Jennifer Montone — Horn

Grammy Award–winning hornist Jennifer Montone has been praised by The New York Times for her “flawless horn solos … and warm and noble sound.” She serves as principal horn of The Philadelphia Orchestra and is an internationally acclaimed soloist, chamber musician, and teacher. Since joining the Orchestra in 2006, she has been a member of the faculties at both the Curtis Institute of Music and The Juilliard School.

Montone previously held positions as principal horn of the St. Louis Symphony, associate principal of the Dallas Symphony, and third horn of the New Jersey Symphony. She has appeared as a guest with leading ensembles including the Berlin and New York philharmonics and the Cleveland, Metropolitan Opera, Saint Paul Chamber, and Orpheus chamber orchestras.

As a soloist, Montone has performed with orchestras such as the Philadelphia Orchestra; Warsaw National Philharmonic; and the Dallas, St. Louis, National, and Polish National Radio symphonies. Her recording of Penderecki’s Horn Concerto, Winterreise, with the Warsaw Philharmonic won the 2013 Grammy Award for Best Classical Compendium. Her discography also includes Jennifer Montone Performs, Still Falls the Rain (works by Britten), Gabrieli with the National Brass Ensemble, and Song of Shinobué. She made her Carnegie Hall recital debut at Weill Recital Hall in 2008.

A sought-after chamber musician, Montone has appeared with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Bravo! Vail, Marlboro Music Festival, Spoleto Festival dei Due Mondi (Italy), and many others. She has also collaborated with eminent artists such as Emanuel Ax, Christoph Eschenbach, Eric Owens, Shmuel Ashkenasi, Joseph Silverstein, and David Soyer.

Montone is a graduate of The Juilliard School, where she studied with Julie Landsman, former principal horn of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. A native of northern Virginia, she was a fellow in the National Symphony Orchestra Youth Fellowship Program and a student of Edwin Thayer. Her honors include the Avery Fisher Career Grant (2006) and the Bob Paxman Young Horn Player of the Year Award (1996). She is married to double bassist Timothy Ressler and enjoys life with their two sons, Max and Felix.