Engaged as a horn player with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande since 2014, Clément Charpentier-Leroy is also a musician of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra and founding member of the HORNormes quartet.
Graduate of the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, La Sorbonne University and the Haute Ecole de Musique de Genève, Clément is a laureate of the International Chieri soloist competition. During his studies, he had the opportunity to travel all over Europe as he was invited to join various youth orchestras, such as the European Union Youth Orchestra, the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival Orchestra, the Verbier Festival Orchestra and the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester.
He is regularly engaged as a guest by leading european orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester and the Orchestre de Paris, and has played under the direction of renowned conductors such as Riccardo Chailly, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Daniele Gatti, Klaus Mäkelä, Sir Antonio Pappano, Daniel Harding, Myung-Whun Chung…
A dedicated pedagogue, Clément is a tuteur with the program of the Diploma of Advanced Studies at the OSR, as well as horn professor for the academic year 2023-2024 at the Haute Ecole de Musique de Genève. He is also a coach in the Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra.
Professional Norwegian/Swedish horn player Lene Skomedal is a prestigious musician. During her 20 years as a professional musician she has worked with numerous orchestras and ensembles in many countries, such as principal horn in Copenhagen Phil and Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, to a great number of projects with most opera houses, orchestras and other ensembles in the Scandinavian countries. Lenes career includes all forms of performances, as a soloist, chamber music and teaching masterclasses, like recently in Royal College of Music and Guildhall School of music and drama in London. But also, frequently appears in worldwide festivals and events, such as Corno Brass Music Festival (Poland), Encuentro Internacional de Cornos (Chile), Fjord Classics (Norway) among others.
“BREATHE MUSIC” is Lene´s own brand and her very own style of yoga, coaching, breathing therapy and mental training – for musicians.
Through various workshops for large or small groups, Lene´s work reaches all over the world and most recently at academies like Royal College of Music, Guildhall School of Music and Drama (London, UK) as well as for many professional orchestras. Her personal clients that range from very young students to world star soloists, conductors and musicians in Berlin Phil, LA Phil, Concertgebouw Orchestra among others can testify to her brilliant skills and life changing moments that benefits their playing and well-being.
First Prize winner at the Prague Spring International Music Competition in 2018, – along with the prize for best interpretation of the contemporary piece, the International Horn Society Prize, the Radio Free Europe Prize and a further nine awards, Second Prize winner at the Città di Porcia International Competition in 2013 and laureate of the Autumn Music Festival Competition (FMAJI) in 2011, Alexandre Collard is among the elite musicians of his generation since his studies, first with Guy Mouy in Douai and then with André Cazalet at the Paris Conservatory.
A lover of the great symphonic repertory, Alexandre is appointed solo horn of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France after he played eleven years with the Lille National Orchestra and often performs solo concertos. He is regularly invited to prestigious international chamber music festivals and creates the Ensemble Polygones. The group has a particularly close collaboration with the composer Camille Pépin, and recently recorded a CD of her chamber music. He also plays sonata with the pianist Nicolas Royez, and they recorded together their first disc Aquarelles (2021).
A renowned pedagogue, he teaches in Douai, his hometown’s conservatory. Alexandre plays Paxman’s 20M Centenary double horn.
She began her horn studies at the Sociedad Musical de Alboraya with Gabriel Diago, continuing her training at the Conservatorio Superior de Música “Joaquín Rodrigo” in Valencia with D. José Rosell, at the Staatliche Musikhochschule Freiburg with Bruno Schneider and with Javier Bonet in modern and natural horn.
Her numerous awards and scholarships include the prize at the Città di Porcia International Competition and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation scholarship.
She is frequently invited to perform as a soloist at national and international festivals such as the British Horn Society, as well as to collaborate with various European orchestras, including her continuous collaboration as horn soloist with the Berliner Philharmoniker. As a teacher she has been invited by young orchestras such as the JONDE, OJA, JOGV, and conservatories such as the Guildhall School of Music and Drama or Berklee College of Music.
She has been a member of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid (Teatro Real) and since 2002 she has been principal horn of the Orquesta de Valencia. He is also a member of the Quintet Cuesta, Dreisam ensemble and Metal.lògic Ensemble. Currently she has released her first solo CD “Se hace saber”, some of the pieces included are written for Maria.
Born in Toulouse 1991, Maxime learned to play the horn at the Conservatoire Régional de Versailles in the class of Gilles Mahaud. In 2010, he entered the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris in the class of André Cazalet, where he obtained his Master’s degree in 2015, with distinction.
During masterclasses or internships, he receives advice from great masters such as Jean-Michel Vinit, Benoit De Barsonny, Marie-Luise Neunecker, Francis Orval, Radovan Vlatković… Maxime is regularly called upon to play in national orchestras such as the Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse, Orchestre national de Lille, Orchestre de l’Opéra de Paris and Orchestre de Paris, where he has played under the baton of great conductors such as Pierre Boulez, Christoph Eschenbach and Herbert Blomstetd.
In 2012 he founded with his friends Pierre Badol, Clément Charpentier-Leroy and Alexis Crouzil the HORNormes quartet which he will perform many concerts with, across France and Switzerland in various original shows. In 2013 Maxime won the audition in the academy of the Orchestre de l’Opéra de Paris and the Pacific Music Festival in Japan and between 2013 and 2016, Maxime has been principal horn of the Orchestre national des Pays de Savoie. Since December 2016, he has joined the Geneva Chamber Orchestra as second horn. He is also a professor at the Swiss National Youth Orchestra since 2022. Moreover, Maxime has participated as a teacher in the 2021, 2022 and 2024 editions of CITGUAD.
Raquel began her studies at the age of seven at the Sociedad Musical Unión de Pescadores (Valencia) with José Sanchis Montañana and studied elementary and professional music at the José Iturbi Municipal Conservatory of Music in Valencia with Manuel Járrega. She graduated from the Joaquín Rodrigo Conservatory of Music in Valencia with Juan José Llimerá Dus and Eduardo Gabriel Moreno, having completed a year of ERASMUS at the Hochschule für Musik in Freiburg with Bruno Schneider. Raquel furthered his studies by completing a Master’s degree with Markus Maskuniitty at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien in Hanover. She has received several first prizes in national competitions, both as a soloist and with chamber ensembles. She has been a member of youth orchestras such as the JONDE. Raquel has participated in several orchestral projects such as the Gustav Mahler Academy 2018, Sommer Musik Akademie Schloss Hundisburg and International Youth Tchaikovsky Orchestra. She completed a Praktikum with the Philharmonisches Staatsorchester in Mainz and was an academician with the Orquestra Simfònica de les Illes Balears and the Orquesta Nacional de España. She regularly collaborates with professional ensembles such as the Madrid Symphony Orchestra, the Spanish National Orchestra, the RTVE Symphony Orchestra, etc. In the field of education, she has participated in various courses and is currently a horn teacher at the Adolfo Salazar and Teresa Berganza Professional Conservatories of Music in Madrid and at Forum Musikae – Escuela Superior de Música.
Diego was born in Valladolid, Spain, where he began playing the horn at the age of 8 under the tutelage of Carlos Balaguer. He continued his studies at the Reina Sofía School of Music in Madrid with Radovan Vlatković and Rodolfo Epelde, before entering the Royal College of Music, where he studied with Jeff Bryant, Timothy Jones, and Nigel Black.
He is currently principal horn of the London Symphony Orchestra, having previously held the positions of third horn and principal horn with the Philharmonia. He also frequently performs as guest principal horn with the San Francisco Symphony, London Philharmonic and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as with the Castilla y León Symphony Orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Philharmonic and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. In 2017, he was also principal horn of the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra.
In addition to his orchestral activities, Diego has performed as a soloist with Schumann’s Konzertstück and the Philharmonia and Helmut Lachenmann’s My Melodies and the LSO. He also frequently performs chamber music with Philharmonia Winds and the Wigmore Soloists, alongside artists such as Michael Collins, Isabelle van Keulen and Benjamin Gilmore.
Since September 2022, Diego has been professor at the Royal College of Music.
She began her musical studies at the age of 9, and later studied at the Conservatorio Profesional de Música in Torrent where she was taught by José Sebastià Ferrer. At the end of her studies she obtained the Professional Music Prize in the speciality of horn.
She studied horn performance at MUSIKENE, Higher School of Music of the Country Basque, with the teachers Rodolfo Epelde, Óscar Sala and Jorge Rentería. She extended her horn education with Manolo Pérez, as well as attending masterclasses with internationally renowned horn players such as María Rubio, Bernardo Cifres, David Fernández, Sarah Willis, Ab Koster, Marie Luise Neunecker, Markus Makuniitty, Wolfgang Gaag…
She has been a member of the Youth Orchestra of Valencia, the Youth Symphony Orchestra of FSMCV and the National Youth Orchestra of Spain. She collaborates with professional orchestras such as the Orquesta Nacional de España, Orquesta de Valencia, Orquesta Sinfónica de Bilbao or Orquesta Ciudad de Granada, among others, under the baton of conductors like Juanjo Mena, Lorenzo Viotti, Karina Canellakis or David Afkham. She is currently a horn professor at the Conservatory of Music of Utiel and at the Guadassuar School of Music.
Born in Agost (Alicante), José Vicente Castelló is a professor at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg and the ESMUC in Barcelona, and has been a guest professor at the RNCM in Manchester. Since 2010, he has been principal horn of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra.
A disciple of Radovan Vlatković at the Reina Sofía School, he twice received the award for best horn student. He also studied Hispanic Philology at the University of Alicante. Various awards attest to his career, such as the Barenreiter Urtext Preis at the ARD competition in Munich and an Honourable Mention at the Prague Spring competition.
As principal horn in the Galician Symphony Orchestra, his career took a decisive turn when he joined the Orchestra Mozart and the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, founded by Claudio Abbado, a key figure in his humanistic and artistic development. With him and with conductors such as Haitink, Rattle, Baremboim, Jansons, Boulez, Salonen, Chailly, Dudamel and Gardiner, he has worked as principal horn in orchestras such as the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Staatskapelle Berlin, Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic, Tonhalle Zurich and NDR Hamburg. As a soloist, he has performed with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, the OSRTVE, the Galicia Symphony Orchestra, the Oviedo Philharmonic and various European orchestras. In the field of chamber music, he has played at various international festivals, notably the Marlboro Music Festival (USA), and with artists such as Tabea Zimmermann, Mitsuko Uchida, Yuri Bashmet, Leif Ove Andsnes and Patricia Kopatchinskaja. Since 2010, he has directed the Músics en Residència festival in Alella (Barcelona).
Born in Reus, she is currently principal horn player with the Vallès Symphony Orchestra.
She began her musical training at the “Escola de Música de la Diputació de Reus i Tarragona” under the tutelage of Raúl Garrido. She then continued her studies at the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Castilla y León (COSCYL), where she completed the first years of her advanced degree with Professor José Miguel Asensi Martí. Later, she enrolled at the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía, where she studied with Professors Radovan Vlatkovic, Rodolfo Epelde and Jesús Madrigal. She also furthered her training at the Barenboim-Said Academy of Orchestral Studies with José Vicente Castelló and participated in the international innovation programme Academy for Impact Through Music, promoted by the Hilti Foundation.
She combines her work as a performer with teaching, collaborating as a tutor on artistic development projects at the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía.
She is president of the Banda Simfònica de Reus where she also performs. She is a member of the Bärhof Ensemble chamber group and the CuraContes project, which works with children with long-term illnesses.
In addition to being a performer, she has a special interest in teaching and all the dimensions that music can bring to society.
At an early age the source that feeds this musician is his family. At the age of 8 he began the official musical studies in his hometown, Guadassuar (Valencia, Spain). Then he gets the End of Studies Prize at Conservatory of Music in Valencia and later moves to the National Conservatory of Versailles Region (France) getting the Gold Medal at the Graduate Perfection. After being a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Spain has worked in various formations of national and international level. He has taught in various conservatories of Spanish geography and currently teaches at the Horn Classroom (www.auladetrompa.com). In 1989, together with his colleagues, he formed the Spanish Brass (www.spanishbrass.com), with whom he won the First Prize in the International Brass Quintet Competition in Narbonne (France) in 1996, and since then he has dedicated himself exclusively to chamber music, giving concerts and masterclasses all over the world. Spanish Brass has recorded 33 CDs and 2 DVDs, and in 2020 they received the National Music Prize for Performance. Manolo is a Paxman artist and plays with the 20M Centenary model.
Born in Idar-Oberstein on 6 August 1958. At the age of 18, on 1 September 1976, I went to work for GEBR.ALEXANDER in Mainz to learn how to make brass instruments. During 1978 and 1979 I finished my apprenticeship and joined Alexander’s sales department.
It was there that I completed my commercial apprenticeship within two years and, as a very young man, became the head of the sales department. So, during the years I developed the spirit of the company, the way of selling, the exhibitions and the improvements of our instruments, with a very close relationship and many long-lasting friendships with many horn players all over the world.
September 1st 2022 was the day of my retirement after 46 years with GEBR.ALEXANDER.
After a total break of four months, I started to do my own and very special business called «Dr.Horn» and to work as a freelancer. This was my nickname during the last few years. I did small repairs for students during master classes. So, I kept it. The horn players know me.
My idea is that my long experience should not be lost. I can help students and professional players to choose instruments at Alexander in Mainz. You can book a private appointment.
He is an expert in physical and mental well-being with over 20 years of experience. He began focusing on maximum flexibility and now combines mind-body aspects by designing exercises that emphasize movement quality, coordination, and breathing.
He is a teacher of Tai Chi Chuan, Chi Kung, and Meditation, certified by the Hun Yuan Tai Chi Foundation. Additionally, he holds a 1st Dan black belt in Wu-Shu from the Royal Spanish Judo Federation. He has been a disciple of renowned masters such as Pedro Valencia, Tung Kuan Yen, and Feng Zhi Qiang in China, specializing in the Beijing Chen style. He has certifications in Integral Mental Training and Pilates, the latter recognized by The Pilates Center of Las Vegas.
He is the owner of the oriental wellness center “Centre Cel Anterior” in Guadassuar since 1995, offering specialized massage services, studies in cranial osteopathy, Feng Shui consultancy, and collaborates on educational projects by organizing Tai Chi and meditation workshops for children.
After starting playing the horn at school around the age of 8, Steve progressed through the Junior Royal College of Music, on to Trinity College of Music, graduating in 1990. After leaving Trinity, he worked as a freelance player based in London playing in touring shows, the West End as well as orchestral playing throughout the UK. This was supplemented by some teaching and the occasional days’ work at Paxman in Covent Garden.
In 1995 he spent six months playing with the Israel Symphony Orchestra in Tel Aviv, before deciding not to stay and returning to the UK.
A meeting with an old friend led to a visit to Paxman’s new shop and a few days’ work helping out there. This work became more regular and in 2007 following changes at the company, he was offered and accepted the position of Sales Manager. Since then, while the playing opportunities have become fewer, Steve has travelled the world from the Arctic Circle in the North to Santiago, Chile in the South and from the Pacific coast of the US in the West to China, Japan and Australia in the East, promoting Paxman horns and letting players of all ages and abilities find their perfect horn.
A story with mouthpieces that began out of pure curiosity.
My love of playing the trombone and my training as a lathe operator led me to research and manufacture my own mouthpiece models.
What began as a hobby eventually became ROMERA BRASS, a workshop where a passion for music and mechanical precision come together to manufacture customised mouthpieces for each musician.
ROMERA BRASS, by Toni Romera I advise on and manufacture custom mouthpieces for professional musicians.
Maria José Belenguer is a composer, orchestrator and flutist, trained in Transverse Flute and Composition at the Conservatorio Superior de Castellón, and specialising in Composition for Audiovisual Media at the CSKG in Madrid. Throughout her career, she has been recognised with awards such as the ‘Carmelo Alonso Bernaola’ at the Fundación Autor-CNDM Young Composers Awards, the 1st ‘María Teresa Prieto’ International Band Composition Competition and the SGAE Original Band Music Composition Recognition Programme, and has been nominated for the Jerry Goldsmith Awards.
Her music has been performed by groups such as the Bilbao Municipal Band, the Taller Sonoro and the Grup Instrumental de València, and has been programmed at festivals such as ENSEMS, Femme in Art, Com Sona l’ESO and L’Escola Canta. Her contribution to the band repertoire is particularly noteworthy, with works such as La memoria silenciada, premiered by the Bilbao Municipal Band, and Las Carboneras del Nalón, which, in addition to winning an award, was selected as a compulsory piece in the third section of the Valencian Community Band Competition.
Versatile and with her own voice, she combines symphonic creation with composition for audiovisual media, as well as intensive work as an arranger and orchestrator for all types of symphonic formations.
Antonio Morant, born in Valencia in 1991, is a professor at the Conservatorio Superior de Música ‘Joaquín Rodrigo’ in Valencia and has trained extensively at various institutions. He studied at the Frederic Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, obtaining his master’s and postgraduate degrees under the tutelage of Piotr Paleczny and Karolina Nadolska. He is also currently studying for a doctorate at the University of Valencia.
He began his musical training at the age of six and completed his higher studies at the ‘Salvador Seguí’ Conservatory in Castellón with the Venetian concert pianist Brenno Ambrosini, obtaining the highest marks and the final degree prize. He has studied Piano Pedagogy and a Master’s Degree in Performance and Research at the VIU, complementing his training with a degree in Music History and Science at the University of La Rioja.
Antonio has performed at important festivals and concert halls in Europe, premiering works by contemporary composers. In the chamber music field, he has collaborated with internationally renowned artists such as Sergei Nakariakov and Ara Malikian. Since 2018 he has been part of Simant Dúo with Rubén Simeó, with whom he has released three albums, most notably ‘New Way’, endorsed by Arturo Sandoval.
Winner of more than 25 international competitions, he has been recognised in prestigious competitions such as the International Piano Competition ‘Ars Nova’ and the ‘Alfred Schnittke’. In addition, he is regularly invited to give masterclasses and to sit on juries at international competitions.
Graduated from the CSM Joaquín Rodrigo in Valencia with a degree in violin and composition under María Carmen Antequera and Andrés Valero-Castells, and in orchestral conducting and choir conducting under Adolfo Ramírez and Nadia Stoyanova. In 2015, he obtained an Official Master’s Degree in Music from the Polytechnic University of Valencia, with honours in his final project, collaborating with the prestigious composer and conductor José Nieto. He has participated in youth ensembles such as the Castelló Youth Orchestra and the Generalitat Valenciana, among others, and has been a member of the Film Symphony Orchestra (FSO). He has received lessons and masterclasses from teachers such as I. Arditti, I. Bieler, E. Palomares, V. Balaguer, E. Sanz, L. Balada, R. Forés, F. Tamarit, R. Sánchez, C. Garcés, P. Marqués, G. Fritze, S. Alapont, M. Ortega, H. Guzmán, among many others. Honourable Mention at the Segorbe Choral Composition Competition (2010), commissioned to compose the music for the contemporary ballet ‘ODEIM’ by the Cienfuegos Danza company (2012). Scholarship for the Band Composition course with Gregory Fritze at Berklee Valencia (2017). Commission from the Provincial Council of Valencia ‘AHORA, Sonidos de Infancia’ (2022). He has premiered works with ensembles such as La OFUV, conducted by B. Fernández, the quartet ‘Nel Cuore’, the Orchestra and Band of La Artesana de Catarroja, the CSMV Orchestra, the CSMC Band, among others. He has conducted several ensembles, such as the Catarroja Artesana Orchestra, the CSMV Orchestra, the Corazón ‘Asociación de amigos de Cristòfor Aguado’ in Picassent, the Corazón de ‘San Esteve’, the Chelva Band, the CSMC Orchestra and Band, and the Catarroja Artesana Band, of which he has been the principal conductor since 2020. He has also been the principal conductor of the SIUM Orchestra of Tavernes de la Valldigna since 2023. He currently combines his work as a conductor with that of professor of Band and Orchestra Conducting at the CSMCLM.
Since the mid-19th century, Guadassuar has always had different music bands. In 1939, the musicians who had belonged to the different groups founded the Unió Musical Santa Cecília which, until 1975, was under the direction of Virgilio Beltrán. Between 1981 and 1995, with Joaquín Vidal Pedrós as conductor, they won the first prize in the First Section and the highest score in all sections (1983), second prize in the Special Section B (1985), first prize and honourable mention in the same section (1987, 1990) and second prize in the Honour Section (1994) at the Valencia Music Band Contest. Between 1995 and 2006 under the direction of Francisco Zacarés, they won two second prizes in the Certamen de Altea (1996 and 1999), first prize in the Certamen Nacional de Murcia (2002), first prize in the Certamen Nacional de Campo de Criptana (Ciudad Real, 2004) and first prize in the WMF competition in Kerkrade (2005). He has participated in numerous festivals and concerts in several towns in the Valencian Community, Albacete, Catalonia and Madrid, as well as Avignon (France) and Corciano (Italy). In 1980 the School of Music was created, where at present all the instrumental specialities are taught to more than 250 students. It also has an Orchestra, Youth Band, Youth Orchestra, Choir and Children’s Choir. Since 2006 it has been conducted by Juan Carlos Civera, with whom in 2008 they won first prize in the First Section of the Certamen Internacional Ciudad de Valencia, with the highest score in all categories. In July 2009 they won first prize in the Certamen Villa de Alginet, with a team of young musicians. In July 2010 and 2012 they won second prizes in the Honorary Section of the Certamen Internacional de València. The ensemble is currently directed by Rafa García Vidal.