MERKIN HALL

New York Philharmonic Ensembles

Attending this concert was a lifetime dream come true.  I played a French horn from the 6th through 12th grades in Abilene, Texas.  I love the horn and the role it plays in the orchestra.

The principal horn player for the New York Philharmonic, Richard Deane, is simply wonderful.  We often hear him play in that we have two full subscriptions and 5 rehearsals for the New York Philharmonic and, interestingly, we also have had principal horn players from around the world from the very finest orchestras sit in and play with the New York Philharmonic.

So over a season we've heard "our guy" and the best horn players from around the world play with the New York Philharmonic.

The result... "Our guy", Richard Deane, is, in our opinion, the best.  He's musical, lyrical, disciplined, has great tone, proper attacks, hits all the notes, and never splatters a note.  (Horn players will know what I mean by that) 

Earlier this year I reached out to Mr. Deane and he graciously responded by sending me one of his CDs.  He then invited us to attend the Schubert Octet as his guest and we got to meet him.  At age 78, almost 79, I felt like a 6 year old boy getting his first bicycle.  For me to meet the principal horn player for the New York Philharmonic was a lifetime experience and memory.

He could not have been kinder or more gracious.  He seems like, not only a great horn player, but a fine man.  It was a treat!