Faculty Spotlight: Denise Tryon

“Denise Tryon’s command of the lower register provides the strongest foundation of sound for a horn section, and yet, her sound is supple and flexible.”
—Yannick Nezet-Sequin, music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra

A native of Roseville, MN, Denise Tryon is the Associate Professor of Horn at University of Cincinnati CCM. She served as the Horn Professor of the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore from 2007 – 2018. Previously, Tryon was fourth horn of The Philadelphia Orchestra (2009-2017). She has also held positions with the Detroit Symphony (2003-2009), Baltimore (2000-2003), Columbus (1998-2000), and New World (1995-1998) Symphonies as well as participated in the Colorado Music Festival and the Pacific Music Festival. An accomplished solo performer, Tryon has performed recitals in Sweden, Norway, Poland, Japan, Canada and the United States.

In 1989 Tryon graduated from the famed Interlochen Arts Academy and in 1993 received her Bachelor of Music degree from the New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) in Boston. She received the Presidential Scholarship while in the Artist Diploma Program at NEC with the Taiyo Wind Quintet, which won the Coleman Chamber Competition and worked with great composers such as John Harbison, Luciano Berio, György Ligeti, and Elliott Carter.

An active and accomplished educator, Tryon is sought after for her masterclasses. She has taught extensively in the United States, Scandinavia, Europe, Asia and South America. Beth Graham of the Warsaw Philharmonic and founder of the Warsaw Horn Workshops raves, “In just a few seconds of listening to a student she can diagnose deep-seated problems and give immediate fixes, often with a healthy dose of humor as well. The transformations she can accomplish in just a short time are truly remarkable.” She’s been a featured artist at many IHS Symposiums and Regional Workshops. Tryon was one of the Solo Artists at the Nordic Hornfest in 2012 in Norway. In 2013, Tryon was on faculty at BIBA (Blekinge International Brass Academy). She was a Featured Artist at the Warsaw Horn Workshops in 2013, 2015, and 2016. Also in 2016, she was on faculty during the brass weeks at Domaine Forget. Since 2017, she’s been a faculty member at Rafael Mendez Brass Institute in Denver, CO.

Tryon released her debut solo album, SO•LOW in 2015. As a part of this album, she commissioned 4 new pieces for low horn and piano. Said in a review by Gramophone Magazine “Tryon plays these works with sonorous fluidity and dexterity, ending with a bit of captivating acrobatics.”

A Pair of Aces, a duo horn album between Tryon and Karl Pituch, Principal Horn of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra was released in 2017.

In 2009, Tryon founded Audition Mode, a yearly horn seminar, with Karl Pituch. The seminar focuses on the skills horn players need to be successful in orchestral auditions.

Listen to one of her “Excerpts of the Month”: