Hi, I’m Sarah Bell, a French horn player from Winnipeg, Manitoba. I have been passionate about playing the french horn since I was 12 years old and music has shaped my life in meaningful ways. I’m currently pursuing my Master’s in Horn Performance at the Manhattan School of Music in New York, where I study with Richard Deane.
My journey has taken me through youth and university orchestras, national competitions, and prestigious festivals across North America. I’ve been fortunate to perform in masterclasses with world-renowned horn players and to advance in major orchestral auditions, including the semi-finals for the New Jersey Symphony.
Through all of this, my goal remains the same: to grow as a versatile performer, collaborator, and lifelong learner—and to help make classical music more accessible and inclusive for everyone. Whether I’m performing Strauss, rehearsing with my quintet, or preparing orchestral excerpts, I aim to bring curiosity, heart, and excellence to every note.
Education
THE GLENN GOULD SCHOOL OF THE ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC
Toronto, ON — Bachelor of Performance (Honours), French Horn
September 2020 – 2024
MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC
New York, NY — Masters Degree in Classical Horn Performance
September 2024 – current
Musical Journey So Far
I grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I started playing French Horn at 12 years old in grade 7, and I moved to Toronto in 2020 for my undergraduate degree in French Horn performance at the Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory of Music. I studied with Christopher Gongos and Gabriel Radford while I was there. I am currently completing my Master’s Degree at the Manhattan School of Music, which is a two-year program, under Richard Deane. I have played in all three levels of the Manitoba Provincial Honour Band, as well as the Winnipeg Youth Symphony Orchestra (WYSO), Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, Winnipeg Pops Orchestra, and in the Glenn Gould School and Manhattan School of Music orchestras. I have attended festivals such as the Round-Top Festival Institute, Domaine Forget de Charlevoix, PRISMA, VSOI, and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. I have played in at least ten masterclasses, for legendary horn players such as David Cooper, Andrew Bain, and Stefan Dohr, and many more. In October 2023, I was invited to play Mozart’s Third Horn Concerto with the York Symphony Orchestra. I have also placed in many competitions, including third place in the Glenn Gould School Chamber Competition, first and third place in the intermediate and senior divisions of the Winnipeg Youth Symphony Orchestra Scholarship Competition, first in the Manitoba Band Association Solo Challenge, and a finalist in the WSO Provincial Student Soloist Competition. I have also won many awards, and received a full-tuition scholarship throughout all four years of my undergraduate degree. Recently I also advanced to the semi-final round of the New Jersey Symphony Second Horn audition.
About Sarah
• Biography:
o Education (e.g., current Master’s program)
1. THE GLENN GOULD SCHOOL OF THE ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC,
Toronto, ON — Bachelor of Performance (Honours), French Horn
September 2020 – 2024
2. MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC,
New York, NY — Masters Degree in Classical Horn Performance
September 2024 – current
o Musical journey so far (when she started, major milestones)
My name is Sarah Bell. I grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I started playing French Horn at 12 years old in grade 7, and I moved to Toronto in 2020 for my undergraduate degree in French Horn performance at the Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory of Music. I studied with Christopher Gongos and Gabriel Radford while I was there. I am currently completing my Master’s Degree at the Manhattan School of Music, which is a two-year program, under Richard Deane. I have played in all three levels of the Manitoba Provincial Honour Band, as well as the Winnipeg Youth Symphony Orchestra (WYSO), Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, Winnipeg Pops Orchestra, and in the Glenn Gould School and Manhattan School of Music orchestras. I have attended festivals such as the Round-Top Festival Institute, Domaine Forget de Charlevoix, PRISMA, VSOI, and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. I have played in at least ten masterclasses, for legendary horn players such as David Cooper, Andrew Bain, and Stefan Dohr, and many more. In October 2023, I was invited to play Mozart’s Third Horn Concerto with the York Symphony Orchestra. I have also placed in many competitions, including third place in the Glenn Gould School Chamber Competition, first and third place in the intermediate and senior divisions of the Winnipeg Youth Symphony Orchestra Scholarship Competition, first in the Manitoba Band Association Solo Challenge, and a finalist in the WSO Provincial Student Soloist Competition. I have also won many awards, and received a full-tuition scholarship throughout all four years of my undergraduate degree. Recently I also advanced to the semi-final round of the New Jersey Symphony Second Horn audition.
o Primary focus (solo, orchestral, chamber, teaching, etc.)
• For my career, I hope to one day play second or third horn in an orchestra, and would be just as happy if it was a symphony, ballet, or opera orchestra. I’d also love to be able to freelance, because the range of styles and people I’d encounter would be even more diverse than within a salaried position.
Mission or artistic vision
Artistically, I want to make classical music accessible to everybody. I want to participate in removing the elitism that tends to surround classical performances and make all people feel like they belong in the concert hall, whether onstage or in the audience.
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Education
THE GLENN GOULD SCHOOL OF THE ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC
Toronto, ON — Bachelor of Performance (Honours), French Horn
September 2020 – 2024
2. MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC,
New York, NY — Masters Degree in Classical Horn Performance
September 2024 – current
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