Cors d'Amour Wins Horn Society Competition
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LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 27, 2009) − The University of Kentucky's student horn
quartet, Cors d'Amour, has won the International Horn Society's Annual Southeast Horn Workshop
Competition held earlier this month at Western Carolina University.
The quartet members, who study under David Elliott, associate professor of horn at the UK School of Music, include students Emily Bridge, Samantha Davis, Melanie Erena and Jessica Long. The winning quartet competed against 15 other college and university groups at this year's quartet competition.
The southeastern regional workshop is one of the largest and most respected of the regional workshops held by the International Horn Society. This year there were more than 300 participants representing most of the major universities in the South.
UK's quartet outperformed the rest of the competition from the first performance. After the preliminary round, it was announced that the judges had determined that the scheduled final round would not be necessary because UK's ensemble was the winner.
Although graduate students are allowed to compete, this winning young ensemble is composed of three sophomores and one junior. Jessica Long, one of the sophomore horn members of the quartet, described the experience.
"The most rewarding part of winning this award is knowing that the quartet's commitment to excellence was confirmed by our peers," Long said. "We probably logged 100 hours of rehearsal together, and in the process we grew together as a quartet."
The quartet received many strong compliments from horn professors and professionals in attendance.
"I know every nuance of the piece and considered the performance sensational," said Skip Snead, professor of horn and chairman of the University of Alabama School of Music and member of the TransAtlantic Horn Quartet, as he described the UK quartet's performance of "Starflame" by composer Michael Kallstrom.
As winners, Cors d'Amour played in the closing concert of the workshop.
Listen to UK's winning horn quartet Cors d'Amour perform "Starflame" by Michael Kallstrom.
The quartet members, who study under David Elliott, associate professor of horn at the UK School of Music, include students Emily Bridge, Samantha Davis, Melanie Erena and Jessica Long. The winning quartet competed against 15 other college and university groups at this year's quartet competition.
The southeastern regional workshop is one of the largest and most respected of the regional workshops held by the International Horn Society. This year there were more than 300 participants representing most of the major universities in the South.
UK's quartet outperformed the rest of the competition from the first performance. After the preliminary round, it was announced that the judges had determined that the scheduled final round would not be necessary because UK's ensemble was the winner.
Although graduate students are allowed to compete, this winning young ensemble is composed of three sophomores and one junior. Jessica Long, one of the sophomore horn members of the quartet, described the experience.
"The most rewarding part of winning this award is knowing that the quartet's commitment to excellence was confirmed by our peers," Long said. "We probably logged 100 hours of rehearsal together, and in the process we grew together as a quartet."
The quartet received many strong compliments from horn professors and professionals in attendance.
"I know every nuance of the piece and considered the performance sensational," said Skip Snead, professor of horn and chairman of the University of Alabama School of Music and member of the TransAtlantic Horn Quartet, as he described the UK quartet's performance of "Starflame" by composer Michael Kallstrom.
As winners, Cors d'Amour played in the closing concert of the workshop.
Listen to UK's winning horn quartet Cors d'Amour perform "Starflame" by Michael Kallstrom.