Beginning French Horn Masterclass

Build confidence in your horn players from day one

Saturday, September 12, 2026
10:00 AM–12:30 PM
Bennett’s Mill Middle School

The first few weeks on French horn matter.

Embouchure, hand position, breathing, posture, finding the right partial, understanding where the notes actually live on the instrument: those early habits can make the difference between a student who feels confident on horn and one who spends the next several months wondering why nothing sounds the way they expected.

That’s why Jsquared Music, Inc. is bringing Fayette County’s beginning French horn players together for one focused morning designed specifically for them.

Why one countywide masterclass?

I work with band programs throughout Fayette County, but I simply can’t be at every school at the same time during those critical first weeks of beginning band.

So we’re doing it all at once.

This masterclass gives every beginning horn player in the county the opportunity to receive the same strong foundation, regardless of which school they attend.

And there’s another benefit: beginning horn students rarely get to see a room full of other kids learning the same instrument.

For one morning, they won’t be “the two horn players in the back of the band room.”

They’ll be part of the horn section.

What We’ll Cover

Students will work on:

  • Proper French horn embouchure

  • Producing a clear, centered first sound

  • Correct posture and instrument position

  • Right-hand placement

  • Breathing and air support

  • Finding and controlling the correct partial

  • Beginning notes and fingerings

  • Common beginner horn problems and how to fix them

  • Practice habits they can use immediately at home

The goal is simple: send them back to your band room with better fundamentals, more confidence and a clearer understanding of how the French horn works.

Who Should Attend?

This session is designed primarily for beginning middle school French horn players in Fayette County.

If you have students who just picked up the horn this school year, this is for them.

Even if they’ve already started playing a few notes, bring them.

Actually, especially bring them.

It is much easier to reinforce good habits now than to undo bad ones later.

Send the Whole Section

If you have one beginning horn player, send one.

If you have six, send all six.

This is an opportunity for your students to get instrument-specific instruction early in the year without you having to carve out an entire rehearsal to troubleshoot every uniquely-French-horn problem.

And when they return to school, they’ll have a shared vocabulary and foundation you can continue building on.

Don’t let your horn players hear about it Monday from the students who were there Saturday.

Give them the chance to start strong.

Saturday, September 12 | 10:00 AM–12:30 PM
Bennett’s Mill Middle School

School Registration: $150
Includes participation for all beginning French horn students from your school.

Space is limited. Register your beginning horn players early.

Register Here

Presented by Jsquared Music, Inc.

Spreading the love of music through music education.