Laurel Bennert Ohlson, National Symphony Orchestra Associate Principal Horn, has appeared as a concerto soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra, Eclipse Chamber Orchestra and Virginia Chamber Orchestra, and in numerous solo engagements across the U.S. and South America.  She was a member of the Capitol Woodwind Quintet from 1986-2012, and has been a member of Eclipse Chamber Orchestra since 1992.  Ms. Ohlson premiered Truman Harris’Concertino for Horn and Chamber Orchestra with Eclipse in 1999 and recorded the Concertino for Naxos in 2006.
Ms. Ohlson is on the faculty at The Catholic University of America and is an active performer and teacher through the NSO’s Youth Fellowship Program, Summer Music Institute, and American Residencies.  She has also presented master classes and Wagner tuba clinics at International Horn Society Symposiums, IHS Regional Workshops, and International Women’s Brass Conferences.  She has served on the IWBC Board of Directors since 1991.
Ms. Ohlson presents “History of the Horn” lecture demonstrations for audiences both young and young-at-heart, performing on at least a dozen horn-related instruments including the alphorn, shofar, conch shell, natural horn, Wagner tuba, and the ever-popular garden hose.  A graduate of Boston University School for the Arts, Ms. Ohlson received her degree in horn performance with a minor in mathematics.  She is forever grateful to her primary teachers Charles Kavalovski, Arthur Berv, Eugene Rittich and Jacob Glazer.