Biography
Carolyn Hove has been the solo English horn player in the Los Angeles Philharmonic since 1988.
Following her graduation from the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, until she assumed the English horn position with the San Antonio Symphony in 1986, Ms. Hove had an active musical career in the Chicago area, where she performed with numerous ensembles and was a member of the faculties of Elmhurst College and Northern Illinois University. It was at this time that she developed her enduring interest in new music as the result of her association with prestigious Contemporary Chamber Players of the University of Chicago under the direction of composer/conductor Ralph Shapey.
Ms. Hove has appeared as a soloist in many venues, including a recital on the acclaimed Dame Myra Hess Concert Series in Chicago and appearances with the La Jolla Chamber Music Society, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and many other leading ensembles. In 1993, she performed the U.S. premiere of Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Second Meeting, for oboe and piano, on the Philharmonic’s Green Umbrella New Music Series, with pianist Gloria Cheng. In 1995, she performed the U.S. Premiere of Salonen’s Mimo II (a work derived from Second Meeting) for oboe and orchestra, with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. In Los Angeles, in March of 1999, she performed to critical acclaim, the world premiere of William Kraft’s Encounters XI: The Demise of Suriyodhaya for English horn and percussion, which was followed by a repeat performance in Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center in New York. This work was commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and written for Ms. Hove and Raynor Carrol, the orchestra’s principal percussionist. In January 2003, Ms. Hove performed the world premiere of William Kraft’s Concerto for English Horn and Orchestra with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by its Music Director, Esa-Pekka Salonen. The work was commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and written expressly for Ms. Hove. In addition, she has premiered works by Gerhard Samuel, Paul Turok and many others.
In 1996, Crystal Records released her first solo CD entitled 20th Century Music for English Horn and Oboe, which includes the premier recording of Salonen's Second Meeting. Her second CD, entitled "Ascending to Superlatives" was released by Crystal Records in 2000 and features the English Horn in various chamber settings, including premier recordings of works by William Kraft, Gerhard Samuel, Paul Turok and others.
Ms. Hove maintains a busy schedule as a teacher whose activities have included guest lectureship at leading music schools throughout the U.S., Europe and Canada including the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School (London), the Royal Northern College of Music (U.K.), The Banff Centre (Canada), the University of Texas, Ithaca College and the Music Academy of the West. In addition, since 2005, she has presented the annual "English Horn Master Classes with Carolyn Hove" held at Brigham Young University. For 2009, the venue was moved to Ball State University. She has served on the Executive Committee of International Double Reed Society.
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[...] English hornist Carolyn Hove and pianist Gloria Cheng perform Hindemith's Sonata with great vivacity and ecute rhythmic panache [...]
Source: Turok's Choice (1997)[...] As the disc so amply observes, she is a wonderful virtuoso exponent of the instrument [...] Her tonal quality belongs to that "pastoral" school of playing [...]
Source: Fanfare (2001)[...] She produces a steady, clear mellifluous tone [...]
Source: Fanfare (March/April 1997)[...] the musicality exhibited on this recording is "top notch"
Source: NACWPI (1998)