborations with the horn sections of the New York Philharmonic and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra; a recital in Melbourne, Australia, featuring the great horn soloist Barry Tuckwell, and many more.

The ensemble’s visit is being hosted by Adjunct Associate Professor of Horn Geoffrey Pilkington, B.M. Visit www.hornquartet.com to learn more about the quartet.