French-born French Horn player, Nicolas Fleury has been an Australian resident since 2019 following a decade as a soloist and Principal with orchestras across the world. Now Principal French Horn with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, he’s teaming up with violinist Emily Sun and pianist Amir Farid to tour Australia for Musica Viva. The program includes Brahms’ Horn Trio, written in 1865 in memory of his mother, alongside a 1910 arrangement by the composer Ernst Naumann of Mozart’s Horn Quintet for the same line-up. In addition, Sun and Farid will premiere a brand-new sonata by Gordon Kerry, a work commissioned by Julian Burnside in celebration of the composer’s 60th birthday. Limelight caught up with Nicolas Fleury to talk about his lifelong love affair with this demanding instrument, all things horn, and the music he – and you – should never be without.

Nicolas Fleury. Photograph supplied

What led you to choose the French Horn as your instrument?

I was very fortunate to have a go at pretty much all the instruments when I was seven as part of my school activities (my school was basically next door to the local conservatorium). Quite frankly, I fell...