Mid-South Horn Conference
March 24-25, 2006
Wichita State University
Principal Guest Artists
W. Peter Kurau
W. Peter Kurau was appointed in 1995 to the full-time faculty at the Eastman School of Music as Associated Professor of Horn, Director of the Eastman Horn Choir and hornist with Eastman Brass, succeeding Verne Reynolds. He previously served on the faculties of the University of Missouri-Columbia, SUNY-Geneseo, Roberts Wesleyan College, Houghton College and Nazareth College. From 1983-1995, he served as Assistant Principal/Acting Principal Horn of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and served as Acting Assistant Principal Horn from September, 2002 to September 2004, when he was appointed Principal Horn.
A prizewinner in the Heldenleben International Horn Competition, Mr. Kurau and pianist Joseph Werner completed a tour as Artistic Ambassadors for the United States Information Agency, presenting recitals and master classes in Serbia-Montenegro, Kazakhstan, Macedonia and Syria in September 1997. He is also active as a soloist, chamber musician and clinician and has performed at festivals in the U.S and Europe, including the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival, Grand Teton Music Festival, Chautauqua Festival, Skaneateles Festival, Fortissimo!, the Bowdoin Summer Music Festival, Eastern Music Festival and the Kendall Betts Horn Camp. Active within the International Horn Society, Mr. Kurau has commissioned and premiered new works for horn, including compositions by noted American composers Verne Reynolds, John Cheetham, Mark Shultz, Yehudi Wyner and James Willey.
He received his formal musical education at the Eastman School, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Royal College of Music, University of Connecticut and Florida State University, where his principal teachers were Verne Reynolds, David Cripps, William Capps and Horace Fitzpatrick (natural horn).
Randy C. Gardner
Randy C. Gardner was appointed to CCM's horn professorship in 1996, following more than twenty years as Second Hornist of the Philadelphia Orchestra under the batons of music directors Eugene Ormandy, Riccardo Muti, and Wolfgang Sawallisch. Before beginning his performance career in the Miami (FL) Philharmonic, Randy Gardner earned the Bachelor of Music Degree with Distinction from Indiana University, where he was a student of Philip Farkas. While beginning graduate work in musicology, he was also Distinguished Professor Farkas' teaching assistant. Additional horn teachers included Christopher Leuba, Ethel Merker, and William Adam.
Professor Gardner has previously been a faculty member of the Indiana University School of Music, Temple University's Esther Boyer College of Music, New York State Summer School of the Arts, Philadelphia College of Bible, Trenton State College, New School of Music, and Luzerne (NY) Music Center. Randy Gardner has made numerous masterclass appearances throughout the US, in Hong Kong, and in South Korea. Former students have gone on to performance and teaching careers in the US, Europe, South America, and elsewhere.
Randy Gardner has been a performer and lecturer at several international and regional workshops of the International Horn Society, and is a current member of the IHS Advisory Council. Professor Gardner's recital at the Beijing 2000 Symposium included the premiere of his unaccompanied horn solo, Why?!. Master class presentations have covered Mastering the Low Range, Achieving Peak Performance, and other topics. His book, Mastering the Horn's Low Register, is written for all hornists who wish to enjoy the many benefits that come with low register proficiency. Its pages comprehensively and systematically examine production and technique, and offer detailed preparation of thirty commonly required low and high horn excerpts.
Contributing Artists/Lecturers
John Ericson and Brian Kilp
John Ericson, Professor of Horn from Arizona State University will present a lecture on the Baroque Horn and Brian Kilp, Professor of Horn from Indiana State University will demonstrate the IVASI interactive video system. There will be additional lectures; check the schedule closer to the opening of the conference for exact details.
Exhibitors
Paxman and Philip Alexander
Exhibitors include Philip Alexander of the famed German horn making firm as well as Chris Hunninng from Paxman Ltd. of London. Both companies will have large displays of horns for participants to play.