Episode #1 - Steve Becknell

The Horn Signal

The Horn Signal is proudly brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass. Join hosts John Snell and Preston Shepard as they interview horn players around the world. Today's episode features hornist, Steve Becknell, principal horn of the LA Opera, adjunct professor of horn at USC's Thornton School of Music, and studio musician for thousands of films, television episodes, video games and record albums. You can visit the show notes for this episode here.

About Steve

Steve Becknell has had an extensive and varied career as a horn player. In 1982, he moved to Southern California to study with famed studio player Vince DeRosa at USC, but began working professionally while still in school. He has played in orchestras throughout Southern California including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the San Diego Symphony, the Pacific Symphony, and was a member of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra for 8 years. He is also in demand as a chamber musician, and has performed with Santa Barbara-based Camerata Pacifica as well as the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival and the Mainly Mozart Festival. But the bulk of Steven’s time was spent recording in the Hollywood studios. To date, he has played on over 1,000 different motion pictures and numerous television series, as well as playing on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Steve has played live for the Academy Awards, sat in the pit for Broadway shows, and has had the honor of recording with such legendary artists as Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Barry Manilow and Josh Groban.

Steve has been playing principal horn with the Los Angeles Opera for over 25 years. In 2010 he performed all the offstage and pit solos of Wagner’s complete Ring cycle, the first time it had ever been produced in Southern California. To date, he has played over 1,500 performances with the Los Angeles Opera. Steve is currently on the faculty at the University of Southern California.