Bay Atlantic Symphony Principal Horn Lyndsie Wilson Performs “Concerto for Horn and Strings”

Movements Range from Gorgeous Nocturnes to an Effervescent and Jubilant Finale.

Bay Atlantic Symphony’s Principal Horn performer Lyndsie Wilson’s first music lessons were in a Suzuki violin class. But when she was one of the few in her elementary school who could get a sound from a brass mouthpiece, the trajectory of her career began to take a different direction.

Fast forward to 2026, and the now-accomplished horn player is the featured soloist for Bay Atlantic Symphony’s Concerto for Horn and Strings by composer Gordon Jacob. It’s part of the “Swinging in the New Year” concert January 17 & 18.

Hints of Wilson’s talent were confirmed one summer as an 11^th grader at the famed Tanglewood Institute in Massachusetts. That was the first time she admitted to herself, “I think I got something here.” From that point forward, the horn became her passion. “I knew it was my calling. Playing the horn was one thing I adored more than anything else.”

Wilson studied orchestral musical performance at Temple University and later earned her Master of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music. There Wilson was noticed. As a student, she had the opportunity to journey down the street from the music school to play with the Cleveland Orchestra.

Wilson’s Calendar is full of Performance Engagements

Wilson has since established a robust performance career, playing with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera Philly, Philly Pops and Italy’s Spoleto Festival, among others.

Still, she always looks forward to her performances with Bay Atlantic Symphony, where she is principal horn player. “I love working with Jed (Music Director Jed Gaylin). It’s a really close-knit ensemble.”

Wilson devotes about half her time to teaching, serving as Adjunct Professor of Horn at Rowan University until a recent move to Tampa, Florida. She has now joined the music faculty of the University of South Florida.

A Passionate Advocate for the Horn

Wherever the music takes her, Wilson remains a passionate advocate for the horn. She established the Liberty Horn Club in Philadelphia for players of all skills and ages to share the love of the sound she likens to “a warm hug.” Wilson adds, “the horn produces a sound that resonates all around you in the space. I consider it such a gift to be able to produce that sound.”

The upcoming Bay Atlantic Symphony concert will be Wilson’s first professional performance of the Jacob Concerto, composed in 1951. Wilson does not dispute the Musical Times’ take on the piece: “Though it in no way taxes the listener, it makes phenomenal demands on the soloist.” Says Wilson, “It pushes the horn player to the limits of our ranges, from the top notes to the bottom, and the articulations as quite brisk.” She says the audience will hear movements ranging from acrobatic melodies, gorgeous nocturnes to an effervescent and jubilant ending.

Wilson enjoys performing compositions from many musical eras. “I love everything from Mozart to most modern composers.” While it’s hard for her to pick a favorite, she admits “my heart is in the romantic era. To be on stage playing a Mahler symphony is an epic experience.” She also says Strauss is “so special for horn players.”

Wilson will return to Philadelphia in May to play with Bay Atlantic Symphony on the “Exhilarating Rhythms” concert featuring Beethoven Symphony No. 7, as well as the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia in a concert of Beethoven’s “Eroica” symphony. Meanwhile she is encouraging more students in Florida to excel in their horn playing and looks forward to setting up a local South Florida horn club to share “that giant, soaring sound.”