Over the last year, current student Annemarie Federle has been appointed Principal Horn of both the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) and the Aurora Orchestra. She is the youngest ever musician to take up a principal role at the Aurora Orchestra. Annemarie also performed Mozart’s Horn Concerto No 4 with the LPO in October at the Brighton Dome.

'My time at the Academy has been incredibly enjoyable and rewarding - I am very thankful to all the teachers and for the opportunities that have opened so many doors for me. The department has been very supportive throughout my whole time here, always being flexible and accommodating to allow my career to progress.'

Annemarie Federle

Ben Hulme, who graduated from the Academy in 2019, has been appointed Principal Horn of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra having previously been Principal in the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. We look forward to welcoming Ben back to the Academy in January, when he will join the Brass department as a Visiting Professor of Horn.

'Studying at the Academy was crucial in shaping my musical and personal development and it’s a huge privilege to be asked to return to the place that feels like my musical home as Visiting Professor of Horn. I’m very much looking forward to working with the next generation of horn students within this extraordinary institution.'

Ben Hulme

Zoe Tweed and Johan Stone both graduated in July this year. Zoe has since been appointed Third Horn in the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Johan, Tutti Horn in the Gävle Symfoniorkester, Sweden.

'I really enjoyed my five years at the Academy. I was given amazing opportunities and learnt with so many experienced professors. Most of all, I appreciated the helpful advice I received from anyone I asked.'

Zoe Tweed

'I had a great time studying at the Academy. There was so much going on that I always had things to work for in a wide variety of settings. I learnt a lot from my teachers and my peers.’

Johan Stone

These fantastic achievements are testament to the dedication and focus of all of these young players and also of the strength and depth of the department and the work of our peerless team of professors.

Four of our Horn Professors, Richard Watkins, Michael Thompson, Martin Owen and David Pyatt, recently performed the Horn Sonata by Michael Tippett at the British Horn Society Festival, receiving rave reviews from around the world.

Martin Owen has recently released his latest solo recording for Chandos with the BBC Philharmonic conducted by John Wilson of the two concertos by Richard Strauss, the Schumann Konzertstück for 4 horns and Carl Maria von Weber’s Concertino.

See below the full roster of Horn Professors at the Academy:

Michael Thompson, Aubrey Brain Chair of Horn
Richard Watkins, Dennis Brain Professor of Horn
Martin Owen, Alfred Brain Professor of Horn
David Pyatt, Adolph Borsdorf Professor of Horn
Kira Doherty, Giovanni Puzzi Professor of Horn
Roger Montgomery, Professor of Natural Horn

International Visiting Professors

Radovan Vlatković, International Soloist
Katy Woolley, Principal Horn of the Concertgebouw Orchestra
Mark Almond, Principal Horn of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (joining the department in January 2024)

Visiting Professors

Ben Hulme, Principal Horn of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra