The University of Southern Mississippi Horn Studio

It is the USM Horn Studio’s privilege to welcome you to the 2010 Southeast Horn Workshop!

The USM Horn Studio consists of undergraduate, graduate, and non-major horn students who participate in Horn Choir and a variety of other horn-related activities at Southern Miss including chamber ensembles, orchestra, wind ensemble, symphonic winds, concert band, the Pride of Mississippi Marching Band, and the University of Southern Mississippi Brass Ensemble.

In recent years, the studio has featured horn ensembles and soloists that have placed or won several competitions, including the MTNA Young Artist Competition, the MTNA Chamber Competition, the Gower Orchestral Concerto Competition, and the MMTA Chamber Competition. Several students perform regularly in local churches and as part of orchestras in Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Louisiana. In the summer of 2008, one of the studio horn quartets travelled to Australia to work with Barry Tuckwell for a week in Melbourne as well as to sight-see in Sydney.

Each year, the USM Horn Studio brings in many featured artists and lecturers as part of multi-day residencies and their annual Horn Day. Past guests include John Clark, Andrew Clark, A. Robert Johnson, W. Peter Kurau, Greg Gordon, W. Fred Mills, and the Louisiana Philharmonic horn section.

Heidi Lucas

Heidi Lucas joined the faculty of the University of Southern Mississippi in the fall of 2007. She holds degrees from the Crane School of Music-SUNY Potsdam (B.M.), the Eastman School of Music (M.M.), and the University of Georgia (D.M.A.).

In addition to extensive chamber music experience including residencies and tours throughout New England, England, Brazil, and as part of Brevard College’s Eric Ewazen Residency, Dr. Lucas is currently a member of the Southern Arts Brass Quintet and Category Five, the faculty ensembles at USM. In September of 2008 she recorded Haydn’s L’isola Disabitata with the New York Philomusica on their record label as part of a two-week residency featuring performances and outreach programs in New York City. Her orchestral experiences include performances with the Orchestra of Northern New York, Festival Orchestra of “June in Buffalo,” Genesee Symphony, Rochester Oratorio Society, Aspen Festival Orchestra, Cobb Symphony Orchestra, Columbus (GA) Symphony Orchestra, and Mobile Symphony. She was recently appointed principal horn of the Meridian Symphony and the Gulf Coast Symphony, as well as being appointed third horn of the Mobile Symphony and the Pensacola Symphony. She plays regularly with the Pensacola Opera and the Mobile Opera.

Dr. Lucas works with the USM horn students in a variety of horn-related courses, including Horn Pedagogy, Horn Literature, Excerpt Class, Chamber Music, and Horn Jazz Seminar. She conducts the Southern Miss Horn Choir and the Southern Miss Brass Ensemble. Prior to her appointment, she taught horn at Toccoa Falls College, Georgia College and State University, and worked with non-majors at the University of Georgia and University of Rochester. Dr. Lucas is a 2007/2008 recipient of the MTNA StAR Award. She has performed in master classes for David Cripps, Daniel Grabois, Ryan Anthony, Eric Ewazen, Allen Spanjer, Jean-Francois Taillard, Fergus McWilliam, Eli Epstein, Rik Vercruysse, and Verne Reynolds. Her primary teachers have been Dr. John Ericson, Mr. Peter Kurau, and Dr. Jean Martin-Williams.

The University of Southern Mississippi School of Music

The University of Southern Mississippi School of Music has a longstanding international reputation for musical excellence. The school is recognized for its eminence in musical artistry, education and community service. Serving more than 475 majors from the United States and 15 countries, the school maintains a strongly diverse student population.

For more information about The University of Southern Mississippi and the School of Music, please visit:

• The University of Southern Mississippi
• USM School of Music