UI Horn Studio Alumni

 

We are always happy to have news of what horn studio alumni are up to - please send in your news anytime; also please send any additions or corrections to the information below. See also the Iowa Alumni Magazine

The University of Iowa horn studio has many well-known alumni. Past UI professors or alumni who were officers in the IHS include: Presidents: Paul Anderson, Randall Faust, James Winter, William Scharnberg, and Virginia Thompson; Vice-President: Kristin Thelander; Advisory Council: the aforementioned plus Jeffrey Agrell.

The following list represents some of the many horn alumni (+ UI horn teachers) who have or have had successful careers.


Paul Anderson - (1922-2015) BA. MA - UI horn professor for 40 years (1948-1989). Principal of the Tri-City (now Quad City) Symphony for many years. Author of Index to Current Brass Literature (1976) and Brass Music Guide: Solo and Study Material in Print (1986). President of the International Horn Society 1980-1983, IHS Advisory Council 1977-1983, Honorary Member of the IHS.

Richard Beck - DMA, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Rogers State University. Former horn professor at Del Mar College and Texas A&M Corpus Christi.

Dennis Behm - BM, MFA - Professor of Horn Emeritus, The University of Southern Mississippi

Andrew Boysen - BM - Assistant Professor of music and conductor of the wind symphony at the University of New Hampshire; composer

Ethan Brozka, MA - The Orchestra Now (TON)

Randa Chesney - BME - Fourth horn, Dubuque Symphony Orchestra

Patrick Creel - DMA - horn instructor at Southwestern University, author of the Wind Band Audition Book for Horn Players (160 p.)

John Cryder - BM, MA - Horn Professor Emeritus, James Madison University

Kristin Davidson - BM - Former co-principal of the United States Marine Band ("The President's Own"). Before that she was a member of the New World Symphony.

Komsun Dilokkunanant - DMA - Dean, Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music (Bangkok, Thailand)

Randall Faust - DMA - Professor Emeritus of Horn, Western Illinois University. Teaches summers at the Interlochen Center for the Arts. Former president of the National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors and the International Horn Society. Recipient of the ASCAP Award and the Orpheus Award. Former principal of the Columbus (GA) Symphony Orchestra

Michael Fee - MA, MFA - former instructor of Horn, Augustana College, former principal horn of the Quad City Symphony

Charlie Gavin - MM, DMA - Associate Professor at Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music; principal horn with the Rapides Symphony Orchestra

William George - MA, MFA - Professor Emeritus of Horn and Musicology at San Jose State University

Sarah Giovanelli - BM, MM Southern Illinois University, presently pursuing DMA at the University of Illinois

Katey Halbert - DMA, Visiting Assistant Professor of Horn, University of Arkansas

Jeremy Hansen - DMA - former faculty, Tennessee Tech University

Troy Hascall - BM (MM - Yale University) US Continental Army Band

Joe Heitz - BM - Formerly grant writer for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, 4th horn, Boston Civic Orchestra; Fulbright Research Fellow in Slovenia (2007-09). MS in Journalism at Northwestern University. MBA at the University of Cambridge. Formerly Associate Director, Foundation Relations at Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. Currently Director of External Relations at DeVos Institute of Arts Management, Washington DC

Michael Helman - MA - Instructor of Horn, Idaho State University, Portneuf Brass Quintet, Ensemble Peripherie, Principal horn, Idaho State Civic Symphony

John Jay Hilfiger - PhD - (BS, MS, University of Rochester, MM Binghamton University, PhD Iowa). On the music faculty of Castleton State College in Vermont, industrious composer/arranger.

Marvin Howe (1918-1994) - MFA, PhD - Professor of Horn, Eastern Michigan University. IHS Advisory Council. Author of Method for Horn

Patrick Hughes - DMA - Professor of Horn, University of Texas-Austin

Tom Hundemer - MA - Principal horn, Shreveport Symphony. Lecturer in horn, Centenary College of Louisiana

Jim Irwin - BM & DMA (MM Indiana U) - Dallas Symphony Orchestra (1964-71). Professor of horn at Richland College. Author of 85 Melodic and Rhythmic Studies for Horn

Joshua Johnson - BM (MM U of Nebraska) - Lecturer in Horn, Iowa State University; Teaching Artist of Horn, Drake University; 4th horn, Des Moines Symphony; 3rd horn, Quad City Symphony

Amy McBeth - BA, MA, DMA - Library staff of the Rita Benton Music Library. Author of the book A Discography of 78 RPM Era Recordings of the Horn.

Marvin McCoy - (†2008). Was a teacher and former owner of McCoy’s Horn Library publishing house (continued by his daughter Terry Preston); wide experience as a freelance hornist (St Paul Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Chicago Chamber Orchestra, etc.); alphorn specialist, and instrument repairman.

Patricia Mickey - DMA - Asst. Professor of Horn at Truman State University

Patrick Miles - MA, DMA - Professor Emeritus of Horn, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Conductor of the Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra and Green Bay Civic Symphony. Author of Teaching Brass: A Resource Manual.

Jim Miller - DMA - present location unknown

Marina Miller - BM Former hornist, US Air Force Band of Flight, Dayton, Ohio. Former Production Manager for the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. Currently Protocol Specialist to the Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Band. Permanent "angel" donor to the UI Horn Studio.

Allen Myers - PhD Former dean, Washington University of St. Louis; Horn Studio "Angel" donor extraordinaire.

James Naigus - DMA - Professor of horn at University of Georgia, soloist, composer extraordinaire (including film scores; numerous commissions), Kendall Betts Horn Camp faculty

Alise Oliver - DMA - Artistic Administrator, Kentucky Opera

Michael Ozment - MA - Owner and Audio recording enginner at Polymnia Music Studios; former Spivey Hall Production Manager at Clayton State University

Abigail Pack - MM - Professor of Horn, University of North Carolina-Greensboro

Andrew (Drew) Phillips - MM - Instructor of Horn and Improvisation at Liberty University; composer

Gary Reeves - MFA, DMA - Associate Professor of Horn, University of South Dakota

Daren Robbins - BM - Artist/Teacher at the Mahidol University College in Thailand, member of the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra, and creator of the web site Orchestral Horn Excerpts

Candler Schaffer - MFA, DMA - Music Director, Conductor of the Wichita Falls Symphony Orchestra, Adjunct Instructor of Horn, Florida Southern College

William Scharnberg - MA, MFA, DMA - Regents Professor Emeritus of Horn, North Texas State University. President of the International Horn Society 1990-92. Publications Editor for The Horn Call 2003-2020, Former Principal Horn, Dallas Opera Orchestra, Wichita Falls Symphony

Steve Schultz - MFA, 2nd horn, Omaha Symphony

Mick Sehmann - DMA, Professor of Horn, Eastern Kentucky University

Jennifer Sholtis - MFA, DMA - Professor of horn, Texas A&M University

Thomas Staples - DMA - Professor and Director of Bands, University of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, principal horn, Lethbridge Symphony.

Matt Sullenbrand [né Hellenbrand] - MA, former assistant to the director, National Association of Schools of Music, Washington DC

Kristin Thelander - Professor Emeritus, University of Iowa School of Music 2000-2009. UI Horn Professor 1990-2000. Former Vice-President of the International Horn Society. 

Virginia Thompson - (1956-2015) DMA - Professor of Horn, West Virginia University. President of the International Horn Society 2000-2002. IHS Advisory Council 1995-2002

Thomas Tritle - DMA - Professor Emeritus of Horn, University of Northern Iowa

Fred Teuber - PhD - Professional hornist in his early years; professor of theory, composition, and horn at the University of South Carolina after 1967. Author of Studies for the Horn (Shawnee Press) and some horn ensemble pieces (Hornists Nest); conductor

Will Wiegard - BM (MM University of Michigan; DMA University of Texas-Austin) - former faculty, University of Texas-Pan American, San Antonio Brass

Mary Gail Wildman - DMA - 1st/3rd with the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra since 1977. Horn faculty at Pensacola Junior College

James Winter (1919-2006) - PhD - Professor of Horn, Fresno State University 1947-1987. President of the International Horn Society, 1983-86. Editor of The Horn Call 1972-76. IHS Advisory Council 1972-76 & 1980-86. Writer (The Brass Instruments) and composer. Honorary Member of the IHS

Natalie Young - BM (MM University of Michigan) - Former faculty, University of Talca, Santiago, Chile; former faculty at the University of North Texas; freelance hornist and teacher in the Dallas-Ft Worth area.