The Italian Horn Website

Il Club del Corno is promoting an opinion survey among professional horn players, based on a list of questions. The answers will be published on the site in English and in Italian.

Answers by Lawrence Yates

1) What where the turning points in your development as a horn player? List any factor that was important to your progression as a musician (e.g. which conservatory/music school attended, influential teacher/s, particular events). Stages can be marked by particular pieces of music I was hired to play and for which I had to work: West Side Story; Ein Heldenleben; Tippet Sonata for Four Horns. Each of these also represented playing with groups which were significantly better than any groups I had played with before.. 2) Do you think that your professional success could have been essentially different (either greater or lesser) if you had had other teachers? Probably. 3) How much does the possibility of becoming a competent horn player depend on a) Facial structure, b) Inborn talent, c) Application/study? All three are essential, but c) can overcome deficiencies in a) and b). 4) Should a student who is having serious problems in the fundamentals, after studying the horn for some years, abandon the idea of becoming a professional at all, or could he/she be still brought to a level of competency by appropriate teaching metods (that is, by finding a new teacher)? A different teacher may be able to help by bringing about the necessary degree of hard work to overcome the problems. I have known successful players who do not have the "ideal" embouchure. 5) What is, in your opinion, the importance and use of a) Mouthpiece buzzing, b) Handled rim (rim on a stick) buzzing, c) Free lip buzzing ? None. 6) Do you know, use, recommend the "inspiron" and/or other breathing devices? No. 7) Do you think that progresses in one's playing happens steadily, by constant application, or by leaps? A bit of both - I have a picture which I give my students called "The Greasy Mountain". It shows the stages they may pass through - there are plateaux, there are steep passages, there are places where people fall. I find it helps them to recognise that things sometime get difficult and that progress sometimes slows down. 8) Should a teacher give precise embouchure directions? And how precise? Only if there is something significantly wrong. I judge the success of the embouchure by the results. If the results are good the technique is probably good. 9) Are there special directions/techniques for mastering the low and high registers? Enough practice in both. 10) How was your experience in auditioning and what advice on this matter can you give to aspiring professionals? Aim as high as you can and don't be put off by people like me who tell you you're not good enough.