The curriculum for adult participants is the most intense, varied and flexible program offered by any horn “workshop,” “symposium” or “camp” since at KBHC, emphasis is on the individual participant improving their own technique and musicianship. Adult participants are usually comprised of people ranging from 28 to 85 years old. Since there is such a huge range of abilities and experience, adults are usually put into small "study groups" of like abilities and interests. We have had business people, doctors, lawyers, scientists, clergymen and women, engineers, and professional performers and music educators attend camp to refine their skills and to have an enjoyable time in a collegial atmosphere. Many adult participants return every year and many comment that it is the highlight of the year for them and that they consider the people the know at camp as "extended family!"
There is no competitive audition associated with application. We do offer to adult professional horn players seeking employment a mock audition at the end of the week. The mock audition includes excerpts that are covered throughout the week by KBHC faculty.
Every participant has daily fundamental class instruction with Kendall Betts. Mr. Betts is renowned for his teaching of the fundamentals of playing the horn and musicianship. Participants are given instruction by him in a progressive, understandable way. Breathing, tone production, articulation, phrasing and musicianship are presented on a daily basis with individual attention to the participant's particular needs at the time. Kendall is blessed with a "gift of analysis" in this regard and has helped over a thousand people to improve their horn playing, refine their musicianship, and to achieve their goals throughout his career. Kendall hears and instructs every participant every day and also recommends specific instruction from other faculty who have defined expertise in a particular area to help the individual participant in solving their problems and make progress.
All participants have two 1-hour private lessons, each with a different faculty member, per week. If attending multiple weeks, you receive lessons with different instructors every time! Scheduling is done by lottery to be fair to all. It is also possible to receive instruction from individual faculty during open studios, as well, should you not be assigned a particular instructor that you desire to meet. Please be assured, though, that you will not have a duplicate instructor for any lesson during your entire stay at KBHC.
Adult participants have unparalleled options when it comes to group instruction. After being set into study groups made up of participants of similar experience, each study group has options for class instruction. We offer orchestral excerpt classes, alternate classes (these cover basic issues of horn playing, ad-hoc ensemble readings, etc.), open studios, specialty classes (topics include eurhythmics, low horn playing, high horn playing, audition preparation, trills and special effects, ear-training etc). Study groups are scheduled with a different faculty member each day allowing our participants to experience many different teachers, styles, and approaches to horn playing. By rotating through faculty throughout the given week, every effort is made so that no study group's instructor is duplicated during the week. This holds true for participants attending multiple weeks, possibilities permitting.
Every participant is given the opportunity to play solos for our solo coach: internationally renowned soloist and teacher, Prof. Hermann Baumann, with our pianist, Arlene Kies. Hermann brings a lifetime of performing and teaching to camp and is legendary in his abilities to convey the essence of musical style and horn technique, as well as confidence to his pupils.
Participants may play in solo class and not perform in recital but all are offered the opportunity to perform in the concerts at the end of the week, if they so choose, provided that Hermann and Arlene feel comfortable that each participant will have a successful performance. Our participants are surrounded by the most supportive audience possible - fellow horn players!
All our participants are organized into horn ensembles, coached or conducted by the faculty, which perform at the end of the week. These ensembles can vary in size from three to twelve. Rest assured you will be fitted with the best ensemble and part to ensure that everyone can have an enjoyable and successful performance.
We also offer a natural horn ensemble (if numbers permit) as well as open studios, taught by natural horn virtuoso Lowell Greer and faculty. No natural horn experience is required and many participants are given their introduction to historical horn performance at camp.
Realizing that the horn camp can be intense, it would be remiss to not allow our participants to enjoy the beautiful surroundings of Camp Ogontz! Every day there is a 2 hour block of free time for all participants and faculty. Often, participants will enjoy canoeing, hiking, swimming, and a myriad of other outdoor activities, including the ritual gathering at the Green Chairs.
All participants gather during our evening sessions for camp-wide classes. These classes vary from week to week, drawing on the specialties of our faculty members. Our evening sessions have included topics such as the history of the horn, panel discussions with our faculty on various topics, how to practice efficiently, acoustic designs and recording techniques, "what not to do" to annoy your colleagues, how to learn to improvise, and faculty recitals and performances of new works for horn. The mid-week evening session is "Clam night" when Professor I.M.Gestopftmitscheist makes his appearance where he belches, disgorges, ejects, erupts, expels, spews and spouts his unique knowledge of horn and horn-related paraphernalia.
The last two evening sessions of each week are public performances where participants get to perform solo and horn ensemble works. The community and participant's friends and relatives are all welcome to come as these concerts are free and open to the public. The final concert of each week is followed by a gala party and fireworks orchestrated by Kendall (Reg. Int. Pyrotechnician), principal of the virtuoso “Feuerwerkidiotensemble” along with the associate principal, assistant principal, sub principal, section and extra pyrotechnicians!
Administrative Assistant, Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW), University Relations and Communications
KBHC Alum: 2000-2006
"Revisiting fundamentals many times with Kendall has given me greater
confidence and has helped solve several long-standing playing issues.
Several weeks at KBHC have turned me into a better teacher, because studying
with a wonderfully diverse faculty gives you a greater variety of "tools in
your belt," enabling you to approach students' problems from different
directions The sense of camaraderie among campers – high school students
through octogenarians – is palpable. And of course, the inspiring beauty of
Camp Ogontz's rustic mountain setting and the fabulous made-from-scratch cuisine round out a thoroughly worthwhile experience."
