The Alphorn Podcast

Alphorn Association of North America
  • 4.4 (7)
  • Music History
  • Updated Weekly

The Alphorn is a unique and ancient art form that adorns mountains across the world with its sacred tune. In this show we explore the instrument, its history and seek to bring awareness to the tradition of the Alphorn so we can advance its legacy for future generations.

  1. Aug 14

    The 2026 Midwest Alphorn Retreat

    🏔️🎶 The 2026 Midwest Alphorn Retreat! 🎶🏔️ Dr. Peggy DeMers and Bill Rose provide an overview of the 2026 Midwest Alphorn Retreat!  Peggy is a professional alphorn artist, composer and author of the translated version of A.L. Gassmann's "Little Alphorn Book." Bill is a professional alphorn artist, composer, professor of music at McNeese University and the inspiration for the Alphorn Project. For the past 20 years, Peggy and Bill have served as instructors at multiple alphorn festivals, including the Midwest Alphorn Retreat, the Northwest Alphorn Festival, and the Peoria Alphorn Festival. Peggy and Bill are true thought leaders in the art of alphorn in North America. 🎶 Looking for alphorn books and music? You can buy their alphorn books and music at the following sites: 📚 https://www.treblecmusic.com/peggy-demers 📚 https://www.treblecmusic.com/william-g-rose 🎵 https://www.treblecmusic.com/music-for-alphorn 🏔️ https://midwestalphornretreat.us/ 🎶 http://www.alphorngruppe.com/demers.html 🎺 https://www.mcneese.edu/faculty/prof-william-rose/ 🎶 Be sure to check out the 2026 Midwest Alphorn Retreat and explore the music and books from two of North America's leading voices in the art of alphorn! We want to thank our sponsors ANNA and Alpensong

    The 2026 Midwest Alphorn Retreat

  2. Aug 7

    Dr. Natalie Grana

    🎶 Dr. Natalie Grana! 🎶 Dr. Natalie Grana is a professional alphorn and French Horn artist, author, and educator. Dr. Grana is on faculty at DePaul University, Loyola University, Lake Forest College, Cormont Horn Camp, the Windy City Alphorn Retreat, the Alphorn Project, and the Alphorn Association of North America (AANA). Dr. Grana is a global authority on inner hearing and solfege training. She is a Fullbright Scholar who studied at the Kodály Institute of the Liszt Academy of Music in Kecskemét, Hungary. Dr. Grana is hornist with the Gaudete Brass, a Chicago-based brass quintet. She additionally performs regularly with the Alloy Horn Quartet, and the Rhinemaidens, also based in Chicago. Dr. Grana holds a D.M.A. in Horn Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and an MM in Horn Performance and BME in Instrumental Music Education from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. Her principal teachers include Randy Gardner, Bernhard Scully, Thomas Jostlein, and Kazimerz Machala. She studied solfege and voice under Agnes Gerges-Gal and Renata Darazs of the Liszt Academy of Music, Hungary. 📖 Buy Dr. Grana’s book:"A Singing Approach to Horn Playing," which is available through Oxford University Press and Amazon. Learn more about Dr. Natalie Grana and her work: https://www.lakeforest.edu/academics/faculty/ndouglasshttps://www.luc.edu/dfpa/facultyandstaffdirectory/profiles/nataliegranadma.shtmlhttps://www.gaudetebrass.com/bioshttps://global.oup.com/us/companion.websites/9780197603574/author/https://horncamp.org/faculty/natalie-douglass-grana/https://www.amazon.com/Singing-Approach-Horn-Playing-Training-ebook/dp/B0B5HJMN19https://www.alphornassociation.org/team-3 🎺 Take a moment to learn more about Dr. Grana, explore her work, and check out her book, "A Singing Approach to Horn Playing"!   We want to thank our sponsors ANNA and Alpensong

    Dr. Natalie Grana

  3. Jul 31

    Ann Ellsworth

    🎶 Meet Ann Ellsworth—an extraordinary musician whose passion for the French Horn, Alphorn, and Wagner Tuba has taken her to remarkable stages around the world! Ann is a professional French Horn, Alphorn, and Wagner Tuba artist. The Huffington Post called her premiere of a piece for Alphorn (performed in a boxing ring in Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn) “meticulously planned and executed…as fresh and exalted as Alpine air.” Ann is a Professor of Music at Lawrence University, an artist-in-residence for Lang College, a founding member of the New Music and Culture Symposium, the Lawrence Graduate Bayreuth Tuben Quintet, a member of Kristjan Järvi's Absolute Ensemble Manhattan Brass, founder of the Parallel Play Retreat in the Adirondack Mountains, a former member of the Phoenix Symphony, and an Alphorn Project Ambassador. Ann is a graduate of the University of Rochester, the University of Maryland, Eastman School of Music, and the Juilliard School of Music, with further study in Oslo and St. Petersburg, Russia. Learn more about Ann and explore her work: • https://annellsworth.com/ • https://www.lawrence.edu/people/ann-ellsworth/ • https://www.hornsociety.org/marketplace/oms?view=article&id=1415:breathing-life-into-a-world-premiere&catid=295&utm • https://www.youtube.com/@Sopranohorn • https://open.spotify.com/artist/57ofxv0vWdTxFa3WruOuH7 You can find Ann's music on Spotify, Bandcamp, Apple Music, and YouTube. 🎵 Be sure to follow Ann's incredible musical journey, listen to her recordings, and share this post with anyone who appreciates exceptional musicianship and the unique sound of the alphorn!   We want to thank our sponsors ANNA and Alpensong

    Ann Ellsworth

  4. Jul 24

    Kevin Rieke

    Meet Kevin Rieke! 🏔️🎺 Kevin is an entrepreneur, a member of the Leavenworth Alphorns (AANA's 2025 Organization of the Year), and a student of Dr. Natalie Grana. A native of Leavenworth, WA, Kevin owns The Hat Shop and The Wood Shop in downtown Leavenworth. When he’s not working, he enjoys outdoor activities—especially Nordic skiing, mountain biking, and hiking. ⛷️🚴‍♂️🥾 In addition to playing the alphorn, Kevin serves as a board member of: • The Leavenworth Alphorns • The Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce • The City of Leavenworth Design Review Board • The Downtown Steering Committee He is also a past board member of the Leavenworth Winter Sports Club. 🎥 Watch these videos to learn more about the Leavenworth Alphorns: ▶️ YouTube: https://youtu.be/zVY6mDdqU0g ▶️ Instagram Reel: https://www.instagram.com/reels/DZk5t45JS7O/ Explore more links & info: • The Hat Shop & The Wood Shop: https://hatshopwoodshop.com/ | https://hatshopwoodshop.com/about/ • Leavenworth & Local Alphorns: https://leavenworth.org/ | https://leavenworthalphorns.org/ | https://leavenworth.org/business/leavenworth-alphorns/ | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Wy5hZFBs3M • Alphorn Association & Music: https://www.alpensong.com/ | https://www.alphornassociation.org/ | https://www.alphornassociation.org/contact-8 We want to thank our sponsors ANNA and Alpensong

    Kevin Rieke

  5. Jul 17

    Bernhard Scully

    Bernhard Scully is one of the world's most accomplished horn artists. He is an international soloist and pedagogue, Professor of Horn at the University of Illinois, a former member of the Canadian Brass, Principal Horn of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Solo Horn of the North Country Chamber Players, and Principal Horn of ROCO.https://music.illinois.edu/people/profiles/bernhard-scully/   🏔️ANNA https://www.alphornassociation.org/ 🎼 Alpensong https://www.alpensong.com/ We want to thank our sponsors ANNA and Alpensong

    Bernhard Scully

  6. Jun 26

    Cormont 2026- Week 2

    With Sean out of the country, the Alphorn Project team at Cormont Horn Camp—Sadie Glass, Stasia Siena, and Natalie Grana—sat down to recap Week Two of camp. They were joined by one adult camper and one high school camper, who shared thoughtful insights and firsthand alphorn experiences from the week. You won't want to miss this episode! We want to thank our sponsors ANNA and Alpensong

    Cormont 2026- Week 2

  7. Jun 19

    Cormont 2026 Week 1

    Alphorns at Cormont Horn Camp!  Sean sat down with Stasia Siena to recap the first week of alphorn activities at Cormont Horn Camp, currently underway at Cardigan Mountain School in Canaan, New Hampshire. From classes, coaching sessions and rehearsals to the unique experience of playing in New Hampshire's beautiful landscape, Week One has been packed with learning, camaraderie and plenty of alphorn magic. Listen in for highlights from the camp and a look ahead to what’s coming next. Week Two of camp runs June 21–28. We want to thank our sponsors ANNA and Alpensong

    Cormont 2026 Week 1

  8. Jun 12

    James Downs

    It’s been a while! 👋 But we are BACK with another Friday podcast episode! 🎙️✨ This week, Sean sits down with James Downs from the Sierra Alphorn Players to talk all things alphorn, music, and community. You won't want to miss this conversation! 🎧 Listen now https://www.alpensong.com/ https://www.alphornassociation.org/ #TheAlphornProject #Alphorn #SierraAlphornPlayers #PodcastFriday #NewEpisode #MusicPodcast  We want to thank our sponsors ANNA and Alpensong

    James Downs
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4.4
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

The Alphorn is a unique and ancient art form that adorns mountains across the world with its sacred tune. In this show we explore the instrument, its history and seek to bring awareness to the tradition of the Alphorn so we can advance its legacy for future generations.

Information

  • Creator
    Alphorn Association of North America
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    50
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2022, The Alphorn Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Alphorn Podcast

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