Balu Musik Etude Competition

The Balu Etude Competition was born from our desire to see young musicians stay focused and motivated and to reward them for their hard work. We were very impressed at the tenacity of young players who day after day would post videos of their practice on social media. This task requires a lot of determination and self control along with the repetition of taking several videos, editing them, and uploading them. We want not just to reward these players but also to encourage new ones to join the competition by offering the winners the best mutes money can buy, along with a chance to take a virtual lesson with some great teachers. Thank you to all or staying focused throughout these difficult times, together we will come stronger and more resilient than before! Godspeed!
The applicants will send in their video submission via TH-cam. The prizes will be a mute from Balu Musik and a private zoom lesson from a jury members of the winners choosing.
The Jury reserves the right to award special prizes.
Our international panel of judges bring vastly different musical experiences and careers to this competition.
Our panel of judges in alphabetical order is:
Amanda Collins, Assistant Teaching Professor, French Horn, SOM IDE Collective, Leader, University of Missouri.
David Cooper, Principal Horn Chicago Symphony, Artist faculty CCPA Music Conservatory.
Luiz Garcia, Principal Horn of the Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra. Former member of Empire Brass and former guest artist of German Brass.
Kristina Mascher-Turner, International Horn Artist and Master Clinician, Virtuoso Horn Duo, Vice President of International Horn Society, former Principal Horn Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra, Former American Horn quartet.
Marie Rogers, Director of Bands at DeKalb County School District, Atlanta GA.
Nozomu Segawa, Nippon Sport Science University and Freelance Performer, Japan
Denise Tryon, Head Judge, Associate Professor of Horn University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, The American Horn Quartet, The Philadelphia Orchestra Fourth Horn, retired.
Categories:
1. High School Horn players
2. Undergraduate Horn players (must be currently enrolled in a program)
Prizes:
1. Winners will receive a Balu straight mute! Winners agree to send a picture of themselves with the mute upon receipt. This picture will be used for social media posts and on the website www.balumusik.com
2. A private Zoom lesson from any of the judges.
Rules:
1. Students must be enrolled in a school program.
2. There are no registration fees required to participate.
3. International applicants accepted.
4. If you have won an international competition, you are excluded from entering.
5. Applicants must submit a video on TH-cam with the tag “Balu Musik Etude Competition”. Email the link to [e-mail] by November 1st. Please title your video with your name and year in school. Comments MUST be disabled.
6. We encourage students of all races, creeds, gender, orientations and nationalities to apply.
Repertory:
High school division: Kopprasch #13 (no repeats).
Undergraduate college: Maxime Alphonse book 4 # 14.