2021 Western Horn Festival with Andrew Bain

Hosted by Dr. Jena Gardner

The Western Illinois University Horn Studio held its annual Horn Festival on April 10, 2021 as a streaming event on Zoom and YouTube. Special guests included the Mr. Andrew Bain (LA Philharmonic); the ‘Rona Quartet (Jeremiah Frederick, Mary Jo Neher, John Schreckengost, and Joanna Schulz); Steven Cohen and composers, Gina Gillie, Drew Phillips, James Naigus, Kevin Day & Randall Faust; WIU Horn Alumni, Eric Linke; and WIU Faculty, Dr. Jena Gardner, horn and Joanne Chang, piano. Participants joined in from all over the world for sessions on warmup, commissioning new works, ancestral horns, and more!

Andrew Bain


bain

Andrew Bain was appointed to the Chair of Principal Horn of the Los Angeles Philharmonic by Gustavo Dudamel in May 2011.

Born and raised in Australia, Andrew was first introduced to music at age 8 when he took up the piano. Four years later, he was enrolled at Brighton High School in their special music program and soon after switched to the French horn because he loved the sound. Andrew ultimately received a Bachelor in Music from the Elder Conservatorium of Music at the University of Adelaide studying with Patrick Brislan. He furthered his studies with Geoff Collinson in Sydney, Hector McDonald in Vienna, and in 2003 completed a Graduate Diploma in Chamber Music under Will Sanders in Karlsruhe, Germany.

Prior to moving to LA Andrew held positions of Principal Horn of the Melbourne Symphony, Queensland Symphony, Münchner Symphoniker and the Australian Opera & Ballet Orchestra, and Associate Principal Horn of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. From 2003-2012 he was the Principal Horn of the Colorado Music Festival.

A regarded solo artist, Andrew has appeared regularly as a soloist with the LA Phil since joining the orchestra. Andrew has also appeared at the front of the stage with the Melbourne and Queensland Symphony Orchestras, Colorado Music Festival, Colburn Orchestra and Music in the Round Festival. In 2015 Andrew presented the world premiere of Brad Warnaar's Horn Concerto with the Hollywood Chamber Orchestra and looks forward to recording the work in 2016. A keen chamber musician, Andrew loves to explore the possibilities of the horn in various ensembles and most recently gave the first performance of Geoffrey Gordon's Winterleben for Mezzo Soprano, Horn and Piano.

In addition to performing, Andrew is passionate about education and is proud to be the Horn Professor at the Colburn School Conservatory. Andrew has held teaching positions with the Australian National Academy of Music, University of Melbourne, Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music and Sydney Conservatorium. He has also given master classes and lectures throughout the United States, Europe and Australasia.

Throughout 2015 Andrew appeared as guest principal horn of the Chicago Symphony and Berlin Philharmonic and the Australian World Orchestra's concerts with Simon Rattle in Sydney and Melbourne and the AWO's groundbreaking tour throughout India with Zubin Mehta. As Co-host of the 2015 International Horn Symposium here in LA, Andrew was thrilled to welcome over 1000 horn players and musicians to the Colburn School for a week long celebration of everything horn!

Andrew can be heard on numerous Hollywood films and was overjoyed to fulfill the dream of a lifetime working with John William's as principal horn for the score of ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens.'

As well as appearing at the Hollywood Bowl with the LA Phil, over the Summer Andrew is the Principal Horn of the Mainly Mozart Festival in San Diego and faculty member of the Aspen Music Festival and School.

In addition to music, Andrew loves traveling, cooking and exploring L.A. with his beautiful wife, Rupal. If he's not working, you will most likely find him on the golf course trying to improve his handicap.

Steven Cohen

cohen

Steven Cohen has been heard internationally as a solo, orchestral, Broadway and chamber musician. Hailing from New York, he is in demand as a recital soloist, and has been a featured and guest artist at numerous horn events throughout the world. In February 2019, Cohen was featured on WQXR's Young Artists Showcase, presenting an internationally broadcast recital. His appearance on the program marked the first horn recital presented on the program since the 1990s. Cohen was a Special Guest Artist at the 51st International Horn Symposium, as well as a Contributing Artist at the 45th, 48th and 50th symposia. He can be seen with Mannheim Steamroller and is featured with the group on their 2015 release, "Mannheim Steamroller Live”. From 2010-2012, Cohen was Principal Horn with The New 25th Anniversary Production of Les Misérables.

A proponent for the creation of new music, Cohen has commissioned and premiered over 25 works from a distinguished collective of composers. His debut album, Cruise Control, features the world premieres of five major works for horn, and has been heralded as “a musical and technical tour de force.” Cohen's upcoming projects include the commissioning of two new concertos for horn and wind band, as well as his second album. Additionally, Cohen oversees The NU CORNO Ensemble, an ongoing endeavor dedicated to the commissioning and performance of new works for horn ensemble. The group has been featured at four International Horn Symposia and introduced over 15 works into the horn ensemble repertoire.

Cohen's love of the horn far extends just being a performer. As a lecturer, he has presented scholarship at the national and international level. His presentations have been presented at numerous International Horn Symposia, various national workshops, and universities worldwide. Aside from his presentations, Cohen is sought after as a clinician, presenting masterclasses at universities across the United States.

Cohen holds a Master of Music and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Cohen's principal teachers include Philip Myers, Dr. Alan Mattingly, and R. Allen Spanjer.