| About the Studio |
Teachers
|
Ensembles | Auditions
and Scholarships |
Guest
Artists |
Horn Studio
FAQ |
Contact
CU Music Admissions |
 |
 UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO at Boulder |
About the
Studio
Teachers
Ensembles
Auditions and Scholarships
Guest Artists
Frequently Asked Questions:
Contact CU Music Admissions
The
Horn Studio at CU Boulder consists
of 16 undergraduate and graduate students. Approximately
one-half
the studio comes from out-of-state. Graduate students have
done their
undergraduate work at such prestigious institutions as The Juilliard
School, Manhattan School of Music, Cleveland Institute, Eastman School
of Music, Mannes
College of Music, and Arizona State University. Undergraduate
students
have come from prestigious youth orchestra and band programs around the
country. Ensembles afford strong undergraduates a unique
opportunity
to perform alongside graduate students. This situation leads to
developing excellent ensemble skills and reinforcing what is taught in
the studio.
There are two Graduate Teaching Assistants in the Horn Studio. Assistantships are available for the Graduate Brass Quintet and the Graduate Woodwind Quintet. Teaching Assistants run sectionals, hold office hours for extra help with lesson materials, and perform in major ensembles. There are three music major degree programs available to undergraduate horn students at the University of Colorado at Boulder. They are designed to accommodate the needs of all types of potential music majors:
|
| Graduate
and exceptional
undergraduate students are encouraged to work in regional professional
orchestras during their time at CU. Over the past few years,
students hold or have held paid horn positions in the Boulder
Philharmonic, the Greeley Philharmonic, the Fort Collins Symphony, and
the Central City Opera Orchestra. In the past seven years, a large
majority of
regional orchestral positions (over 75%) has been won by members of the
CU Horn
Studio. |
Teachers
The CU Horn Studio is taught by Assistant Professor of Horn Michael Thornton. Mr. Thornton has been a faculty member at CU Boulder since 1999, and has hepled numerous young artists achieve their musical goals. |
Ensembles
The University of Colorado at Boulder has a Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Akira Endo, music director of the American Ballet Orchestra. CU also has a very strong band program, with a Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band under the baton of Allan McMurray. Professor McMurray is a well-known and highly sought-after conductor of wind repertoire. The Wind Ensemble has toured on numerous occasions, including a Japan Tour in the 1990's. The CU Horn Choir is an ensemble of horn majors that performs occasional pre-concert music for the Colorado Symphony, as well as playing concerts and clinics at area high schools. In 2001, the CU Horn Choir was invited to perform at the Western US Horn Symposium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The CU Horn Choir has also been featured on local television (NBC affiliate), and has performed the National Anthem for the Colorado Rockies. The repertoire is for horn octet and larger, representing a variety of styles. There are also numerous chamber ensembles, including brass and woodwind quintets. CU has a fine Marching Band, which plays at football games and has made many bowl game appearances. |
Auditions and Scholarships
Auditions for the College of Music are held every Saturday in February. Other accommodations can be made with the horn faculty, but scholarship priority will be given to students who audition in February. To schedule an audition, contact the undergraduate music office at ugradmus@colorado.edu, or call (303) 492-6354. Talented students may be offered performance-based scholarships for the College of Music. Full and Partial Tuition wavers may be awarded to the finest applicants. There are also many work-study opportunities, as well as competition-based awards for students already in the College of Music. |
| To view horn studio audition requirements, click here |
Guest Artists
Each year, the horn studio has been proud to present a major guest artist. The CU Horn Artist Series has become a key horn event in Colorado and surrounding states. Past artists have included:
|
Frequently Asked Questions:
Auditions
for ensemble placements are held at the beginning of each
semester. Repertoire is sent out in advance, and students are
placed according to their auditions. Exceptional Freshman and
Sophmores have been placed in the Orchestra and Wind Symphony.
The Symphonic Band is an excellent ensemble that is yet another
performance option. |
Students who are certain that they want to perform or teach should apply for the performance and education programs. Those who know they want to pursue horn, but are not sure about a career path, might consider the Bachelor of Arts in Horn. Fortunately, when students audition for CU, the faculty assesses the student's playing, and makes recommendations about which program would best suit each student.
|
Is there a certain type of instrument I should be playing to attend CU? Students
do not need to worry about the equipment they play when they attend CU. Applicants are selected solely on the basis of merit, and our horn studio has players on all styles and types of horns. Once a student arrives at school, decisions are jointly made between teacher and student as to the best horn to help that student realize his/her goals.
|
Contact CU Music Admissions
For more information about CU Music programs, or to schedule a music school tour or audition, please contact undergraduate admissions at ugradmus@colorado.edu, or call at (303) 492-6354. You may also contact the horn faculty directly:
|