Profile - William VerMeulen

William VerMeulen is hailed as 'an impeccable solo horn' by the Berlin Neue Zeit and leads his generation of American Horn Soloists. In Tune magazine says, 'The horn playing of William VerMeulen is miraculous! ... clearly one of today's superstars of the international brass scene.' Fanfare magazine writes, 'Horn virtuoso William VerMeulen may be the best of the lot, commanding his difficult instrument with suavity and grace .' Mr. VerMeulen has been Principal Horn of the Houston Symphony since 1990 and is alsoa member of the Houston Symphony Chamber Players. In addition he served as Guest Principal Horn of the Los Angeles Philharmonic during the 1998-1999 season. He previously played with the orchestras of Chicago, Columbus, St. Paul, Honolulu, and Kansas City and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.

Mr. VerMeulen has participated as a performer and on faculty in numerous music festivals including: Tanglewood, Grand Teton, Pacific, Steamboat Springs, Sun Valley, Colorado, Interlochen, Chamber Music Northwest, Orcas Island and Maui Music Festival. He has performed to critical acclaim on four continents as a soloist and chamber musician and is a popular artist at international horn symposiums. He has performed and toured with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and joined friend Joshua Bell for chamber music in London's Wigmore Hall. His recording of the four Mozart Horn Concerti with Christoph Eschenbach and the Houston Symphony is heralded internationally with high critical acclaim. He is also featured on the compact disc entitled "First Chair" with music of Samuel Adler. This CD features select principal players from the major American orchestras. A new concerto written for Mr. VerMeulen by Samuel Adler was commissioned by the Houston Symphony for premiere in February, 2003. In addition, Mr. VerMeulen has championed numerous new works with commissions and premieres and will premiere a new concerto by Pierre Jalbert in 2003-2004.