French Horns
Chandra Cervantes
A graduate of both Northwestern University and San Francisco Conservatory, Chandra Cervantes has held positions with The United States Army Field Band, Tulsa Philharmonic, Shanghai Broadcasting Symphony, and Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Now an active freelance musician in the Washington, DC/Baltimore area, she is a member of the Maryland Symphony Orchestra, American Pops Orchestra, Barclay Brass, Washington Symphonic Brass, and Inscape, a Grammy nominated chamber ensemble committed to presenting emerging American composers.
Chandra performs regularly with Wolf Trap Orchestra, Washington National Opera, Baltimore Symphony and National Symphony Orchestra. With the National Symphony Orchestra she has played on three international tours, performing across Europe, Poland, South America, Mexico, Trinidad, and Oman. Additionally Chandra has been involved in several shows in the DC area including a production of Anastasia at the John F. Kennedy Center, Into the Woods at Ford’s Theater, and She Loves Me at Signature Theatre. Since 2020 Chandra has played and spoken at the Wintergreen Music Festival, collaborating with musicians from around the country.
While maintaining a private home studio, Chandra is also Professor of Horn at University of Maryland Baltimore County, Montgomery College, and Instructor of Horn at the Levine School of Music. She has coached the DC Youth Orchestra top two orchestra’s sectionals for many years and has been a regular instructor at MATS, a summer camp for adult musicians.
Her recordings include four with the Washington Symphonic Brass: The Edge, Classic Rock for Brass, Home for the Holidays and Trumpets Ring! Voices Sing!. In December of 2013 she recorded Marcos Galvany’s internationally successful new opera Oh My Son. She is heard on the album Redes, a world premiere recording of the full Revuelatas score, with PostClassical Ensemble. With Maryland Symphony Orchestra she played for Sharon Isbin’s Affinity. Chandra has recorded three albums with Inscape: a new arrangement of Petrushka, released in 2015, an exciting collaboration with Phillip Glass, The Fall of the House of Usher, and an upcoming album including Barber’s Medea, recorded in November, 2021. Two pieces by Florence Price are available on YouTube, recorded by Barclay Brass, with special permission.
Chandra is pursuing two additional degrees in both Psychology and Business Administration.
Alex Kovling
Alex Kovling, a native of Lewisville, Texas, joined the U.S. Navy Band in 2015 and was appointed Principal Horn of the Annapolis Symphony in 2020, having previously held the position of Third Horn since 2018. Since being in the D.C area, he has been guest principal with the Columbus Symphony, Mid-Atlantic Symphony, and York Symphony as well as regularly performing with the National Symphony Orchestra, the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra Naples Philharmonic, North Carolina Symphony, National Philharmonic Orchestra, Maryland Symphony, Alexandria Symphony, Signature Theater in Arlington, and the Chesapeake Orchestra. Alex takes advantage of chamber music opportunities as a member of Barclay Brass and with his brass quintet, Apex Brass, second prize winner of the Bucharest International Music Competition in 2021. He also occasionally performs with the Washington Symphonic Brass, Annapolis Symphony Brass Quintet and Wind Quintet, Dominion Brass, and the Navy Band Chamber Recital Series. Alex performed the Gordon Jacob Horn Concerto with the Annapolis Symphony in 2021 and soloed with the Navy Band in 2018. He also has enjoyed covering Principal Horn on occasion in the Navy Band and has even performed alongside Mannheim Steamroller, Andrea Bocelli, The Beach Boys, and Katy Perry.
Mr. Kovling received his Bachelor of Music from Texas Tech University, where he studied with Christopher M. Smith. After graduating, he continued his studies at Rice University, earning his Master's Degree in Music. While at Rice, he studied with William VerMeulen and was part of a CD project called “The Christmas Horn” conducted by Dale Clevenger. Giving back to the younger generation of aspiring musicians, Alex has taught masterclasses at Texas Tech University, Baylor University, and Kansas State University. In 2022, the horn section of the Navy Band presented at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago.
While still a student in Texas, Mr. Kovling was third horn of the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra from 2010-2013 and second horn of Santa Fe Pro Musica in the 2012-2013 season. He was also a regular substitute/extra horn with the Houston Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, and the Amarillo Symphony. Doubling on Wagner Tuba as well as French horn, Kovling performed with the Houston Grand Opera in Richard Wagner’s “Die Walkure.” Mr. Kovling won several awards including the Yamaha Young Performing Artist Competition and was a two-time winner of the Mid-South Horn Workshop solo competition. He attended numerous summer festivals, including the National Orchestral Institute for three years, Texas Music Festival, Round Top Festival Institute and the Banff Brass Residency.