Quadre Queries

are questions we ask about curious musical things. Look out . . . We may call you next!

Why do horn players put their hands in their bells?

"Because they're 'Haydn' something."
— Andrea de Wit

"I think it has something to do with the airflow out of the horn." — Rachel Wood

"To adjust the pitch and change the sound."
— Rob Schmidtke

"To mute the sound." — Stefani Palmer

"To affect the dynamics of the playing."
— Brian Schuldt

"To try & catch all the missed notes." — Eric Achen

"To get more of a muffled type of sound; Miles Davis and John Coltrane" — Betty Jaureque

"To make a better sound." — Anonymous

"To keep them warm as far as I can tell."
— Jim McMillen

What is your favorite instrument and why?

"The French horn because my husband and I play it and we make beautiful music together."
— Andrea de Wit

"The violin because I always wanted to learn how to play it." — Rachel Wood

"The French horn, actually, because I started playing it in the fourth grade." — Rob Schmidtke

"The piano because it can create so many sounds and feelings." — Stefani Palmer

"Gotta be the cello because it best emulates the human voice range." — Brian Schuldt

"The French horn because it earns me my livelihood." — Eric Achen

"Guitar, because I like rock and roll."
— Betty Jaureque

"Oboe since it has an interesting sound."
— Anonymous

"Trombone because I play it. Second most is the harp." — Jim McMillen

What animal does a horn sound like?

"An elephant trumpeting." — Andrea de Wit

"A sick bear." — Rachel Wood

"An elephant." — Rob Schmidtke

"A duck." — Stefani Palmer

"A goose." — Brian Schuldt

"The horn sounds closest to a moose at rutting season." — Eric Achen

"Moose." — Betty Jaureque

"Elephant." — Anonymous

"A peacock." — Jim McMillen

What food does the French Horn remind you of?

“Spaghetti, because it curls around like one.”
— Rachel Wood

“Linguini.” — Stefani Palmer

"Pasta; spaghetti." — Brian Schuldt

"A golden pear." — Eric Achen

"French bread." — Betty Jaureque

"Spaghetti." — Anonymous

"A huge maroon piece of tasty calves' liver — full of fat and very rich." — Jim McMillen

Rocket is to Galaxy as Chamber Ensemble is to (blank).

"Are we taking the GRE here?" — Andrea de Wit

"The music industry." — Rachel Wood

"Musical enlightenment." — Rob Schmidtke

"Music in general." — Stefani Palmer

"Life." — Brian Schuldt

"Musical vibrations." — Eric Achen

"Classical music." — Betty Jaureque

"Conductor." — Anonymous

"True beauty in this hemisphere." — Jim McMillen

What animal does a horn look like?

"It looks like a big ol' snail." — Andrea de Wit

"A snake." — Rachel Wood

"A snail." — Rob Schmidtke

"A duck." — Stefani Palmer

"South American coiled snake; serpent."
— Brian Schuldt

"A conch shell." — Eric Achen

"Ant eater." — Betty Jaureque

"Snail." — Anonymous

"An armadillo. Of course if you stick your hand in an armadillo, you are going to get something gnarly."
— Jim McMillen

A horn a day keeps the . . .

"Conductor away." — Rob Schmidtke

"Saxes away." — Stefani Palmer

"Keeps the neighbors away." — Brian Schuldt

"Bad lips away." — Eric Achen

"Blues away." — Betty Jaureque

"Dentist away." — Anonymous

"Whole string section in line." — Jim McMillen

When do you listen to music & why?

"All the time. It gets me in a better mood."
— Laurel Smith

"In the car to drown out my children chattering."
— Liana deWit—Smith

Four horns sound like . . .

"Music made in heaven" — Carmen Castellano

"A sick elephant" — Erik Smith

"Hiking in the mountains on a crisp cool morning." — Andrea de Wit

What makes a French horn French?

"Because it is so sexy with all those curves."
— Nina Wood

"The tone must be French; it's so pleasant."
— Virginia Burkman