From Hunting Fields to Concert Hall

Spend an hour in the instrument vault and take a journey through the history of the horn with SF Symphony hornist Jonathan Ring. We'll learn about the wide variety of European horn-playing traditions and the impact they had on composers and Classical music.

About the Event

Date and Time

Saturday, January 23, 2021 | 2:00 p.m.

Who is this for?

This conversation about the history of the horn and the evolution of orchestral horn-playing will appeal to brass players, history buffs, and orchestra fans. We’ll learn about the development of the horn, and also about the wide variety of performance styles that existed throughout Europe up until the late 20th century. Why did they disappear? Who won the “battle of the horn?”

How should I prepare?

You might want to familiarize yourself with the audio examples in the Resources section, below, in order to hear the amazing range of sounds and styles in horn playing that may be heard from period-instrument expert re-creations, hunting bands, and modern practitioners. But you don’t need to study up: just come and enjoy an hour of fascinating history with Jonathan.

Is there a cost?

Admission is by donation: $25 is suggested.

How do I attend?

Register at Eventbrite using the registration button. Once registered, you’ll receive an email with a link to your personal access page, which contains the Zoom URL for the event. If you don’t have that handy, click on the access button below and it’ll take you to the access page.

About Jonathan Ring

Jonathan Ring joined the San Francisco Symphony horn section in 1991 and in 2006 assumed the position of Second Horn. He is a founding member of the GRAMMY-nominated Bay Brass and serves on the faculty of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where he teaches horn and coaches chamber music.

A native of Springfield, Massachusetts, Jonathan studied at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and received a bachelor of music degree from Northwestern University. While in Chicago, he performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the American Chamber Symphony and the prestigious Pitzen Brass Ensemble. He later joined the Ft. Wayne (IN) Philharmonic as Principal Horn and the Columbus (OH) Symphony as Second Horn.

Jonathan has toured as a member of Summit Brass and, in 2003 and 2005, represented the United States ias a member of the “Super World Orchestra” in Japan. He has also participated in many summer music festivals and has been heard on numerous video game and motion picture soundtracks.

Jonathan is also an accomplished keyboard player and composer with an avid interest in pop, rock, new age, and jazz in addition to classical music. He lives in Piedmont, California.