Instrument: Horn
Originally from: Seattle, WA
Now reside in: New York City, NY
Age: 25
Birthday: May 1
How did you get started? I went through a few instruments before the horn – violin, piano, flute… around age eleven I decided that too many people played these instruments, and I would never make it to the illustrious top youth symphony group! A bassoon instructor said, “Just play the horn…” So I did! It’s funny that you can come to something in a completely random way and it ends up being the perfect thing for you.
What do you do when you’re not playing with ROCO? I’m a New York City freelancer, and I travel all over the country/world playing with many different groups! I like variety!
What are you listening to on your iPod? Pretty much just Radiolab and This American Life podcasts, Queen’s Greatest Hits and Beyonce!
What did you do this summer? I’m currently eating, drinking and lying on beaches in Lisbon, Portugal. I spent a week teaching horn players and coaching chamber ensembles at Woodwinds at Wallowa Lake in Oregon, and played several shows with my new horn quartet, Genghis Barbie.
Personal info: Just a boyfriend!
Question you’re asked most often: Why is your hand in the bell? Answer: The hand in the bell helps to balance and control the tone quality, intonation and timbre of the horn, as well as allowing us to “stop” the horn – sealing the opening in the bell for a buzzing muted sound. It also helps us to hold the thing up!
Interests outside music: I make jewelry and other random art – I like to spraypaint and cut and glue things, etc. I’ll use whatever’s laying around. I’m an avid beer nut, and love cooking (well, food in general….), singing and listening to the radio!
Links: www.myspace.com/daniellekuhlmann; www.facebook.com/pages/Genghis-Barbie/109651785724992?ref=ts
Bio: Danielle Kuhlmann, hornist, has traveled the world, performing in symphony orchestras and chamber music concerts throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. After growing up in Seattle, Washington, she completed her undergraduate studies with Jerome Ashby at the Juilliard School. She has performed with the Seattle Symphony, Houston Symphony, American Ballet Theater and with the Brooklyn, Long Island and Westchester Philharmonics. Her interest in new music has brought her to perform with the American Composers Orchestra, Axiom, Wet Ink and other New York based contemporary music ensembles. Danielle is currently an active freelancer in New York City. Aside from the symphonic stage, she can be heard playing in various Broadway pit orchestras and on many television, video game and major motion picture soundtracks. Additionally, Danielle is currently a proud member of the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra in Houston.
Apart from performing, Danielle is an avid humanitarian, actively involved in group called Cultures in Harmony which is a non-profit organization that promotes cultural diplomacy through music. With this group she has travelled to the Philippines three times to work with both classical musicians and indigenous tribal youth. This summer she hopes to organize and lead a trip to Cameroon, Africa.
In whatever remaining spare time she may have, Danielle also runs an online handmade jewelry store of her own creations (dkuhl.etsy.com) and sings in the Brooklyn based alternative-country band Tatters and Rags. Danielle recently co-founded Genghis Barbie, an all-female pop french horn quartet.
