Philip Farkas facts for kids

Philip Farkas (born March 5, 1914 – died December 21, 1992) was a very important French horn player. He was the main horn player for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for many years. In 1960, he left to become a music teacher at Indiana University Bloomington.

Farkas wrote a famous book called The Art of French Horn Playing. Many people think it's the most important book for horn players. He also wrote other books like The Art of Brass Playing and The Art of Musicianship. Later in his life, he helped design a popular French horn called the Holton Farkas horn.

Philip Farkas's Musical Journey

Starting with Music

Philip Farkas was born on March 5, 1914. When he was about twelve, his Boy Scout group needed a bugler. Philip volunteered for the job. He learned from a neighbor who played the trumpet and quickly became very good.

Around age fourteen, Philip started to have asthma. His parents thought playing a wind instrument would be good for him. The school only had a bass drum and a tuba available. So, Philip chose the tuba.

Discovering the French Horn

Philip had to take a streetcar to school. The tuba was very big, and the driver complained it took up too much space. Philip asked what instrument would be easier to carry. The driver pointed to a horn case nearby.

Soon after, Philip and his father rented a Schmidt horn. It cost three dollars a month. Philip quickly fell in love with the horn. He decided he wanted to be a professional horn player.

A Talented Performer

While still in high school, Philip achieved a lot. He became the youngest member of the All-Chicago High School Orchestra. He was also the first horn player in the Chicago Civic Orchestra. His first professional job was playing first horn in the Kansas City Philharmonic.

Philip played first chair in many top orchestras. These included the Chicago Symphony, Boston Symphony, and Cleveland orchestras. He was the only horn player ever offered the main solo horn positions in these three major groups. He was also the youngest main player in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Teacher and Innovator

Philip Farkas was also a respected music professor. He taught at several universities, including Indiana University and Northwestern University. Some of his famous students included Douglas Hill.

Farkas also gave many workshops and performed as a soloist. He started his own publishing company called Wind Music Inc. He also worked with trumpeter Renold Schilke to create Schilke Music Products. They also advised Yamaha on musical instruments. In 1978, he received a special doctorate degree in music.

He is very well known for helping design the popular Holton-Farkas horn. This horn is made by the Frank Holton Company. He also designed many different mouthpieces.

His Legacy

Philip Farkas published four best-selling books. These books helped French horn players, brass players, and all musicians get better. His first book, The Art of French Horn Playing, is often called the "bible" for horn players.

Farkas was known for being kind and cheerful. He was also a perfectionist, meaning he always wanted things to be just right. He made a huge impact on the world of music. He continued to practice his horn every day until he passed away on December 21, 1992, at age 78.

Philip Farkas once wrote: “It is my desire to create such a book, containing not only the findings of my own years of experience, but that of my teachers, which prompts me to write so complex a subject as horn playing. But, if some day I might hear a solo beautifully played and would hear the soloist say afterward 'Your book helped me do that,' I would feel repaid for my effort a hundred times over” - Philip Farkas, The Art of French Horn Playing