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If you play French horn and want to learn more about the instrument and improve your technique, applied lessons are a great fit for you! Horn lessons at SDSU are one-on-one with Sam Gowen and are open to any SDSU student, no matter your major.

Whether you’re considering a future in music or simply want to grow as a horn player, we’d love to have you as part of our community.

Applied horn lessons meet weekly and are scheduled individually between you and Gowen to fit around your existing class schedule. At the start of the semester, you’ll work together to talk through your goals, both for the semester and beyond, and your lessons will be tailored to support those priorities. Lessons typically focus on scales, fundamental playing techniques, etudes, solo repertoire and orchestral excerpts. You’re welcome to bring in large ensemble music if something is giving you trouble, but lessons will mainly focus on building your individual skills and learning new repertoire.

In addition to lessons, students also enjoy community with their other horn classmates during studio masterclasses that meet several times throughout the semester. During these seminars, all horn students taking applied lessons will meet and discuss different aspects of horn playing, play for one another and play horn small ensemble music together.

If you have any questions about studying horn at SDSU, email Sam Gowen.

Sam Gowen

Sam Gowen is the academic advisor, scholarship coordinator and horn instructor for the South Dakota State University School of the Performing Arts. She teaches applied horn lessons to majors, minors and nonmajors, as well as the first-year seminar for incoming School of Performing Arts majors each fall. In addition to her teaching and advising duties, she serves as the recruitment and retention coordinator, managing recruiting and scholarship events on campus, as well as representing the school at regional and national music conferences.

Prior to SDSU, Gowen served as the artist in residence, horn, for Valdosta State University where she taught bachelors and master’s horn students and a graduate brass methods course for music education majors. She also served as co-principal for the Valdosta Symphony Orchestra alongside Paul Basler. Gowen actively freelanced with a variety of orchestras and chamber groups across the Florida panhandle and South Georgia, including Sinfonia Gulfcoast, Panama City Symphony Orchestra, Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra and Big Bend Brass, among others.

Gowen earned her Doctorate in Music for horn performance from Florida State University, her Master in Music from Michigan State University in horn performance and completed her Bachelor of Music in music education and horn performance from the University of Georgia.