Spencer Bay, Principal Horn
A native of Northern Kentucky, Spencer Bay began his musical studies on piano at age four and dabbled with various instruments before finally settling with horn by age 14. Spencer received his Bachelor of Music degree from Rice University in 2019, where he studied with William VerMeulen, his Master of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music in 2021 under the tutelage of Peter Kurau and then spent the next couple of years as a fellow at the New World Symphony. As a professional musician, he has performed with ensembles such as the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Houston Symphony, the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra, Houston Grand Opera, Rochester Philharmonic, Buffalo Philharmonic, Richmond Symphony Orchestra and Syracuse’s Symphoria, as well as performing as guest principal with the Calgary Philharmonic and Nu Deco Ensemble. In addition, he has received fellowships to spend his summers at a variety of music festivals including the Verbier Festival Orchestra, National Repertory Orchestra, the National Orchestral Institute + Festival and the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.
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The facts:
I am from Butler, Kentucky.
What are you most excited for as you begin your tenure with Artis—Naples?
This upcoming season has some incredible rep for horn. With Beethoven’s 2nd and 3rd Symphonies, Don Juan and Death and Transfiguration, Stravinsky’s Firebird and Mahler’s 5th Symphony, it’s hard to not be excited!
What is one fun fact about you?
I have a pretty substantial collection of plants that I am constantly adding to.
What inspired you to become a musician?
Music has always been a part of my life, but my inspiration to pursue it professionally came from my summers spent at the Interlochen Arts Camp. That was the first time I was surrounded by others who were just as enthusiastic about making music as I was, and it was then that I decided I wanted to pursue music professionally.
What’s challenging about playing your instrument?
The horn is a very physically demanding instrument due to how precise you need to be in order to play it. There are only 4 valves on a standard double-horn, so you have to play a lot of notes by manipulating your air and lip pressure. On top of this, the higher you go in range, the closer the notes that you’re able to play with just your air and lips get to each other. You can actually play an entire scale from octave to octave with just one valve! It can almost be like walking a tightrope in the upper range, so you must have a good ear and solid idea of what you want to play in order to be accurate.
What are your favorite compositions?
I have many that I love, but one composition that I never get tired of is Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings.
What have you been listening to recently?
I’ve been feeling a little homesick lately, so I’ve been listening to a lot of Tyler Childers and S.G. Goodman who are both Kentucky born-and-raised folk/country artists.
Are there other musicians in your immediate family?
There are no other professional musicians in my immediate family. However, my dad was a middle school band director for a number of years in the '80s and '90s and still plays a few instruments, one including horn.
What do you like to do outside of work?
Outside of work I really enjoy playing video games with my friends back home, working out at the gym and teaching.