Biography
Brian Blanchard is the Assistant Professor of Horn at Brigham Young University. Having been Third Horn of the Utah Symphony for six seasons, he has played with many orchestras around the United States. Beginning his professional career as Interim Principal horn of the Louisville Orchestra, Brian then joined the Kansas City Symphony as Associate Principal Horn. He went on to be a member of the Saint Louis Symphony and later was Principal Horn of the North Carolina Symphony where he performed the Schumann Konzertstuck. The horn has taken Brian across the country as he has performed with the Chicago, Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston Symphonies, and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. Brian has also performed with the Houston Grand Opera and Ballet orchestras. In addition, he performed recently with the New York Philharmonic.
Brian graduated from the Interlochen Arts Academy, where he met his wife and fellow horn player, Madelyn. He later graduated from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University where he studied with Dale Clevenger. During his undergraduate studies, he was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the training orchestra of the Chicago Symphony and was a Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center. After receiving his bachelor's degree, he studied at Rice University in Houston, Texas.
An avid and passionate teacher, Brian finds great joy in passing on the knowledge he’s gained from his teachers and from his own experiences as a performer. He has given classes in Switzerland, Italy, Ireland and in the United Kingdom at the Guildhall School and the Royal Academy of Music. Having taught at Utah State University and now at BYU, Brian seeks to inspire the next generation of horn players. Holding a Master’s degree in Music Technology, Brian enjoys the recording arts and using technology to help his students become better musicians.
A keen chamber musician, Professor Blanchard performs with BYU’s two faculty wind chamber groups: Brassworks brass quintet and the Orpheus Winds woodwind quintet. He has also performed chamber works at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University with members of their faculty. Outside of BYU, Brian performs regularly with the world-renowned Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.
Education
- MM in Music Technology, Southern Utah University
- BM, Roosevelt University