English Horn Lessons

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english horn

The cor anglais, or English horn, is a double-reed woodwind instrument in the oboe family. The english horn is a transposing instrument pitched in F, a perfect fifth lower than the oboe (a C instrument), and is consequently approximately one and a half times the length of the oboe. The fingering and playing technique used for the cor anglais are essentially the same as those of the oboe. Music for the english horn is thus written a perfect fifth higher than the instrument actually sounds. Because the english horn normally lacks the lowest B flat of the oboe, its sounding range stretches from the E (written B natural) below middle C to the C two octaves above middle C. more from Wikipedia >

english horn teachers


English Horn TeachersLeah Moss Parham (Oboe, English Horn)

english horn FAQ

How old does my child need to be to start English Horn lessons?

At Charlotte Academy of Music, we believe a student in their early teens is ready to begin English Horn lessons. For younger students, we suggest starting with the flute, recorder or piano.

Should English Horn students also take the Music Theory Lab?
All students ages 5 and older are encouraged to take our Music Theory Lab. Rhythmic and Pitch Notation, Dynamics, Rhythmic Counting, Key Signatures and many other important theory skills are covered in our lab curriculum. Our lab curriculum correlates with the NFMC Music Theory Examinations, and prepares our students for this important local event.
Do you offer an ensemble playing opportunities?
Yes! The Charlotte Academy Chamber Ensemble , under the direction of Connie Beach (MM, Flute Performance), is a wonderful small ensemble opportunity for music students. These groups regularly perform at Academy concerts and in the Charlotte area. Students need at least one year of private lesson experience to participate. Each student’s music is customized to reflect his/her current level of musical advancement.
I need to rent or purchase an English Horn. Where do I start?
Your teacher, Leah Moss-Parham, will be glad to assist you in finding an appropriate instrument locally. If you prefer to purchase online, Woodwind Brasswind is a good resource. A quality, well-maintained instrument is an important key to success in music lessons.

music research

Music Majors Most Likely Group to be Admitted to Medical School

Music majors are the most likely group of college grads to be admitted to medical school. Physician and biologist Lewis Thomas studied the undergraduate majors of medical school applicants. He found that 66% of music majors who applied to med school were admitted, the highest percentage of any group. For comparison, (44%) of biochemistry majors were admitted. Also, a study of 7,500 university students revealed that music majors scored the highest reading scores among all majors including English, biology, chemistry and math.


Sources: “The Comparative Academic Abilities of Students in Education and in Other Areas of a Multi-focus University”, Peter H. Wood, ERIC Document No. ED327480, “The Case for Music in the Schools”, Phi Delta Kappan, February, 1994

Music Students Score Higher on the SAT

High school music students score higher on SATs in both verbal and math than their peers. In 2001, SAT takers with coursework/experience in music performance scored 57 points higher on the verbal portion of the test and 41 points higher on the math portion than students with no coursework/experience in the arts.


Source: Profile of SAT and Achievement Test Takers, The College Board, compiled by Music Educators National Conference, 2001