SFCM's English horns have now expanded to Hawaii.

In the latest win for the Oboe and English horn studios at the Conservatory, student Alexander Lenser has won the position of English horn with the Hawai'i Symphony Orchestra starting in 2026.

Lenser is currently in the first semester of his one-year Auxiliary Wind Instrument Professional Studies Certificate (PSC), adding him to the ranks of SFCM students who have secured professional positions before graduating from the Conservatory.

"Alex is one of the nicest students I've ever worked with," Lenser's private teacher, Russ de Luna, says. "He is an incredibly hard worker and a natural player with wonderful musical instincts. He has a very thoughtful approach to music-making which gives him a confidence and poise that will serve him very well! It's been a pleasure working with him and seeing him blossom into this epic player: I'm sure he’s going to do great things!"

"Studying under Russ de Luna has been both an honor and a privilege," Lenser says in return. "His supportive and insightful approach to teaching was instrumental in helping me succeed in the audition. Throughout the preparation process, he challenged me to pursue excellence in every aspect of my playing. I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to learn from such an accomplished musician and dedicated teacher."

Image

Staff Sergeant Belinda Rosen of the United States Marine Band.

Lenser's win makes a half-dozen SFCM English horn students out of either de Luna or Eugene Izotov's studio  who have secured positions on their instruments lately:

• 2018 PSC graduate Tim Daniels won the principal position with the Pittsburgh Symphony beginning with their 2025-2026 season: He previously secured a role with the Kansas City Symphony the same year he graduated SFCM and from there moved to the Fort Worth Symphony in 2021.
• 2018 master's degree graduate Casey Kearney has been performing as part of the Louisiana Symphony Orchestra since 2022 and was promoted to a full-time role in 2023.
• A third 2018 graduate, Christina Gavin, serves as both Principal Oboe with the Atlanta Opera and Second Oboe and English hornist for the Atlanta Ballet.
• Ben Brogadir ('20) joined the San Francisco Opera Orchestra in 2024 after playing with the Berkeley and Oregon Symphonies.
• Belinda Rosen ('21) won the English horn/oboe position in "The President’s Own" United States Marine Band in 2024 and now serves full-time in Washington, D.C.
   

SFCM's Auxiliary Wind Instrument PSC is a specialized track for wind students who want to focus primarily on piccolo, English horn, bass clarinet, and contrabassoon. Each studio accepts one student on each instrument, and applicants work closely on an individualized program course with their appointed faculty member. Aside from the performance opportunities available to all SFCM students like the Conservatory's Orchestra, New Music Ensemble, and Woodwind Chamber Music programs, students in this program will finish their degree with a capstone recital or mock audition for a panel of San Francisco Symphony members.

Learn more about studying woodwinds, oboe, or English horn at SFCM.