The Holistic Horn - A New Paradigm of Brass Playing & Musical Mastery

This episode is sponsored by High Range Magic, a 3 month bootcamp for horn players. Find out more at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOG58cB9AU8

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Holistic Horn, Episode 2- Jeff Lang on Success, Accuracy, Chops, Sound & Virtuosity

Jeffrey Lang (https://www.jeffrey-lang.com/) is Associate Principal Horn in Philadelphia Orchestra, and French horn faculty at Temple, Curtis Institute, and Bard.  

Check out his beautiful Brahms Trio Recording here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE-RwOHxk0k

You can listen to his album on Spotify here

https://open.spotify.com/album/2SXQdpFoerw104WtM8MCaX

On this podcast we cover SO MANY TOPICS, here is a short list:

- Post-pandemic insights, the function of music in society

- How to avoid being a jaded professional

- What makes a student successful

- It’s never good to be down on your playing

- “Choke”, the book: why athletes and musicians screw up and how to fix your place of focus to avoid choking

- When jeff DOESN’T feel bad about missing notes, and when he does (great wisdom!)

- You can probably forgive yourself a little more if you’re a horn player

- Two simple secrets to building accuracy on the horn

- How to get around the the paradox that attachment to accuracy leads to less accuracy

- How jeff approaches endurance, high range, recovery

- The difference between working out & warming up

- The number one way you can screw up your chops 

- Can ibuprofen be helpful as a prophylactic?

- The player who wins auditions

- Making a good sound

- If Jeff could wave a magic wand in the horn world… 

- Postage stamps to murals

- Fixing scarcity mentality in the horn world

- The 3 players that most inspired Jeff, and how he attempted to merge their qualities into his own sound.

- What Jeff would put on a billboard for all horn players

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Other links from the conversation:

ChopSaver - great recovery lip balm! https://www.chopsaver.com/

"Choke: What the Secrets of the Brain Reveal About Getting It Right When You Have To": https://a.co/d/8lvTcGn

James Chambers Plays the French Horn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEsvZ3KCsLQ

Holistic Horn Ep. 1 - Victoria Knudtson of St. Louis Symphony - Motivation, Phrasing, and Magic

This first episode of the Holistic Horn podcast, with Victoria Knudson (@victoria_laray on Instagram) covers:  

- Victoria’s story, and the potent fertilizer her teacher nourished her growth with. 

- First notes of the day, performed on the show - Victoria’s, and mine! 

- Thoughts on phrasing as storytelling, and an example from Mozart 4 

- The difference between piano playing & vocal training and how they impact hornists 

- An incredible story about magic in Japan 

- How we can get more in touch with the ineffable, both in ensembles, and by ourselves.  

CORRECTION: Victoria mentioned a meaningful recording as Mahler 1 with National Symphony, she later confirmed she meant Shostakovich 5 with Rostropovich: https://www.allmusic.com/album/shostakovich-symphony-no-5-mw0001845464

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Want to reach a new paradigm in your high playing?  A few slots remain for the coming High Range Magic bootcamp, book a call before I run out of times 

https://calendly.com/mgsynergy/high-range-magic

Watch the free 75 minute high range masterclass covering 3 secrets to build & maintain your high register… plus hard data from the last bootcamp https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nE1zMkqVQOo

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About the podcast  

Hosted by hornist, educator, and entrepreneur Mars Gelfo, The Holistic Horn podcast is meant to feature incredible personalities from the horn & music world, to provide actionable insights, inspiration, and thought-provoking ideas to help you live your best life as a musician & whole human.