WMU Horn Studio 2012-13
Paul Clifton
Major: Horn Performance
Hometown: Howell, MI
Paul is a senior at Western and is working towards being an orchestral principal horn player. He has played horn for 9 years and is grateful for the opportunity to have played principal in the Metropolitan Youth Symphony as well as MSBOA All-State and State Honors bands, playing principal his senior year. At WMU Paul has performed with the Concert Band, University Symphony Orchestra and Horn Choir as well as multiple chamber ensembles. Recently Paul was named winner of the National Orchestral Horn Audition Competition in North Carolina and received the highest award given in the high horn Dorothy Frizelle Orchestral Audition contest at the 2011 International Horn Symposium in San Francisco, CA. “I am very blessed to be in the place that I am here at WMU, and I will continue to learn and embrace everything about playing the horn.”
Congratulations to Paul, who just won the Second Horn position with the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra!Liz Glasser
Major: MM Horn Performance
Hometown: Middleton, WI
Liz Glasser is in her first year of graduate studies at WMU, and is pursuing her Master's in Horn Performance. She graduated from Middleton High School in 2007 and received her Bachelor's degree in horn performance from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point in December of 2011. At WMU Liz is playing in the Graduate Wind Quintet, Symphonic Band, and University Symphony Orchestra. Liz aspires to perform professionally in a symphony orchestra, and would also like to record music for movies, TV, or games.
Nathan Haering
Major: Music Composition
Hometown: Holt, MI
Nathan Haering is a first year student in the horn studio at Western Michigan University. He is currently exploring the beautiful musical opportunities that the College of Fine Arts presents in an attempt to define his area of focus, although he is leaning heavily towards music composition. Nathan is currently principal horn in the University Concert Band, a member of KLOrk, the laptop orchestra, a member of the horn choir, and a dedicated member of the marching band and pep band. Before coming to WMU, he attended Holt High School, where he arranged music for the marching band, was section leader for the mellophones, received multiple “one” ratings at State solo and ensemble, played in the Mid-Michigan Youth Symphony, attended many honors bands, played a march with the U.S Navy Band, and received the "heart of a champion" award from his high school band director, for being generally filled with love, and having multiple cardboard cut-outs of himself. He also spent a month overseas in 2010 playing with Blue Lake International and spreading hugs through Europe. Over all Nathan feels incredibly blessed to be a part of the horn and school of music family and is thankful for the opportunity to witness and be a part of so many truly phenomenal things, musical or otherwise.
Mac Harris
Major: Horn Performance
Hometown: Portage, MI
Mac is currently a junior in Western's horn studio. He started playing the horn in 6th grade and has since played in several ensembles outside of the usual school band including KJSO, the KJSO woodwind quintet, SEMINAR wind ensemble, and a handful of brass quintets. Over the past 6 years, he has played in such exciting places as Carnegie Hall, DeVos Performance Hall, and a short tour of UK cities. In addition to horn, Mac also plays guitar, bass, a little bit of piano, and he used to dabble in trumpet. Mac's musical interests lie mostly in film music and musicals, and he hopes to one day play professionally in one or both of those. Outside of music, he has competed in a number of different sports including cross country, track and field, tennis, soccer and swimming and enjoys home improvement activities.
Stephen Hepp
Major: Composition
Hometown: Canton, MI
Stephen Hepp is a third year horn student, who is pursuing a degree in Music Composition with the intention of writing music for marketing and film scores. A graduate of the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park, Stephen performed in the school’s award winning marching band for four years, as well as both the school’s concert and orchestra programs. Stephen also performed with the Spartan Youth Wind Symphony during its first year. Stephen is currently performing in the University Concert Band and University Horn Choir.
Thomas King
Major: Music Therapy
Hometown: Jackson, Michigan
Thomas is a freshman WMU, pursuing a degree in music therapy. He graduated from Western High School, where he received the Director's Award for his superior musicianship and The Louie Armstrong Award for his excellent skills on jazz guitar. During high school, Thomas played in his school's concert band for one year, the symphonic band for 3 years and jazz band for 2 years playing guitar. During the last 2 years of being in the symphonic band, Thomas was first chair. He is very excited about learning to use music in ways that will benefit others. His inspiration in becoming a music therapist was his father, who passed away from colon cancer 2 years ago. Thomas would play guitar and sing to him a few times a week. During those times, Thomas noticed that his father would be soothed by the music and his pain would decrease. Since his father's passing, Thomas has been completely inspired to do for others what he did for his father.
Anna Marshall
Majors: Horn Performance and Visual Arts
Hometown: Portage, MI
Anna is a junior in the horn studio and is pursuing a BFA in horn performance and a BA in visual arts. She is a graduate of Portage Northern High School, where she received the John Philip Sousa award for superior musicianship. While in high school, she he performed in various ensembles including her school’s Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, and served as principal horn for the Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra in 2009. Anna marched for Legends Drum and Bugle Corps in the 2011 season and won the Individual and Ensemble competition for solo horn.
At Western Michigan University, Anna has performed in the University’s Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Commencement Brass, Pep Band, Marching Band, and Horn Choir. She has also subbed for certain concerts with the University Symphony Orchestra and Kalamazoo Philharmonic. She is a member of Kappa Kappa Psi, National Honorary Band Fraternity for College Bandmembers, and holds the position of Historian and Band Service chair within the organization.
Chris Monroe
Major: Horn Performance
Hometown: Midland, MI
Chris Monroe is a Sophomore at Western Michigan University. He has played in WMU's concert band and Horn Choir his freshman year along with a brass quintet. Through his summers in high school he attended many summer camps such as Interlochen, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Indiana University’s Summer music clinic, University of Illinois summer music camp, and WMU Seminar. Chris took lessons at Central Michigan University with Dr. Bruce Bonnell during his high school years. Chris was a solo winner in the Midland Symphony Orchestra Clara Highhill Competition. In high school he was a Drum Major for two years and Horn section leader for three years. Outside of music, he was on his high school varsity tennis team for three years, and also on the golf team. Chris likes playing any type of sports, listening to any music, and hanging out with friends.
Derek Pothoff
Major: Instrumental Music Education
Hometown: Norton Shores, MI
I am a second year student with an intended major in Music Education. I also play electric/acoustic guitar, electric bass, and stand-up bass. I have loved music my entire life, and I could not imagine life without it! I personally prefer playing music from the late Baroque to early Classical periods, as well as the Romantic era. I taught at both Spring Lake High School and Mona Shores High School this past summer.
Nicole Vanden Bosch
Major: Instrumental Music Education & Horn Performance
Hometown: Jenison, MI
Nicole is a sophomore at WMU studying Secondary Instrumental Music Education and French Horn Performance. During her first year at college she was principal chair in the WMU Concert Band, played first mellophone with the Bronco Marching Band, participated in the WMU Horn Choir, Gale Force Wind Quintet, and the Light Bright Brass Quintet. While in high school Nicole participated in various honors bands and competitions including serving as assistant principal horn for the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony 2010-2011 season, the 2011 Michigan All State Band, and was a finalist in the 2011 Kalamazoo Concert Band Concerto Competition. Nicole sat principal chair each year in high school and received the Arion Music Award. She spent three years as a student music teacher at Hudsonville Christian Elementary and Middle schools and gives private lessons over the summer. Nicole was also a four year member of her high school's varsity swim team. Along with receiving the 2011 Academic Athlete Award she was a 2010 OK Green All Conference swimmer, a state finalist in two events, and holds her high school's records for the 200 Medley Relay, the 200 Freestyle Relay, and the 100 Breaststroke. Nicole enjoys listening to movie sound tracks, especially Hans Zimmer, Steve Jablonsky, and Alexandre Desplat.
Luke Walton
Major: MM Horn Performance
Hometown: Newark, NY
Luke is a Horn Graduate Assistant. He earned Bachelor of Music degrees in Music Education and Music Performance from the Crane School of Music at the State University of New York at Potsdam. His horn playing preferences fall mainly into the 20th and 21st century realm, and most of his playing experiences and interests are in the Wind Ensemble/Wind Band setting. Aside from various ensembles at Crane, he has performed with the Orchestra of Northern New York, Northern Symphonic Winds, the Greater Rochester Music Educators Wind Band, and Mahlerfest in Colorado. His career plans are to teach instrumental music in a secondary school setting or at the college level.
Karin Yamaguchi
Major: Horn Performance and Instrumental Music Education
Hometown: Novi, MI
Karin graduated from Novi High School in 2008 and is going into her fourth year at Western Michigan University. She has been a member of the Russell Brown Brass Quintet (WMU’s undergraduate scholarship brass quintet) since 2009. At WMU, Karin has performed with the Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and the University Symphonic Orchestra. Karin has been a mellophone player with the Bronco Pep Band, as well as a mellophone player and a trumpet player in the Bronco Marching Band throughout her college career, and will be one of the Trumpet Section Leaders this upcoming year. She also performs in the Western Horn Choir. Karin participated in Le Domaine Forget in Quebec Canada for two weeks in June 2011, where she had the opportunity to work with James Sommerville (Boston Symphony Orchestra) and Froydis Ree Wekre (Norwegian horn soloist).
Molly Zebell
Major: Horn Performance
Hometown: St. Joseph, MI
Molly Zebell is a senior this year. She received the John Philip Sousa Award and Most Valuable Player of the St. Joseph High School Band. She visited Italy and Austria with the St. Joseph High School Band and Orchestra, and performed solos with the Lake Michigan Youth Orchestra, St. Joseph High School Band, and St. Joseph Municipal Band. She has attended multiple music camps, from WMU’s SEMINAR to the Rafael Méndez Brass Institute in Denver, Colorado. She has performed with the WMU Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Symphony Orchestra. Molly has also competed in several concerto competitions. She recently performed the movement “Earth” in Ann Callaway’s “Four Elements,” a piece for solo horn, with Dr. Lin Foulk and horn studio colleagues Jancie Philippus and Kelsey Anthon at the International Alliance for Women In Music Congress in Flagstaff, Arizona. This summer, she introduced music at Summer Recreation, a summer camp in St. Joseph. She has performed in various chamber ensembles including the trio Clornio (clarinet, horn and piano). Molly was named the Harold and Beulah McKee scholar for this academic year at WMU. She aspires to become a horn professor, pursue her interest in composition, and to play in a professional chamber ensemble and orchestra.
