Horn

Male french horn student performs with the concert orchestra in Corbett Auditorium

CCM offers a very comprehensive course of study for all horn students from freshman through doctoral levels. Our studio consists of 20 to 25 students from the US and abroad with approximately equal distribution of undergraduate and graduate students.

Students are thoroughly prepared to meet their professional goals, whether those goals are in performance or the academic world. We foster an attitude where intensely focused and purposeful study, structured to realize each student's musical potential, is conducted in a cooperative and friendly environment of very highly talented aspiring professionals. We believe in a "win-win" environment in which students help each other to succeed.

A few examples of professional organizations where CCM horn studio alumni have won positions include orchestras of Indianapolis, Buffalo, Edmonton, Honolulu, Louisville, Toledo, Dayton, Germany, Switzerland, Mexico, Taiwan and China; the Washington DC Air Force, Navy, Army and Marine Bands; theatrical touring companies; academic appointments at University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh, Wright State University, Christopher Newport University and K-12 teaching positions.

CCM hornists have been members of the Verbier Festival Orchestra and Chicago Civic Orchestra, performed with the New World Symphony, won awards and honors at International Horn Society and International Women's Brass Conference workshops, and have been winners and honors recipients at solo competitions such as the International Horn Competition of America, Paxman Young Horn Player of the Year Competition and the Yamaha Young Artists Competition.

Our horn students are engaged periodically as extras with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra. They also perform regularly with regional orchestras in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia and Tennessee.

Faculty

Headshot of Elizabeth Ann Freimuth

Elizabeth Ann Freimuth

Adjunct Instructor of Horn

513-556-3442

Headshot of Molly Norcross

Molly Norcross

Adjunct Instructor of Horn

513-556-3442

Headshot of Margaret Tung

Margaret Tung

Associate Professor of Horn

513-556-6848


Performance Studies Division Head and Staff

Headshot of Daniel Weeks

Daniel Weeks

Interim Division Head of Performance Studies; Associate Professor of Voice

513-556-6830

Headshot of Sarah Minneman

Sarah Minneman

Chamber Music Coordinator

Headshot of Claudia C. Penn

Claudia C. Penn

Executive Staff Assistant

513-556-3442

CCM's admissions process begins on August 1 (undergraduate) and September 1 (graduate) for entrance in the following year's fall semester. All application materials must be submitted on or before December 1 to be considered for specific scholarship awards. Visit the CCM Admissions website for additional application instructions.

Horn - BM

Pre-screening

Applicants must submit the required pre-screening materials via getacceptd.com/ccm on or before December 3 in order to be considered for admissions and invited for an audition.

Pre-screening Requirements
  • J.F. Gallay: Etude No. 7 from 12 Etudes for Second Horn, Op. 57 
  • W. A. Mozart: First movement of Concerto No. 2 or 4, OR R. Strauss: First movement of Concerto No. 1

Audition

Audition Requirements For Performance Degree
  • First movement of a Mozart or Strauss concerto, or solo of comparable difficulty from the standard repertoire
  • Two etudes in contrasting styles by Kopprasch, Gallay or Maxime-Alphonse (Book II–IV)
  • All major scales
  • Pick ONE of the following options:
    • Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5, mvt. 2, horn 1
    • Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, nocturne, horn 1 AND Strauss Till Eulenspiegel, opening calls, horn 1
    • Beethoven: Symphony No. 3, scherzo trio, horn 2
Audition Requirements For Music Education Majors Only
  • Two etudes in contrasting styles by Kopprasch, Gallay or Maxime-Alphonse (Book II–IV)
  • All major scales
  • Pick ONE of the following options:
    • Glière, Intermezzo
    • Glazunov, Reverie
    • Solo of comparable difficulty

Horn - MM

Pre-screening

Applicants must submit the required pre-screening materials via getacceptd.com/ccm on or before December 3 in order to be considered for admissions and invited for an audition.

Pre-screening Requirements
  • W. A. Mozart: First movement of Concerto No. 2 or 4 OR R. Strauss: First movement of Concerto No. 1
  • R. Strauss: Till Eulenspiegels Lustige Streiche, opening calls, horn 1
  • G. Mahler: Symphony No. 5, scherzo, horn obbligato, 8 measures after rehearsal No. 10-11

Audition

Audition Requirements
  • A complete major solo work from the standard repertoire 
  • Five orchestral excerpts from the standard repertoire which must include:
    • Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5, mvt. 2, horn 1 
    • Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel, opening calls, horn 1 
    • Mahler: Symphony No. 5, scherzo, horn obbligato, 8 measures after rehearsal No. 10-11

Horn - DMA

Pre-screening

Applicants must submit the required pre-screening materials via getacceptd.com/ccm on or before December 3 in order to be considered for admissions and invited for an audition.

Pre-screening Requirements
  • W. A. Mozart: First movement of Concerto No. 2 or 4 OR R. Strauss: First movement of Concerto No. 1
  • R. Strauss: Till Eulenspiegels Lustige Streiche, opening calls, horn 1
  • G. Mahler: Symphony No. 5, scherzo, horn obbligato, 8 measures after rehearsal No. 10-11

Audition

Audition Requirements
  • Two complete major solo works from the standard repertoire of contrasting stylistic periods
  • Ten orchestral excerpts from the standard repertoire which must include:
    • Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5, mvt. 1, low tutti passage 
    • Wagner: Siegfried’s Rhine Journey, short call, horn 1 
    • Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, opening passage, horn 1
    • Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5, mvt. 2, horn 1 
    • Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel, opening calls, horn 1 
    • Mahler: Symphony No. 5, scherzo, horn obbligato, 8 measures after rehearsal No. 10-11

Horn - AD

Pre-screening

Applicants must submit the required pre-screening materials via getacceptd.com/ccm on or before December 3 in order to be considered for admissions and invited for an audition.

Pre-screening Requirements
  • W. A. Mozart: First movement of Concerto No. 2 or 4 OR R. Strauss: First movement of Concerto No. 1
  • R. Strauss: Till Eulenspiegels Lustige Streiche, opening calls, horn 1
  • G. Mahler: Symphony No. 5, scherzo, horn obbligato, 8 measures after rehearsal No. 10-11

Audition

Audition Requirements
  • Two complete major solo works from the standard repertoire of contrasting stylistic periods
  • Ten orchestral excerpts from the standard repertoire which must include:
    • Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5, mvt. 1, low tutti passage 
    • Wagner: Siegfried’s Rhine Journey, short call, horn 1 
    • Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, opening passage, horn 1
    • Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5, mvt. 2, horn 1 
    • Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel, opening calls, horn 1 
    • Mahler: Symphony No. 5, scherzo, horn obbligato, 8 measures after rehearsal No. 10-11

First and foremost, every CCM horn major has the opportunity to learn from a principal horn teacher, who has years of significant professional experience, on a one-on-one basis. Each student receives an individualized and well-structured program of fundamental exercises, etudes, solos and orchestral repertoire. Our horn professors are in residence, readily accessible to help meet their students' needs.

Besides weekly lessons, all horn students are involved in a studio class that meets each week for two hours. These hours are an invaluable supplement to private horn instruction. Studio classes offer individual and section performance opportunities, focus a great deal of attention on successful audition and performance preparation, hold mock auditions, host special high-caliber guest artist presentations, and have class discussions covering a broad spectrum of topics and readings that deepen every student's musical understanding and professional preparation.

Horn excerpt class is an academic and performance course that studies in-depth a wide spectrum of repertoire. The historical setting of each composition, orchestral context of each excerpt, musical goals of assigned passages along with technical approaches to achieving those goals, and interpretive variations are studied. A small body of important repertoire is memorized, and recorded auditions are prepared. Students perform in every class session. Most importantly, a method of study and audition preparation is cultivated.

In 1998, CCM purchased two Seraphinoff orchestra horns (replicas of Hilary), adding a whole other dimension to our horn education. Student performers use these horns in recital, and they are available to every horn student who studies music of the natural horn period. In addition to many benefits that come from studying hand horn technique, learning what Mozart or Beethoven had in their ears when they composed for the horn greatly enhances valve horn performances of that repertoire. Since acquiring these natural horns, CCM has hosted several recognized hand horn performers for recitals/master classes.

Our horn students also gain hands-on experience in lessons and concerts with the Wagner tuba. CCM's quartet of new Alexander tuben is a matched set to those owned by the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Last, but certainly not least, CCM's unrivaled multi-million dollar facilities are located in the culturally rich city of Cincinnati. The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Pops offer several concerts each week at specially discounted student ticket prices. The Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, Ballet, Opera, and various musical theater companies all present performances. Several fine chamber ensembles have series of concerts in the city, and CCM hosts its own outstanding array of performances. Theater companies abound, Cincinnati boasts of our very fine art museum, and CCM thrives within the fertile intellectual environment of a major research university.


News and Events

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CCM Wind Symphony pays homage to the Earth in multimedia concert

Event: February 23, 2024 7:30 PM

The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Wind Symphony presents an evening of astounding sounds and sights in "Creation of the World" at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 23, in Patricia Corbett Theater Tickets are on sale now through the CCM Box Office!

3

New CCM apparel available for purchase online

February 14, 2024

Show your school spirit this spring with official CCM apparel! New UC College-Conservatory of Music apparel is available for purchase online. CCM's Spring 2024 t-shirt and hoodie designs can be ordered online now through March 18, 2024.

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