University of Iowa Horn Festival

Saturday, April 8, 2023

Hang a poster in your rehearsal space!

The event will take place in the Voxman Music Building on the University of Iowa campus, located at 93 E. Burlington Street, Iowa City, IA 52242.The University of Iowa Horn Festival is a one-day event, geared toward horn students in junior high, high school, and college. Teachers and professional players are encouraged and warmly welcomed to attend. The event will include workshops, a masterclass, and a recital featuring students, faculty, and guest artist.

Parents are welcome to stay and observe; plenty of space is available in the building.

Call for Student Horn Ensembles

If you play in a high school horn ensemble and would like to have an opportunity to perform on the evening recital, please indicate this on the online registration form and contact Professor Katy Ambrose (katy-ambrose@uiowa.edu)

Horn Choir

All registered horn players are encouraged and welcome to join in the mass horn choir which will perform on the evening recital. Dr. Ambrose will lead a rehearsal prior to the performance and conduct the ensemble at the recital.

Registration

To participate, please fill out and submit the online registration form. If the cost of registration is a financial hardship, email Dr. Ambrose for a fee waiver.

Walk-ins will be accepted, but please make every effort to register in advance.

Schedule for Horn Festival

Saturday, April 8^th

9-9:30am: Registration
9:30-9:50am: Warm-Up: Breath & Body
10:30-11:15am: Horn Technique Workshop
11:15-11:55am: Horn Choir Reading #1
12:00-1:00pm: LUNCH and Tour of Voxman Music Building

1:00pm: Audition Preparation
1:30pm: Masterclass with Cara Kizer
3:00pm: Horn Choir Reading #2

4:00-4:30pm: Intro to Natural Horn
5:00pm: DINNER
6:00pm: Recital featuring students, faculty, and guest artist

Cara Kizer - Guest Artist

Cara Kizer is currently a nationally active freelancer, and college professor in the St. Louis and Illinois areas. Born in Texas, she began horn at the age of 14. Her studies began at Texas Tech University where she studied under Anthony Brittin, a student of James Chambers. She continued on to The Juilliard School for a master’s degree, where she studied under the late Jerome Ashby, Associate Principal Horn of the New York Philharmonic. Cara received an artist diploma from The Curtis Institute of Music where she studied under Jerome Ashby and Jennifer Montone, Principal Horn of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

As an orchestral musician, Cara has held positions with numerous orchestras. She was Assistant Principal Utility Horn of the New York Philharmonic. She held the same position with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. She also played second horn with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. While in New York City, she played on Broadway, with The Orchestra of St Lukes, City Opera, and can he heard on many movie scores. She has been a substitute musician with the Minnesota Orchestra, and the Kansas City Symphony Orchestra.

Katy Ambrose - U-IOWA FACULTY

Katy Ambrose (she/her) will be Assistant Professor of Horn at the University of Iowa beginning in Fall 2023. She currently serves in a visiting role at U-Iowa and is excited to make Iowa her permanent home! In addition to teaching, she is an active soloist, chamber musician and orchestral player. Dr. Ambrose has performed extensively around the world including tours in Great Britain, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Mexico, Korea, Brazil, and the United States. She has held positions with the Delaware Symphony Orchestra, New Orchestra of Washington, Victory Hall Opera, Northeast Pennsylvania Philharmonic, Philly Pops, Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra, Albany Symphony, Lexington Philharmonic (KY).

A passionate chamber musician, Katy currently plays with Mirari Brass, the Iowa Brass Quintet, the Lanta Horn Duo, and Conica, a transcontinental natural horn quartet. She was a co-founder of Seraph Brass, was a member of the Philadelphia Chamber Brass, and has performed extended guest artist stints with District 5 wind quintet as a Featured Artist for the Virginia Arts Festival, and with Rêlache New Music Ensemble as a Resident Artist at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Katy has spent her summers teaching at the NOW Summer Festival in Washington, DC, the Kendall Betts Horn Camp, the Curtis Institute of Music Young Artists Summer Program, and the All-State program at the Interlochen Arts Camp.