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Boston Symphony Orchestra

Monday, November 26, 2012

JP Music

JP Horn Player's Ride to the BSO

How this Jamaica Plain classical player recently won a spot with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

  When Michael Winter won the spot as third horn with the Boston Symphony Orchestra earlier this year, the 28-year-old Jamaica Plain resident marked the day as a dream come true. A California native, and part of a family of musicians, he came to Boston to study at New England Conservatory, and afterward landed jobs with the Syracuse Symphony and the Buffalo Philharmonic orchestras. But the pianist-turned-horn player knew all along that he wanted to play with the BSO. We recently spoke over coffee at Caffé Aromi. Jamaica Plain Patch: Before we discuss the BSO, how did you happen to switch from piano to French horn? Michael Winter: I started playing piano when I was 8 because my mom said it would be the best way to learn the basics of notes …

Friday, February 25, 2011

JP Music

Jamaica Plain Resident Was Born to Play Horn

James Sommerville started out on piano but went for the ringed brass. He is, among many other things, principal horn at the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Jamaica Plain resident James Sommerville lives a rather busy musical life. Locally he’s principal horn with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and teaches individual horn lessons through New England Conservatory. In his native Canada, he’s conductor and musical director of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra. He also appears as guest soloist around the world and works with the chamber ensemble the Andalucian Dogs.   Is it called the French horn or just the horn? We usually just call it the horn. It’s just one of those odd nomenclature things. No one really knows where it came from, but it was only in England that they called it the French horn.   Has the horn always been your instrument? I started out on piano when I was 7 or 8 years old, then…

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