Horn Sessions

“Meet Your Teacher” is a series of one-on-one interviews with college professors across the United States. There are a lot of great horn teachers in the country, and choosing who to study with ultimately comes down to finding the best overall fit for you. All MYT interviews are comprised of the same 25 questions.

In this episode of “Meet Your Teacher” I speak with Ian Zook, professor at James Madison University.

Ian's Website: https://www.ianzook.com

IHS 2025 Website: https://heritage-horns.com

Season 1 Dates:

9/1 - Dr. Nick Fife, Winthrop University (SC)

9/15 - Hazel Dean Davis, Boston University (MA) and Longy School of Music of Bard College (MA)

10/1 - Rob Johnson, University of Houston (TX)

10/15 (part 1) & 11/1 (part 2) - Erik Ralske, The Juilliard School (NY) and Mannes School of Music (NY)

11/15 - Ian Zook, James Madison University (VA)

12/1 (part 1) & 12/15 (part 2) - Dr. Abigail Pack, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

1/1/25 - Jen Montone, Curtis Institute of Music (PA)

Article: Why is a Private Teacher So Important?

“Meet Your Teacher” is a series of one-on-one interviews with college professors across the United States. There are a lot of great horn teachers in the country, and choosing who to study with ultimately comes down to finding the best overall fit for you. All MYT interviews are comprised of the same 25 questions.

This episode of “Meet Your Teacher” concludes my talk with Erik Ralske, professor at The Juilliard School. Mr. Ralske is also the principal horn of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.

Erik's Bio: https://www.juilliard.edu/music/faculty/ralske-erik

YouTube links:

-https://youtu.be/uutr_HtdNfI?feature=shared

-https://youtu.be/tQJHkED1FMs

Season 1 Dates:

9/1 - Dr. Nick Fife, Winthrop University (SC)

9/15 - Hazel Dean Davis, Boston University (MA) and Longy School of Music of Bard College (MA)

10/1 - Rob Johnson, University of Houston (TX)

10/15 (part 1) & 11/1 (part 2) - Erik Ralske, The Juilliard School (NY) and Mannes School of Music (NY)

11/15 - Ian Zook, James Madison University (VA)

12/1 (part 1) & 12/15 (part 2) - Dr. Abigail Pack, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

1/1/25 - Jen Montone, Curtis Institute of Music (PA)

Article: Why is a Private Teacher So Important?

“Meet Your Teacher” is a series of one-on-one interviews with college professors across the United States. There are a lot of great horn teachers in the country, and choosing who to study with ultimately comes down to finding the best overall fit for you. All MYT interviews are comprised of the same 25 questions.

In this episode of “Meet Your Teacher” I talk to Erik Ralske, professor at The Juilliard School. Mr. Ralske is also the principal horn of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.

Erik's Bio: https://www.juilliard.edu/music/faculty/ralske-erik

YouTube links:

-https://youtu.be/uutr_HtdNfI?feature=shared

-https://youtu.be/tQJHkED1FMs

Season 1 Dates:

9/1 - Dr. Nick Fife, Winthrop University (SC)

9/15 - Hazel Dean Davis, Boston University (MA) and Longy School of Music of Bard College (MA)

10/1 - Rob Johnson, University of Houston (TX)

10/15 (part 1) & 11/1 (part 2) - Erik Ralske, The Juilliard School (NY) and Mannes School of Music (NY)

11/15 - Ian Zook, James Madison University (VA)

12/1 (part 1) & 12/15 (part 2) - Dr. Abigail Pack, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

1/1/25 - Jen Montone, Curtis Institute of Music (PA)

Article: Why is a Private Teacher So Important?

“Meet Your Teacher” is a series of one-on-one interviews with college professors across the United States. There are a lot of great horn teachers in the country, and choosing who to study with ultimately comes down to finding the best overall fit for you. All MYT interviews are comprised of the same 25 questions.

In this episode of “Meet Your Teacher” I talk to Rob Johnson, professor at University of Houston. Mr. Johnson is also the associate principal of the Houston Symphony.

“The influence Rob Johnson had on me as a teacher when I was only 15 years old in high school inspired me to pursue a professional career as a horn player. It’s so important to have a great teacher from the very beginning and thanks to him, he set me up with a great foundation of knowledge of what it will take on my end to achieve my wildest dreams.” -Valerie Ankeney (Acting Assistant Principal/Utility Horn, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)

"I studied with Rob for a certificate program and he was the most wonderful teacher I could have asked for. He is the best of every world, helped fix little imperfections in my technique, gave me solid musical advice, and coached me to believe in and trust myself as a player and musician. He is an extremely vibrant and engaging teacher." -Jamie Leff (Houston Ballet, 2nd Horn)

Robert's Bio: https://robertjohnsonhorn.com/bio
Website: https://robertjohnsonhorn.com

Season 1 Dates:

9/1 - Dr. Nick Fife, Winthrop University (SC)

9/15 - Hazel Dean Davis, Boston University (MA) and Longy School of Music of Bard College (MA)

10/1 - Rob Johnson, University of Houston (TX)

10/15 (part 1) & 11/1 (part 2) - Erik Ralske, The Juilliard School (NY) and Mannes School of Music (NY)

11/15 - Ian Zook, James Madison University (VA)

12/1 (part 1) & 12/15 (part 2) - Dr. Abigail Pack, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

1/1/25 - Jen Montone, Curtis Institute of Music (PA)

Article: Why is a Private Teacher So Important?

Further Testimonials:

"I first met Rob Johnson in 2019 when I was almost finished with my masters degree in Boston. As a full time musician and teacher with 4 kids, Rob is quite busy on a regular basis. However, he was able to schedule a lesson with me while he was visiting his in-laws in NYC. The fact that he was willing to do that made a large impact on me right from the start. He was immediately invested in me as a player, person, and potential student. Even though the pandemic derailed my move to Houston, Rob continued to stay in touch with me for 2 years before we saw each other again in the summer of 2022. Since moving to Houston, Rob has gone above and beyond for me as a person and a student. I’ve grown substantially as a player and I’ve experienced much success in my career since I began studying with him. I am constantly recommending him to my friends and colleagues and I can’t spread the word enough about Rob Johnson. He is caring, thoughtful, knowledgeable, and very dedicated to his craft. He’s changed my life for the better!" -Katie Angielczyk (current student)

"Robert Johnson was truly an inspiration, not only as a professional horn player to emulate but also as a colleague and friend. Mr. Johnson instilled a confidence in me that resonates to this day and I can't thank him enough for that. The time I spent studying with Rob raised my awareness of musicality, phrasing, and melodic flow and set me on course to be a professional musician. I am so blessed and happy to be a part of his past studio!" -Claude Lumley (Video Engineer, US Marine Band "President's Own")

“Meet Your Teacher” is a series of one-on-one interviews with college professors across the United States. There are a lot of great horn teachers in the country, and choosing who to study with ultimately comes down to finding the best overall fit for you. All MYT interviews are comprised of the same 25 questions.

In this episode of “Meet Your Teacher” I talk to Hazel Dean Davis, professor at Boston University and Longy School of Music. Hazel has led a diverse performance career, including a tenured position with the Virginia Symphony and Virginia Opera for 11 years, a year on Broadway playing the Horn chair for 1776, and most recently as a freelancer in the Boston area, where she is a member of the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra. 

"As a teacher, Hazel is inspiring, insightful, and invested."---Logan Fischer, former student

 "I was in a real playing funk, so I drove to Boston for a lesson with Hazel. She quickly identified the issues and had me playing my best by the end of that hour. I left feeling supported and confident. Hazel is freaking awesome!”—Dena Levy, TMC Fellow 2024

Hazel Bio: https://www.hazeldeandavis.com/bio
Website: https://www.hazeldeandavis.com/

SEASON 1 DATES:

9/1 - Dr. Nick Fife, Winthrop University (SC)

9/15 - Hazel Dean Davis, Boston University (MA) and Longy School of Music of Bard College (MA)

10/1 - Rob Johnson, University of Houston (TX)

10/15 (part 1) & 11/1 (part 2) - Erik Ralske, The Juilliard School (NY) and Mannes School of Music (NY)

11/15 - Ian Zook, James Madison University (VA)

12/1 (part 1) & 12/15 (part 2) - Dr. Abigail Pack, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

1/1/25 - Jen Montone, Curtis Institute of Music (PA)

“Meet Your Teacher” is a series of one-on-one interviews with college professors across the United States. There are a lot of great horn teachers in the country, and choosing who to study with ultimately comes down to finding the best overall fit for you. All MYT interviews are comprised of the same 25 questions.

In this episode of “Meet Your Teacher” I talk to Dr. Nick Fife at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC. He is a composer of primarily electronic music, has a wide range of experience in brass band music, and is a specialist in performance injuries.

Winthrop Bio: https://www.winthrop.edu/cvpa/faculty-staff/bios/fife-nicholas.aspx

Website: https://nicholasfife.wixsite.com/nicholasfife

Compositions: https://www.wavefrontmusic.com/nicholas-fife.html

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nickfifehorn

Season 1:

9/1 - Dr. Nick Fife, Winthrop University (SC)

9/15 - Hazel Dean Davis, Boston University (MA) and Longy School of Music of Bard College (MA)

10/1 - Rob Johnson, University of Houston (TX)

10/15 (part 1) & 11/1 (part 2) - Erik Ralske, The Juilliard School (NY) and Mannes School of Music (NY)

11/15 - Ian Zook, James Madison University (VA)

12/1 (part 1) & 12/15 (part 2) - Dr. Abigail Pack, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

1/1/25 - Jen Montone, Curtis Institute of Music (PA)

⁠https://www.andrewfierova.com ⁠

⁠Why is a Private Teacher So Important?