I’m a classically-trained French horn player with a particular interest in historical instruments. I have played with period-instrument ensembles in Boston, New York, Austin, and across the country. You can find some recordings here (Mozart) and here (Telemann).

I often get asked if I study the physics of music. Until I got involved with period instruments, I hadn’t really been interested in this area of research. But it turns out the physics of brass instruments is fantastically complex, especially before the advent of valves on the modern instrument. One project with immediate practical applications is trying to reverse-engineer a Baroque horn which can play (in tune!) all the notes required by composers like Bach, without the aid of the hand in the bell. I’m currently working with colleagues at Princeton (physics) and Indiana University (music) to design such an instrument as a proof of principle.

You might also enjoy this video of me playing a horn in a tuxedo and analyzing the physics of the waveform: