Dylon Pastoor

Horn

Dylon is thrilled to make music with the Guelph Symphony Orchestra. A lifelong music enthusiast, he began studying in classical music and early music on the natural horn at Wilfrid Laurier University and Western University. Dylon is an active freelance musician in Southwestern Ontario, playing with orchestras, chamber ensembles, and pit bands. Getting to perform and collaborate with different people through the concert season is the highlight of his work.

What inspired you to pick up your instrument for the first time, and how has your journey evolved since then?
I fell in love with the sound of the French horn. I was impressed with what it could do (not what I could do at the time!), and how close it could mimic the emotions of the human voice. From there, after much practice, what I grew to love was playing and creating beautiful music with others.

How do you prepare mentally and physically before a big concert?
I try to keep to a “normal” routine. I expect to play the same way I can from my day to day practising, so no secret rituals. However, I stay away from salt and bigger meals before performances for the sake of my lips and being able to comfortably take deep breaths.

How do you balance the demands of practice and performance with your personal life?
This is the trickiest part of being a musician! It takes a lot of discipline to keep yourself wanting to sit down in your practise space. Finding ways to engage yourself and not fall into a rut with practising is difficult, but I find upcoming performances are enough encouragement. Setting aside a specific time everyday to create a routine, treating the time like you would another job.