The Horn Signal is proudly brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass. Join hosts John Snell and Preston Shepard as they interview horn players around the world. Today's episode features LA/Hollywood Studio Hornist, Laura Brenes.

About Laura:

French Horn player, Laura Brenes began playing horn when she was 9 years old. She decided to give life as a professional musician a shot after being a part of the "Disney Collegiate All-Star Band" in 1999. After that, she studied with the legendary Vince DeRosa while obtaining her master's degree at the University of Southern California. While still in school, she began performing with local orchestras and various ensembles. She has been able to perform in numerous diverse musical situations. Some highlights include being a part of the orchestra for the academy awards, touring the world with groups including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, performing concerts with Danny Elfman at the Coachella music festival, and becoming a Guiness Book of World Records Record holder for being a part of the largest ever orchestra for a hip-hop concert. Over the years, the majority of her work has been in the recording studio where she can be heard on hundreds of soundtracks for all types of media. Among the titles are "Star Wars," "Oppenheimer," "West Side Story (2021)," "Frozen," "The Fablemans," "Turning Red," "Disenchanted," "Jungle Cruise," "Free Guy," "Encanto," "Avatar," "SpongeBob," "Inside Out," and many more. Laura has been solo principal horn for many projects including John Williams' series "Obi Wan (2022)." She released a solo album in 2015 entitled "a Time and a Place" which can be found on all platforms.

The Horn Signal is proudly brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass. Join hosts John Snell and Preston Shepard as they interview horn players around the world. Today's episode features John Little, horn soloist, and teacher.

About John:

John Little has been a touring member of the Starlight Horn Duo, been a featured artist at the Northeast Horn Workshop, a teaching clinician for the Northeast Horn Workshop, performed as a featured soloist at the KMEA, KMTA, Southern Indiana Mozart Festival, with the Jewish Community Orchestra, The Kentuckiana Philharmonic, The Christian Academy of Louisville Wind Ensemble, Featured artist/clinician at the Ohio University Horn Weekend, and most recently at Murray State University, and Campbellsville University, The University of Kentucky, Valdosta State University, The University of Illinois, and The University of Missouri at Kansas City Conservatory.

His latest solo album, Horn Evolution is on the Parma label, and can be heard on tidal, Spotify, Apple Music, and others. His previous release "Hornistic" can be heard on Spotify, and all streaming services.

Mr. Little has taught horn at Centre College, the University of Louisville Community Music Program, and has twice been artist in residence at Bellarmine University, as well as being Instructor of horn at Campbellsville University.
In 2008 he was awarded the MTNA STaR award for outstanding teaching, and is an MTNA certified Master Teacher. His former students have won positions with the orchestras of Richmond (VA), Louisville, Fort Wayne, Annapolis, Santiago Chile, The Chicago Civic, and a professorship of horn position at Campbellsville University.

John Little is a representative of Buffet Crampon USA, and is a Hans Hoyer concert artist, performing on a Meister Hans Hoyer horn, and is a Parma recording artist. He teaches modern horn, hand horn, baroque horn, peak performance, and performance practice.

The Horn Signal is proudly brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass. Join hosts John Snell and Preston Shepard as they interview horn players around the world. Today's episode features Kaylet Torrez, of the Pacific Symphony, and studio horn player.

About Kaylet:

Kaylet Torrez began her musical studies at the age of three through Venezuela's renowned El Sistema program and started studying the horn at age eight. From 2004 to 2014, she was a member of the horn section of the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, performing in major concert halls including the Berlin Philharmonie, Royal Albert Hall, KKL Lucerne, Beethovenhalle Bonn, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Carnegie Hall, and Teatro alla Scala, among others.

In 2014, she was appointed Principal Horn of the National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia. In 2015, she received a full scholarship to study at the Colburn School in Los Angeles with Andrew Bain.

Since 2016, Kaylet has performed with major orchestras including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, appearing frequently as a guest principal horn. She has also toured internationally with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Pacific Symphony.

In 2018, she joined the roster of Hollywood studio musicians and has recorded for major motion pictures including The Lion King, Jumanji, Minions, Bumblebee, Predator, Aquaman, and Terminator, among others.

In 2025, Kaylet won the Associate Principal Horn audition with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. She continues to appear as a guest principal horn internationally and is regularly invited to perform at festivals and special projects.

An active educator, Kaylet has presented masterclasses and educational programs in Los Angeles (including UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music), Mexico City, and Colombia. She currently serves as Assistant Principal Horn of the Pacific Symphony, a position she has held since 2017, and maintains a private studio where she mentors young horn players in orchestral performance, studio work, and audition preparation.

The Horn Signal is proudly brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass and the Colburn School Summer Brass Institute. Join hosts John Snell and Preston Shepard as they interview horn players around the world. Today's episode features Preston Shepard, Los Angeles freelance horn player and podcast host.

About Preston Shepard:

Preston Shepard is an active free-lance hornist in the Los Angeles area. A student of Joseph Meyer, he studied at Cal State University Northridge and Azusa Pacific University. Preston has performed with the San Diego Symphony, the Los Angeles Opera, Pacific Symphony, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Long Beach Symphony, Santa Barbara Symphony, Opera Santa Barbara, San Bernardino Symphony, New West Symphony, Redlands Symphony, Riverside Philharmonic, Santa Maria Symphony, Los Angeles Jewish Symphony, and many others around the Greater Los Angeles area. He has also recorded on numerous feature films, television shows and specials such as Avatar 2, Zootopia 2, Hocus Pocus 2, Aquaman 2, Wish, Encanto : Live at the Hollywood Bowl, The Game Awards, Big City Greens, The Nun, The Boogeyman, Geostorm, Inhumans, The Orville, Blood and Treasure, Homecoming Season 2, Star Trek : Lower Decks, Picard, Discovery, Strange New Worlds, Solar Opposites, and Presumed Innocent as well as for video game projects such as Fortnite, Overwatch and League of Legends. He has also recorded on albums for artists such as Avenged Sevenfold and Deadmau5. Preston is the adjunct professor of horn at Westmont College and The Master's University.

The Horn Signal is proudly brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass. Join hosts John Snell and Preston Shepard as they interview horn players around the world. Today's episode features Julie Pilant, formerly of the Met, now with Utah Symphony.

About Julie:

Julia Pilant is currently the acting 3rd horn for the Utah Symphony/Utah Opera, and a regular guest with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra horn section and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Previously, she was the assistant principal horn for the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra for 14 years and a horn instructor for the Bard College Conservatory of Music for 16 years. Prior to holding those positions, she was the principal horn of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra for 10 years. Ms. Pilant also freelanced for several decades in New York City and performed regularly with Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke's, New York City Ballet, and numerous Broadway shows. She has played principal horn for the Saito Kinen/Ozawa and Tokyo Opera Nomori music festivals, the Mito Chamber Orchestra in Japan, and has participated in the Santa Fe Chamber, Affinis (Japan), Sarasota, Festival Napa Valley, Classical Tahoe, Strings, Mainly Mozart, and La Jolla Music Society Summerfest music festivals. In 1994 she won the American Horn Competition. As an equally enthusiastic music educator, she has given masterclasses in schools and festivals across the country, including The Juilliard School, USC, Interlochen Arts Camp, and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, and is a founding member of the recently formed Coalition of Musicians for Ethical Change. Ms. Pilant received her Bachelor's degree from Eastman School of Music (student of Verne Reynolds), and her Master's and Doctoral degrees from The Juilliard School (student of Julie Landsman).

The Horn Signal is proudly brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass. Join hosts John Snell and Preston Shepard as they interview horn players around the world. Today's episode features Phil Yao, Hollywood studio hornist.

About Phil:

With over 1,500 credits in film, television and recording, USC graduate Phillip Yao has worked with many of the world's top composers and musicians including John Williams, James Horner, Michael Giacchino and Jerry Goldsmith.

He can be heard on recordings showcasing a variety of artists from all genres; Hilary Hahn, Barbra Streisand, Aerosmith, Ray Charles, and Neil Diamond, to name a few.

In addition, he has years of orchestral, opera, ballet, and Broadway show experience having been a member of the Pasadena Symphony and playing with the Pacific Symphony, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Opera, Phantom of the Opera and Miss Saigon.

He and his wife, harpist, Alison Bjorkedal, currently spend time gardening, golfing, and beekeeping. They also enjoy spending time with Phil's 3-year old grandson. Post-playing, Phil has joined the team at Juliani Music Preparation.

The Horn Signal is proudly brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass. Join hosts John Snell and Preston Shepard as they interview horn players around the world. Today's episode features Dave Everson, formerly of Detroit Symphony Orchestra and LA studio hornist.

About Dave:

David Everson, retired Assistant Principal Horn of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, joined the DSO in 1999 after serving as Principal Horn of the Kansas City Symphony for 13 years. A Michigan native and student of Louis Stout at the University of Michigan, he has also performed as guest Principal with ensembles including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, National Symphony, and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. Everson is active as a studio musician in Los Angeles, where he has recorded more than 150 film scores, and he continues to perform with the Naples Philharmonic and freelance in LA.