Horn Playing

Andrew Clark is active as a freelance musician, playing principal horn with with Vancouver Island Symphony (since 2011) and Portland Baroque Orchestra (Oregon, since 2012). His background includes many years of performing with top orchestras in and around the UK, including principal positions with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, London Classical Players and the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra. 

As a soloist he has recorded for EMI, Hyperion, Archiv, Linn and Redshift labels, including the premieres of the Sonata da Caccia by Thomas Adès (1998) and the Concertino for horn and string orchestra by Stephen Chatman (2020); horn concertos by Vivaldi and Crusell; and chamber works by Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms and Czerny.

His specialisation in performing on historical instruments has led to many interesting engagements, highlights of which include: 

• Playing all of Bach's works with a horn part, most of which can be heard on recordings with Ton Koopman and the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir (Challenge Classics)

• Using a Vienna horn to perform the four Brahms Symphonies with both Sir Roger Norrington and London Classical Players (recorded for EMI) and Sir Charles Mackerras and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (recorded for Telarc)

• Sixteen seasons at Glyndebourne Festival Opera, including runs of Handel: Giulio Cesare, Mozart: Cosi fan Tutte, Don Giovanni, Idomeneo, Magic Flute, Figaro, Beethoven: Fidelio

• A live broadcast on BBC radio of the concert aria Pieta di Me by Haydn which contains the highest notes written for the horn in classical repertoire, performed with the Hanover Band, conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras

Along with his interest in historical horns he performs on standard modern instruments with numerous orchestras, allowing him to experience a wider range of repertoire than would have been possible in just one category. This (along with the other areas listed on this website) has continuously maintained his enthusiasm for professional musical activities.