French Horn with Leander S.

A little about me: I am the French horn player with the touring wind quintet the City of Tomorrow. In addition to my work with the City of Tomorrow, I hold positions with the Oregon Ballet Theater Orchestra and the Portland Opera Orchestra. I also play regularly with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and the IRIS Orchestra in Germantown, Tennessee. As well as teaching private students, I am the horn instructor at both Rhodes College and the University of Mississippi at Oxford. My Teaching Philosophies: - Fundamentals are the key to success. Understanding and integrating basic principles of brass playing (including air-support, embouchure, and articulation) are the primary goals of most exercises. - Lessons should be fun and full of experimentation. During lessons, there will be times when we improvise, try to make different noises on our instruments, and try out new ways of solving problems. - Music can be understood instinctually and intellectually. Both are important to being a musician. During lessons we will improve the instinctual understanding of music by singing, listening, and exploring options of musical expression. Intellectual understanding will be deepened through study of music theory, composition, and historical performance-practice. Good luck with your teacher search!