Allene Hackleman

Allene Hackleman has been principal horn of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra since 2004.  A native of Vancouver, Bristish Columbia, Allene studied horn with her father, Martin Hackleman, and continued her studies at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, and at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music as a student of Randy Gardner. Ms Hackleman has performed with the National, Montréal, and Winnipeg Symphony Orchestras, and the Colorado Music Festival. Allene has performed concerti with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Alberta Baroque Ensemble, Red Deer Symphony and the Victoria Symphony. Since 2007, Allene has been a member of the Summit Brass ensemble, and as such has recorded, taught and performed each summer as a faculty member at the Rafael Méndez Brass Institute in Denver, Colorado. Allene enjoys chamber music and has been a guest artist at the Festival of the Sound in Parry Sound, Ontario, the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, the Edmonton Recital Society, and the Pender Harbour Chamber Music Festival, and was a featured artist at the International Women’s Brass Conference in 2010. Allene is a proud member of the Canadian National Brass Project and has performed with this group at the Festival de Lanaudière and Toronto Summer Music Festival. In 2015, Allene was invited to teach masterclasses at the Musikacademy in Belgrade, Serbia. She teaches at the University of Alberta.

Joshua Pantoja

Joshua Pantoja has been a member of the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra since 2004. He is the Horn Professor at the Puerto Rico Music Conservatory for both the College and Pre-College levels. He has performed with the Colombia National Symphony Orchestra, EAFIT Symphony Orchestra (Medellin, Columbia), Dominican Republic National Symphony Orchestra, American Russian Young Artist Orchestra (2002 Russia and USA Tour), New York Opera Society, Dicapo Opera in New York, Manhattan Virtuosi, Filarmónica Arturo Somohano in Puerto Rico, the Casals Festival, the Juilliard Orchestra, the Juilliard Symphony, Manhattan School of Music Orpheus Institute, Manhattan School of Music Symphony, Philharmonic and Chamber Orchestras, the Altenburg Music Festival (Germany), the Idyllwild Music Festival (California), The Orchestra of the Americas (2002, 2003, 2004, 2006), the Paquito D’Rivera 50th Anniversary All Stars Concert at Carnegie Hall, the VIIth International Festival of Music and Sacred Art at the Vatican, Rome 2008, and the World Economic Forum 2010 at Carnegie Hall. He has shared the stage with great conductors such as Gustavo Dudamel, Valery Gergiev, Plácido Domingo, and Guillermo Figueroa.

Mr. Pantoja began his musical studies at age 12 at Escuela Libre de Música in Caguas, Puerto Rico, where he received his first French Horn lessons from Professor Jorge Figueroa. When he was 15, he was accepted into the Puerto Rico Music Conservatory, and at the age of 16, he was accepted into the pre-college program at the Manhattan School of Music in New York. He completed a Bachelor’s degree in 2004 at the prestigious Juilliard School where he studied with Professor Jerome Ashby (former Co-Principal Horn of the New York Philharmonic). In 2011, he received a Master’s degree from Manhattan School of Music studying with Professor Javier Gándara, 3rd horn of the Metropolitan Opera of New York. His other teachers include Erik Ralske, Julie Landsman, Michelle Baker and Jazz studies with Professor Julito Alvarado.

Professor Pantoja has given masterclasses at the University of Delaware, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Shenandoah Conservatory (online), the Juilliard Summer Program (online), Manhattan School of Music, the Mannes School of Music, University of Panamá (online), Latin American Horns (online), National University of Colombia in Bogota, University of Caldas in Manizales, Colombia, University of EAFIT in Medellin, Colombia and at the International Horn Festival and Academy in Manizales, Colombia (2008 and 2009).

He is a composer of popular songs, and an active chamber music performer with Camerata Caribe, Café Corta’o Horn Quartet and Pantojazz. Out of his love for jazz and popular music, Mr. Pantoja has written two books: From Classical to Jazz an Improvisation Method and Ornamenting your Improvisation—A Guide to Approach Notes. Mr. Pantoja likes to spend his summers in Colombia with his wife, where they enjoy coffee, birds and the beach!

Alloy Horn Quartet

The Alloy Horn Quartet is a fusion of artistry and advocacy whose appealing performances are powering their rise to the top of the chamber music scene. Equally comfortable in classical and contemporary genres, the quartet is at ease sharing its passion for music with audiences of all kinds. In addition to exceptional performing, Alloy offers charismatic dialogue to disarm the rigidity of a traditional classical music experience.

Alloy was a Featured Artist at the 2018 International Horn Society’s 50th Symposium, Mid-North Horn Workshop (as the Uber Quartet), and have also appeared as soloists playing Schumann’s virtuosic Konzertstück with orchestras such as the Kenosha Symphony (WI), Dubuque Symphony (IA), Tuscarawas Philharmonic (OH), and Fox Valley Orchestra (IL). Alloy has been a guest artist at several universities, presenting performances and masterclasses at UW-Milwaukee, Roosevelt University, Northern Illinois University, Northwestern University, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Oshkosh, Ball State University, University of St. Thomas, Youngstown State University, Central Arkansas University, and Millikin University. Alloy is committed to facilitating dialogues about modern careers in music with workshops focused on expanding and creating meaningful work in the arts.

AHQ is a frequent guest on concert series, including Indianapolis’ Concerts in the Park, Chicago Public Library’s Brown Bag Concerts, and Richland Concert Association (WI). Members of the Alloy Horn Quartet are Elizabeth Deitemyer, Anna Jacobson, Kelly Langenberg, and Dana Sherman.

Robert Rearden

Robert Rearden joined the National Symphony Orchestra in 2016. He served as principal horn of the Florida Orchestra from 2010 to 2016 and was a member of the New World Symphony from 2006 to 2010. He has performed regularly as a guest musician with the Cleveland Orchestra since 2004, including multiple recordings and tours of Europe, Asia, and the U.S., and was a long-term substitute with the orchestra in the 2014–2015 season. Rearden has performed as guest principal horn with the New York Philharmonic, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. Rearden has also performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Opera Orchestra, All-Star Orchestra, Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, and with the Mainly Mozart, Britt, Artosphere, Steamboat Springs, Spoleto USA, and Eastern music festival orchestras. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of South Carolina as a student of Robert Pruzin and earned a Master of Music degree and artist diploma at the Cleveland Institute of Music as a student of Eli Epstein and Richard Solis. He also studied with Julie Landsman and with David Wakefield. He was a fellowship recipient at Tanglewood and the Aspen Music Festival. While with the Florida Orchestra, Rearden performed the Nocturno by Franz Strauss in a transcription for horn and orchestra by Teddy Abrams with Abrams conducting, and the Horn Concerto No. 2 by Richard Strauss with conductor Stuart Malina. He was a featured artist at the 2017 Southeast Horn Workshop. Rearden teaches horn at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, Maryland.