The Horn Festival for the 2006-2007 School year was held in October 2006, and the featured Guest Hornist was Thomas Jöstlein, winner of the 2003 American Horn Competition. Consequently, the focus of this Festival was on competition and audition preparation. Our students were very inspired by the recital, master class and lessons of Thomas Jöstlein, and due to his inspiration, four hornists from WIU participated in the International Horn Competition of America during the summer of 2007.

These four hornists, (John Reem, Amber Dean, Robert Palmer, and Colin Brien), built on those experiences, and were winners in the annual Concerto Competition at Western Illinois University in November of 2007. Then, as Concerto Competition winners, this quartet performed Robert Schumann’s Konzertstüück with the WIU Symphony Orchestra during the next Spring Semester. John Reem—who was also a separate winner—also performed the Concertino of Lars Erik Larsson with the WIU Symphony Orchestra. Needless to say, the Guest Artist certainly is also well informed on the topic of auditions! Subsequent to his presentations at this Festival, he went on to win auditions for professional positions with the New York Philharmonic, the School of Music at The University of Illinois, and The St. Louis Symphony!

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Program Information

• 2006-07 Program (PDF)
• 2006-07 Horn Festival Poster (PDF)

The importance of keeping a sense of humor! Faust, Jöstlein, and pianist Aquila.

Thomas Jöstlein and members of the Festival Horn Choir!