David Haskins, Horn
David Haskins is the Associate Principal Horn of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, a position he has held since 2008. Before coming to Vancouver, he was Principal Horn of the Windsor Symphony Orchestra and an active freelancer in the Toronto area. In addition, he has performed in Japan as Principal/Third Horn of the Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra for their 2002-2003 season.
David has served as instructor of horn at the University of Windsor and the Community School at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.
An alumnus of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, David holds degrees in performance from the University of Toronto and McGill University, and has studied with Joan Watson, Christopher Gongos and John Zirbel. He is also an Associate of the Royal Conservatory at Toronto (ARCT), for which he earned a Gold Medal in the discipline of Orchestral Instruments.
Originally from North Bay, Ontario, David currently resides in Burnaby with his wife Eve and their daughter Daphne.
Benjamin Kinsman, Horn
After 10 years as Fourth Horn of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Ben was appointed to the position of Second Horn in 2011.
Prior to moving to Vancouver from Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Ben completed a Bachelor of Music Degree in Performance at Acadia University and a year of post-graduate studies at the New England Conservatory under James Sommerville.
In addition to his symphony position, Ben is a member of the Turning Point Ensemble, Principal Horn of the National Broadcast Orchestra, and a member of the Touch of Brass Quintet, the Vancouver Brass Project and the Vancouver Symphony Brass Quintet. Ben has performed with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Seattle Symphony for their 2005 and 2009 productions of Der Ring des Nibelungen, the San Antonio Symphony, Symphony Nova Scotia, and Vancouver productions of The Lion King and Wicked. Ben has enjoyed orchestra fellowships with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, Spoleto USA and the Tanglewood Music Centre and is on the faculty of music at the University of British Columbia.
Brian G’froerer, French Horn
Brian G’froerer was both Associate Principal horn of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) and Principal horn of the CBC Radio Orchestra for over thirty years. Now retired from those positions, Brian continues to freelance in Vancouver with the VSO as well as performing with the Victoria, Kamloops, and Okanagan orchestras. In addition, he is also asked to perform with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa.
Brian has taught horn at the VAM for many years as well as UBC and some colleges. Summer music programs include Courtney Youth Music Centre and the Saskatchewan Summer School of the Arts. For the past seven years, he has also been the horn coach at the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, based in London, Ontario.
