Hornist/Conductor

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My Journey With the Horn

I. Early Days

I began musical studies at the age of eight.  I chose the French horn after hearing it showcased on the “Galop for French horn” cut from the Sesame Street LP Big Bird Discovers the Orchestra, a gift from my parents.  The sound and physical shape of the instrument were fascinating, and made me curious to know more.  That I could explore it with my best friends in orchestra class made it all the more fun, so I stuck with it.  

I continued more intensive musical studies from grade 6-12 at Pittsburgh’s Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) academies, spending weekends playing in River City Youth Brass Band, Three Rivers Young People’s Orchestra, and the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony.  My Summers were spent taking private lessons and doing extra coursework at Carnegie Mellon University, and for a few years, playing in the Chautauqua Youth Orchestra.  

During my freshman year of high school, I had the great fortune of taking part in the inaugural “Side-by-Side” concert with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Lorin Maazel.  Just like it sounds, a group of lucky students were embedded into the band right next to the pros.  This was a pivotal moment – I’ll never forget the excitement of sitting in the PSO Brass section next to Principal Hornist Bill Caballero, witnessing (and trying desperately to keep up with) the visceral demonstration of world-class standards. It was exhilarating, and I decided right then that a musical life is what I wanted, and resolved to spend the rest of my high school years doing whatever it took to attain a higher level.  With the support of my family, many teachers, and friends, I was accepted at The Juilliard School.  Before finishing my senior year of high school, I had performed as a featured soloist with both the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony.     

II. Conservatory-China-University-NYC

I moved to New York to begin undergraduate studies at The Juilliard School, joining the studio of Jerome Ashby.  Summers off from Juilliard were spent at the Bowdoin Festival, Norfolk Festival, and the National Repertory Orchestra.  When I completed my Bachelor of Music degree, I returned to Juilliard to begin graduate studies, joining the studio of William Purvis.  In 2001, while still a student, I won the audition for Principal Horn of the Shanghai Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra.  I accepted the post, taking a break from my studies to move to China and perform with that orchestra. After one eye-opening season of living and performing abroad, I returned to complete my Master of Music degree at Juilliard.  

After finishing up with school, I joined the faculty of Grand Valley State University.  For two years, I performed with the brass ensemble-in-residence, ran the horn studio, taught music appreciation classes, and coached chamber ensembles.  It was truly rewarding to work with so many students, but I eventually realized that continuing up the ladder of collegiate teaching would require more credentials.  So, I left the GVSU faculty post and returned to New York to begin post-graduate studies at SUNY Stony Brook, commuting to the Long Island campus from my apartment in West Harlem, NYC.   

Not long after beginning Doctoral studies, I started to pick up some work in the NYC freelance scene, and found myself torn between the academic world and the performing world.  After much deliberation, I decided to leave Stony Brook to develop a performance-oriented career, and give my full attention to establishing a foothold in the NYC music community.  

Since then, I have appeared with the New York Philharmonic, American Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Mark Morris Dance Group Music Ensemble, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, International Contemporary Ensemble, Silkroad Ensemble, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, among many others.  I have performed as both a chair holder and substitute in the orchestras of numerous Broadway shows, including Wicked, Aladdin, West Side Story, Sunset Boulevard, My Fair Lady, and South Pacific.  I’ve also enjoyed performing and collaborating with singer/songwriters Sufjan Stevens, St. Vincent, My Brightest Diamond, Bryce Dessner, The National, Alexi Murdoch, Rob Mathes, and Christina Courtin.  

I feel strongly about maintaining a connection to the music of living composers, and have over the years performed World and/or NYC premieres of works by Györgi Ligeti, Lisa Bielawa, Michael Hersch, Pierre Boulez, Osvaldo Golijov, Colin Jacobsen, Yotam Haber, Judd Greenstein, Kinan Azmeh, Brett Dean, Andrea Clearfield, Anthony Cheung, Charles Wuorinen, Georg Friedrich Haas, Aaron Jay Kernis, Andy Akiho, and Vijay Iyer, among many others.  

III. The Knights

In 2010, I played a gig with a new chamber orchestra calling themselves “The Knights.”  It was the most fun I’d had making music in years, and the roster of musicians happened to reunite old friends and classmates of mine from Juilliard and around NYC.  The music-making was ambitious and intense, infused with a feeling of camaraderie that, to me, felt nothing like a typical “gig.” While it is the nature of the business that new groups come and go (mostly go), it was clear that this ensemble would have a bright future.

I couldn’t have known then just how much this group would come to mean to me. I’ve performed with The Knights on numerous tours across the US, Canada, and in the major concert halls of Europe.  I’ve appeared as soloist with The Knights performing works of Mozart, Bach, Britten, and, most recently, giving the premiere of Lisa Bielawa’s Fictional Migrations at Temple Emanu-El as part of the 2019 Naumburg Concert Series.  In October 2019, I conducted The Knights and BalletCollective in Faraway – a night of music and dance that included world premieres of works by American composers Paul Moravec and Judd Greenstein, choreographed by Preston Chamblee and Troy Schumacher.

In addition to performing, I was elected to The Knights/Music Forward Board of Directors in 2012.  Since then, I’ve played an active role in the design and implementation of the ensemble’s artistic and strategic vision.  I look forward to The Knights’ upcoming tenure as Ensemble-in-Residence at the 92nd Street Y, and to all of the future adventures with the merry band who have become my musical family.  

IV. The Journey Continues…

Being a member of the NYC musical community has been the most educational and fulfilling artistic journey of my life.  More than anywhere else, the constant push and pull between the traditional and the cutting edge means there is never a dull moment. The drive to learn, adapt, and improve along with the constant inspiration from musical friends and colleagues keeps me honest.  

Currently, I reside in West Harlem, NYC with my lovely spouse Eowyn Levene, and our two cats Olive and Pinky.  

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