French horn

In addition to the teaching provided by the permanent professors, renowned soloists and chamber musicians as well as experienced teachers, students in the HEM  French horn class benefit from the input of internationally renowned artists, who are regularly invited to give masterclasses.

The students benefit from a particularly stimulating environment thanks to the collaborative dynamic between the three professors, who are united by a shared will to enable their students to derive a benefit from their complementary academic careers and teaching programmes.  

With students from all over the world, the class’s profile is very international and contributes to the acquisition of a very open vision of the role of horn player and the professional openings it can provide. The atmosphere is one that favours human contact and new friendships.

Besides the individual classes, the opportunities to play in a group are many and varied: orchestra sessions, chamber music, brass ensembles such as the HEM Red Flag brass band, and multi-disciplinary projects. Simulations of orchestra contests are also regularly held. Thanks to the resources at our ‘Centre de musique électroacoustique’ (Centre for electro-acoustic music, CME), they can also experiment with avant-garde styles of music through amplification, the use of effect pedals, etc.

Thanks to the close ties that the HEM maintains with the region’s professional ensembles, our students have numerous opportunities to play in renowned ensembles such as the Orchestre de la Suisse romande (OSR), the Orchestre de Chambre de Genève (OCG) or the Ensemble de musique contemporaine Contrechamps.  The richness of the music scene in French-speaking Switzerland, the music-loving public and the numerous patrons mean that there are ample opportunities for engagement, to enrich their practice and develop their network of contacts.