The Holistic Horn - A New Paradigm of Brass Playing & Musical Mastery – Details, episodes & analysis

This episode is sponsored by High Range Magic, an innovative online program for horn players. Find out more at https://www.highrangemagic.com --- In this episode of the Holistic Horn with trombonist Paul Tarussov, we discuss: * Brass pedagogy, thoughtful brass playing * Why “Song and Wind” may not be enough * “We do ourselves a disservice by assuming we all play the same way” * Audition mindset * Modacity, Virtual Reality, Chakra Long Tones * “No one’s free until everyone’s free” * Empowering musicians to add value to the world in their unique way * Difference between “making a product and having a business” * How idea for “High Range Magic” came to be * "What are the greats doing?" Joe Alessi, Tom Hooten * Why is it rare to find great players who are also great educators * "Practice doesn’t always make progress" * Somatics and Martial Arts, body-based intelligence * Mind force/conceptual forces - stop forcing on the instrument * Just imagining movement still gave pain, relates to energy body/energy horn * Equivalent of breaking boards in brass playing - you need to believe it first, same with high horn playing * Process cues * How much air support is needed for high range? * Jaw position, compression, clamp, tongue position #frenchhorn #trombone #musicpodcast #practice #martialarts #auditions #mindfulness #pedagogy

This episode is sponsored by High Range Magic, an innovative online program for horn players. Find out more at  https://www.highrangemagic.com

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☯️ Holistic Horn Ep. 4 - Jen Montone of Philadelphia Orchestra, on Musical Resilience

This episode goes deep into Jen’s path with the horn, including mindfulness & trauma release work, and recovering from injuries.

She leads us on a powerful guided meditation to build resilience for high pressure performances, and talks about the role of self-love in musical risk-taking.

We unpack a jaw-dropping moment from when I played Firebird with her in Philly, dive into Jen’s equipment choices over the years, and you’ll hear why her latest recording project is so special. 

Listen to the end to discover Jen’s solution to hesitant attacks, and find out how many hand positions she uses!

In this episode of the Holistic Horn

• Jen’s history with the horn
• Guided meditation: Preparing for a performance
• Dealing with injuries and negative mental chatter
• Warming up mindfully
• Foundations practice routine later in day
• Jen’s equipment choices, and the two horns she started in Phillly with
• Jen’s cure for hesitant attacks
• Therapists, trauma release, healing
• Some of Jen’s most meaningful collaborations
• Bridging visual art & musical inspiration
• Jen’s newest project for musicianship, instinct, AND planning.
• Risk taking as a professional.
• Protective visualizations and musicianship as a self-loving art.
• Jen’s vision for the future of horn playing.
• How many hand positions Jen uses.
• How to know when you’re ready to take an audition

RESOURCES:

https://www.youtube.com/@montonej

https://jenmontone.com

https://www.rubenfeldsynergy.com/

https://windsongpress.com/product-category/breathing-devices/

https://patricksheridan.com/products/the-breathing-gym-daily-workouts-dvd

https://www.highrangemagic.com/

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About the podcast

Hosted by hornist, educator, and entrepreneur Mars Gelfo, The Holistic Horn podcast features incredible personalities from the horn & music world, to provide actionable insights, inspiration, and thought-provoking ideas to help you live your best life as a musician & whole human.

If you like this episode, show some love by hitting the like & subscribe buttons!

☯️ Holistic Horn Ep. 3 - Shanyse Strickland, multi-genre hornist, thinking & playing outside the box

Shanyse Strickland is a multi-instrumentalist, arranger & composer, educator, and overall musical innovator.  Listen to the end of the podcast to hear us trade improvised licks and discover the one improvisation trick Shanyse feels can add color to any line. 

Points we cover (among many others!):

- High vs. low playing - being okay with where you excel

- How Shanyse got started

- Mars' journey w/ 4 embouchures

- Shanyse’s on spirituality and the horn

- Anxiety may related to not operating in your zone of genius

- Meditating with the horn - how, why, and effects

- finding your purpose

- what it was like being the only black horn player in high school

- shining light on hidden norms in the horn world

- finding your own primary path as a musician

- experiences as a black, queer, woman horn player 

- be a great musician first, horn player second

- hesitant attacks (valsalva) & trauma resolution 

- listen to shanyse improvise a little

- mars serenades shanyse!

LINKS:

Shanyse’s website:

https://www.shanysestrickland.com/

Releasing anger with a french horn:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FKA3nGh-bM

This episode is sponsored by High Range Magic, a 3 month bootcamp for horn players. Find out more at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOG58cB9AU8

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Holistic Horn, Episode 2- Jeff Lang on Success, Accuracy, Chops, Sound & Virtuosity

Jeffrey Lang (https://www.jeffrey-lang.com/) is Associate Principal Horn in Philadelphia Orchestra, and French horn faculty at Temple, Curtis Institute, and Bard.  

Check out his beautiful Brahms Trio Recording here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE-RwOHxk0k

You can listen to his album on Spotify here

https://open.spotify.com/album/2SXQdpFoerw104WtM8MCaX

On this podcast we cover SO MANY TOPICS, here is a short list:

- Post-pandemic insights, the function of music in society

- How to avoid being a jaded professional

- What makes a student successful

- It’s never good to be down on your playing

- “Choke”, the book: why athletes and musicians screw up and how to fix your place of focus to avoid choking

- When jeff DOESN’T feel bad about missing notes, and when he does (great wisdom!)

- You can probably forgive yourself a little more if you’re a horn player

- Two simple secrets to building accuracy on the horn

- How to get around the the paradox that attachment to accuracy leads to less accuracy

- How jeff approaches endurance, high range, recovery

- The difference between working out & warming up

- The number one way you can screw up your chops 

- Can ibuprofen be helpful as a prophylactic?

- The player who wins auditions

- Making a good sound

- If Jeff could wave a magic wand in the horn world… 

- Postage stamps to murals

- Fixing scarcity mentality in the horn world

- The 3 players that most inspired Jeff, and how he attempted to merge their qualities into his own sound.

- What Jeff would put on a billboard for all horn players

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Other links from the conversation:

ChopSaver - great recovery lip balm! https://www.chopsaver.com/

"Choke: What the Secrets of the Brain Reveal About Getting It Right When You Have To": https://a.co/d/8lvTcGn

James Chambers Plays the French Horn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEsvZ3KCsLQ

Holistic Horn Ep. 1 - Victoria Knudtson of St. Louis Symphony - Motivation, Phrasing, and Magic

This first episode of the Holistic Horn podcast, with Victoria Knudson (@victoria_laray on Instagram) covers:  

- Victoria’s story, and the potent fertilizer her teacher nourished her growth with. 

- First notes of the day, performed on the show - Victoria’s, and mine! 

- Thoughts on phrasing as storytelling, and an example from Mozart 4 

- The difference between piano playing & vocal training and how they impact hornists 

- An incredible story about magic in Japan 

- How we can get more in touch with the ineffable, both in ensembles, and by ourselves.  

CORRECTION: Victoria mentioned a meaningful recording as Mahler 1 with National Symphony, she later confirmed she meant Shostakovich 5 with Rostropovich: https://www.allmusic.com/album/shostakovich-symphony-no-5-mw0001845464

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Want to reach a new paradigm in your high playing?  A few slots remain for the coming High Range Magic bootcamp, book a call before I run out of times 

https://calendly.com/mgsynergy/high-range-magic

Watch the free 75 minute high range masterclass covering 3 secrets to build & maintain your high register… plus hard data from the last bootcamp https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nE1zMkqVQOo

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About the podcast  

Hosted by hornist, educator, and entrepreneur Mars Gelfo, The Holistic Horn podcast is meant to feature incredible personalities from the horn & music world, to provide actionable insights, inspiration, and thought-provoking ideas to help you live your best life as a musician & whole human.

This episode is sponsored by  @HighRangeMagic  an innovative online program for horn players. Find out more at https://www.highrangemagic.com/ --- ☯️ Holistic Horn Ep. 6 - Scott Leger: Horn Meets Fame This episode dives into how social media has transformed  @ScottLegerHorn  life and career. Scott, a social media sensation with over 70,000 Instagram followers and 2 million TikTok likes, shares his journey of balancing life as a musician, father, and educator, while maintaining an online presence that has captivated horn players worldwide. We explore Scott’s practice approach, accuracy tips, and how fatherhood has reshaped his musical process. Plus, he tries out the “Fabulous Four” pillars of High Range Magic! Stay tuned to hear Scott’s top gear choices and his thoughts on the future of horn playing in the digital age. In this episode of the Holistic Horn: - How social media changed Scott’s life - Balancing parenthood with musician life - Scott demonstrates artistic practice - How to work on accuracy - Teaching and its effect on our playing - Scott tries the “Fabulous 4” of High Range - Rocket round Q & A - Scott’s favorite gear & tech RESOURCES: https://scottlegerhorn.com/ https://www.instagram.com/scottlegerhorn/ https://www.tiktok.com/@scottlegerhorn https://www.highrangemagic.com/ **About the podcast** Hosted by hornist, educator, and entrepreneur Mars Gelfo, The Holistic Horn podcast features incredible personalities from the horn & music world, providing actionable insights, inspiration, and thought-provoking ideas to help you live your best life as a musician and whole human. If you like this episode, show some love by hitting the like & subscribe buttons! #frenchhorn #podcast #brassinstrument #brasspedagogy #highrange  @ScottLegerHorn   @HighRangeMagic 

This episode is sponsored by  @HighRangeMagic  an innovative online program for horn players.

Find out more at https://www.highrangemagic.com/

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☯️ Holistic Horn Ep. 10 - Felix Klieser: Overcoming Nerves & Finding Your Path

Felix Klieser is an international Horn soloist. He is also the author of 2 books, links below. Felix was born without arms and plays the horn using his left foot and toes on the valves.

In this episode of the Holistic Horn:

- overcoming nerves (Felix's analytical approach)

- finding your path as a performer

- Felix's advice on curating your warm up

- Felix's journey on overcoming challenges in the horn world

RESOURCES:

https://www.instagram.com/felix.klieser/

https://www.felixklieser.de/en/

https://www.highrangemagic.com/

https://www.felixklieser.de/en/read-en

**About the podcast**Hosted by hornist, educator, and entrepreneur Mars Gelfo, The Holistic Horn podcast features incredible personalities from the horn & music world, providing actionable insights, inspiration, and thought-provoking ideas to help you live your best life as a musician and whole human.

If you like this episode, show some love by hitting the like & subscribe buttons!

#frenchhorn #podcast #brassinstrument #brasspedagogy #highrange  @HighRangeMagic ​

This episode is sponsored by  @HighRangeMagic  an innovative online program for horn players.

Find out more at https://www.highrangemagic.com/

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☯️ Holistic Horn Ep. 9 - Kate Warren: Performance, Practice, and Career Creation

Kate Warren is a soloist with the Broadway show Blast! Japan tour, professor at Ocean County College, has written horn fundamental and etude books, and a social media influencer with over 20K followers on YouTube and Instagram.

In this episode of the Holistic Horn:

- How to connect with your audience

- The nuance between performer vs. artist

- How to structure your practice when you’re busy

- Music & Technology

- "Dream" music careers - can they change?

RESOURCES:

https://www.instagram.com/katewarrenmusic/

https://www.youtube.com/@katewarrenmusic

https://www.katewarrenmusic.com

https://www.highrangemagic.com/

**About the podcast**

Hosted by hornist, educator, and entrepreneur Mars Gelfo, The Holistic Horn podcast features incredible personalities from the horn & music world, providing actionable insights, inspiration, and thought-provoking ideas to help you live your best life as a musician and whole human.

If you like this episode, show some love by hitting the like & subscribe buttons!

#frenchhorn #podcast #brassinstrument #brasspedagogy #highrange  @katewarrenmusic   @HighRangeMagic ​

This episode is sponsored by @HighRangeMagic  an innovative online program for horn players. Find out more athttps://www.highrangemagic.com/

☯️ Holistic Horn Ep. 8 - Jason Sulliman: Facial Stability & Fast Practice

Jason Sulliman is truly a special figure in modern brass pedagogy, helping musicians harness the power of science to make music better, and to practice more masterfully.

This episode covers Jason’s revolutionary ideas for practice, plus his facial stability training.

I personally started implementing his ideas and almost immediately resolved some nagging issues in my technique.

Jason’s dedication & systematic approach in itself will inspire you!

Enjoy this episode, brought to you by High Range Magic, and after you listen, check out the mini-episode too - Jason breaks down forward, backward, & goal “macro-chaining”, coaching me on an insanely difficult fast passage.

In this episode of the Holistic Horn:

- understanding muscle coordination in brass playing

- return to playing after an injury- techniques for overcoming technical challenges

- Jason's journey to his "obsession" with practicing

- kinesiology

- tracking metrics in practice

- understanding musical fluency

RESOURCES:

https://www.instagram.com/jasonsulliman/

https://www.youtube.com/@JasonSulliman

https://www.jasonsulliman.com

https://www.highrangemagic.com/

**About the podcast**

Hosted by hornist, educator, and entrepreneur Mars Gelfo, The Holistic Horn podcast features incredible personalities from the horn & music world, providing actionable insights, inspiration, and thought-provoking ideas to help you live your best life as a musician and whole human.

If you like this episode, show some love by hitting the like & subscribe buttons!

#frenchhorn #podcast #brassinstrument #brasspedagogy #highrange @JasonSulliman  @HighRangeMagic ​

This episode is sponsored by @HighRangeMagic  an innovative online program for horn players. Find out more at https://www.highrangemagic.com/---☯️Holistic Horn Ep. 7 - Chris Castellanos: Keys to Long-Term SuccessChris Castellanos of the Boston Brass, high horn extraordinaire with a following on YouTube and Instagram of over 42,000, talks about how consistency, collaboration, and individuality have impacted his multi-genre career.We explore Chris's daily routine, tips for slotting notes in the high range, and how he prepares for 2-hour long shows on tour with the Boston Brass. In this episode of the Holistic Horn:- foundations of Chris's pedagogical approach - advice on building endurance- beard care with French Horn playing- equipment: horn and leadpipe- routine & discipline upping your batting average- Chris's advice for online creators- Chris's biggest inspirationsRESOURCES:https://www.chriscastellanos.comhttps://www.instagram.com/vegashornplayer/https://www.youtube.com/@UCtrn4Ao80Wlf_GQpoq8EWMQ https://bostonbrass.comhttps://www.highrangemagic.com/**About the podcast**Hosted by hornist, educator, and entrepreneur Mars Gelfo, The Holistic Horn podcast features incredible personalities from the horn & music world, providing actionable insights, inspiration, and thought-provoking ideas to help you live your best life as a musician and whole human.If you like this episode, show some love by hitting the like & subscribe buttons! #frenchhorn #podcast #brassinstrument #brasspedagogy #highrange @ChrisCastellanos1  @HighRangeMagic