Allard Robert is the principal horn player at CineMusic. His musical career began at a young age when his father taught him to play the violin. “But the violin and I never became friends.” Now he plays not only the horn, but also the guitar, piano, and several other instruments. A great conversation with this multi-instrumentalist.
What is your role within CineMusic?
“I am the principal horn player at CineMusic. I’ve been doing that for about two or three years now, basically from the moment the orchestra started playing in its large ensemble format.”
How did you end up at CineMusic back then?
“I was asked by Henk Hummels, the conductor. We’ve known each other for a long time from the musical theater world. In his ‘previous life,’ he was a trombonist and we sat in the orchestra pit together. That was in the late nineties, with major productions like Phantom of the Opera and Titanic. When Henk started CineMusic, he invited a number of people he knew from that time.”
Were you immediately enthusiastic when he asked you?
“Yes, actually I was. Of course, I didn’t know exactly what CineMusic would become or how big it would grow, but film music is very rewarding repertoire for a horn player. It features a lot of brass and plenty of expression. So I said yes right away.”
When did your musical story actually begin?
“Very young. My father gave violin lessons and really wanted me to play the violin. I did that for two years, but the violin and I never really became friends. After that, I had piano lessons, but I actually wanted to play the trumpet. My parents didn’t think that was a good idea. And then I came home from school and suddenly there was a horn lying on my bed. I was about eight years old.”
And then you were hooked?
“Yes, pretty much. It was a small horn, mind you, otherwise I wouldn’t even have been able to lift it. But the instrument and I clicked immediately.”
Did you already feel back then that music would become your profession?
“Not very consciously, but it was quite obvious. My father was a musician, his father too – he was the city organist at the Bavo in Haarlem – and my brother and sister went to the conservatory. I never seriously considered any other study. Although for a brief moment, I wanted to be a forest ranger. But that didn’t stick.”
Did you go to the conservatory at a young age?
“Yes, at thirteen I went to the music high school in The Hague. There I had principal subject horn lessons twice a week. In addition, piano was a mandatory secondary subject. During those years, I was quite intensively involved with the horn, especially during my teens.”
Yet these days we often see you with other instruments as well. How does that work?
“It’s actually always been that way. Besides the horn, I played in bands, was very into pop music, and occasionally wrote my own music. I’ve always done guitar and piano on the side. At the moment, I even have more guitars in the house than horns. I think about twelve guitars and six horns.”
Do you see yourself as a multi-instrumentalist?
“Yes, I dare to say that now. I used to think that was a big word, but nowadays I’m actually asked to play keys or guitar. I played with The Analogues for ten years, where I combined horn with piano, percussion, and vocals. I really enjoy that variety.”
Why did you never choose to study guitar or piano, for example?
“I was accepted for horn at the conservatory and that turned out to be something I was good at. I just went with it. My horn teacher did feel that I should focus on it completely. I did pop projects a bit secretly, because he thought I should practice six hours a day. He literally said I had to live like a monk. But that doesn’t suit me.”
Is the horn indeed such a difficult instrument?
“Yes, it really is a difficult instrument. The notes are close together, so you easily play a wrong note. With one fingering, you can produce multiple tones. You have to constantly put a lot of time into it to play the instrument well. Sometimes it’s almost like a sport. Practicing long notes, scales, building up stamina. If I have a three-week holiday and don’t play, I really have to start over.”
That seems especially important with CineMusic.
“Absolutely. The programs are demanding, with many horn parts. That’s also exactly what makes it so much fun, but you do have to be in shape.”
What makes CineMusic so special for you personally?
“The repertoire, of course: all that film music, full of emotion and brass. But also the people. I play here with many old acquaintances from the musical theater world and from my studies. It feels like a close-knit group. The atmosphere is good, friendly, but at a high level.”
Do you have a favorite piece from the current program?
“That’s hard to choose, but I’m a big fan of John Williams. In this program, I really like Tintin (Tintin). It’s technically difficult and a real challenge for the orchestra. I also think Schindler’s List is beautiful, even though there’s very little horn in it. From a previous program, The Jungle Book is a favorite. That is pure nostalgia. It was the first film I saw in the cinema as a child. The music is amazing.”
What would you still like to achieve with CineMusic?
“More shows. Maybe even abroad. We do about thirty concerts a year now; fifty would be fine with me too. I think CineMusic definitely has the potential for that.”
Finally: do you have any musical dreams of your own?
“Mainly, I want to keep playing and have a lot of variety in musical genres. Something I do less of now and would like to do more of again is chamber music. Small ensembles, wind ensembles, horn with strings. There is so much beautiful music that isn’t heard enough. I think it would be wonderful to do more of that again.”