Page 47 - The Strad (February 2020)

Jerry Horner (right) performs with his Fine Arts Quartet
colleagues in the 1980s – violinists Ralph Evans and
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profound way to one of the world’s great art forms and to have ‘THE TRANSCENDENT
had the honour to share his insights with others.
Horner was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1935. e QUALITY OF CHAMBER
son of a sherman, he rose through hard work and application MUSIC IS ITS ABILITY
to the greatest stages of the classical music world. Early in his
career, he was the principal violist of the Houston, Dallas and TO TEACH US TO BE
Pittsburgh symphony orchestras, playing under renowned BETTER HUMAN BEINGS’
conductors such as Leopold Stokowski, John Barbirolli, Donald
Johanos and William Steinberg. During this period, Horner ʞ 7 VVx )HVB V
appeared as a soloist more than 50 times with these and other
orchestras. At the same time, he began his professional chamber
music career by forming the New Arts Quartet (1957–63) in
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Houston, going on to form the Toledo Quartet in 1964 (till
1967) and later joining the Claremont (1969–73) and
Berkshire (1975–76) quartets. In the second half of his career Carlos Rubio, second violinist of the Dalí Quartet, which
he devoted himself mainly to chamber music: with the Vermeer Horner taught privately, remembers: ‘He was incredibly
Quartet for two years (1978–80) and then with the Fine Arts in£uential on our quartet’s artistic growth. His approach to
Quartet for twenty years (1980–2000). music making extended far beyond technique and o¤ered
As a mentor and teacher Horner held professorships at lessons for life that will always stay with us. After every coaching
University of North Carolina School of the Arts, the University session we felt inspired and motivated to continue to learn. He
of Pittsburgh, Indiana University Bloomington, Northern challenged us in the most comforting ways, believing in our
Illinois University and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. artistry and capacity as performers.’
He also co-founded two string academies for children and Horner taught Barry Shapiro in North Carolina, Pittsburgh
co-developed string instruction approaches and programmes and Bloomington. Now associate principal viola of the Orchestre
that have frequently been replicated. After retiring in 2000, de la Suisse Romande, Shapiro recalls: ‘Jerry was an extremely
Horner dedicated himself almost exclusively to helping young rare breed of teacher. He went way beyond his nominal
quartets, travelling the US and around the world to meet and responsibilities and in£uenced every aspect of my well-being,
mentor them and help them achieve their ideals. on a musical–artistic level as well as in terms of health and

0 THE STRAD 45
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