Thank you for putting this out here. I played horn in junior high orchestra in 1964-66, and in concert band most of my high school years. I also played trumpet in junior high orchestra and high school marching band and some concerts. Forty-sever years later I bought a trumpet and began playing again before joining a community orchestra and a community band. During a break in my third orchestra rehearsal, I was looking at the horn of the horn section leader as it was lying on the stage floor and he asked me if I would like to try it and that he had an extra mouthpiece. I took him up on his offer and immediately fell in love with the horn again. At the end of December, 2020, I was able to get access to an F horn, and I began to get reacquainted with it again. After playing trumped in a city band concert last last August, I put my trumpet back in its' case, picked up the horn, and committed to playing horn in my next concert. I have now played horn in two city band concerts, and fourth horn in a symphony orchestra concert. I still play trumpet, by myself, sometimes, but I am deeply in love with the horn and loving every minute of playing it. I am working hard, because I have a lot of room for improvement, but I love what I am doing, and that makes all the effort worthwhile. I am also, after five years serving on the board in various capacities, President Emeritus of that first orchestra I played with, and am currently serving on the board of two municipal bands.
Such a superb instrument and so exciting to hear such up and coming talent . Sarah Willis is an inspiring player and teacher. My first ever LP vinyl in 1962 was of Denis Brain playing the Mozart concertoes, swiftly followed by those of Richard Strauss.
I think a benefit of master classes is that you see others also having difficulties. It's not just you. Maybe some of the same issues you are having, maybe different. Master classes also reinforce the idea that whatever your issues may be, they CAN be worked on and improved.
-The most common use in professional is that the thumb valve is used for switching between the Bflat and the F side of the double horn. -In single horns sometimes there's a valve for help with stopped playing. Then you only have to press it and don't need to transpose. -For triple horns there are two thumb valves, both for switching to the other sides. (F, Bflat, High F) Let me know if you need to know anything more!
