Next week, the UA School of Music will present a new member of its faculty, and a distinguished one at that. Daniel Katzen, associate professor of horn, came to the UA in August, but has yet to officially settle in; he continues to split his time between Arizona and Boston, where he is completing his 29th year as second horn in the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Katzen also currently teaches at Boston University and the New England Conservatory, which, in total, keeps him on the East Coast “”one to two weeks per month,”” he said.
“”I’ve been spending the year gradually moving west,”” Katzen said.
Katzen said he was excited about getting back to his roots; the beginning of his career was spent at the Phoenix Symphony from 1976 to 1978.
Although his bi-coastal lifestyle keeps him busy, Katzen is certainly no stranger to traveling; he has performed 5,000 concerts on five continents, in 22 countries and 25 states in the U.S.
Katzen will officially end his run with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in August, at the end of the concert season.
“”It will be bittersweet; I’ve spent more than half of my life in the Boston Symphony,”” he said. “”But now I’ll be playing about 20 concerts a year and not 200! I’ll get to focus on teaching, which I like.””
Katzen will teach the brass section of ensembles for the UA, focusing primarily on horn, and said he is happy with the move.
“”The UA faculty has been extremely supportive, they are pleasant and also very professional,”” Katzen said. “”The students are really hard workers, as well.””
On Wednesday March 5, Katzen is set to perform in his first UA concert, in which he will play J.S. Bach’s “”Suite No. 6 for Cello Solo”” and Bela Bartok’s “”Romanian Dances.”” Katzen transcribed Bach’s cello solo for horn.
“”It will be the last of Bach’s (cello solos) that I will have transcribed,”” Katzen said. “”It will complete that cycle. This whole year has been symbolic of closing circles.””
The concert will also feature pianist Paula Fan, Keith Johnson, a School of Music professor emeritus and the UA horn studio.
“”It’s an opportunity to hear past and present faculty members perform, and also to see them interacting with the students,”” Katzen said.
The Faculty Artist Series recital will be held Wednesday, March 5, at 7:30 p.m. in the UA School of Music’s Crowder Hall. Admission is free and the recital is open to the public.
