Senior Spotlight: Andrew Stump, French Horn

School: Homeschool

What AYPO ensembles have you played in and for how long?
I’ve played in AYP for 4 seasons, since 2014.

Your favorite/most memorable musical memory?
It’s really difficult for me to choose a favorite, but one that stands out is when I played 4th horn on Mahler 1 when AYP performed it in June 2015.  Because of the augmented instrumentation of the piece, we invited many extra players to join us.  The sheer immensity of the ending, with the whole orchestra at full throttle and the horns standing up, was so exciting.  I’m looking forward to the next chance I get to perform this piece again.

What musician inspires you and why?
Alessio Allegrini.  He has such a wonderful musical soul as well as phenomenal virtuosic ability on the horn.  

Advice for young musicians
Listen to professional musicians as much as you can, whether live or in recording.  Also, record yourself while you practice and listen to your recordings with intent.  When you perform, compete, or audition, always remember to prioritize making the most beautiful music and having a gorgeous sound over technical prowess.  Your great musical soul is what will reach the audience, not your technical ability.

What do you hope to do after graduation?
I already graduated in the spring of 2017, and took a gap year this year to focus on practicing and preparing for college.  This summer I will be attending Music House International, a program of the Philadelphia International Music Festival.  And as for the fall of 2018, I’m very excited to begin studies at the Juilliard School.