Bonnell, Bruce

A chamber music specialist critically acclaimed for his “unfailing beauty of tone” and “utmost sensitivity”, Dr. Bruce Bonnell has enjoyed a successful career as orchestral performer, soloist, clinician and pedagogue on the horn and natural horn throughout North America and Southeast Asia. Born and raised in Newfoundland, Dr. Bonnell has been professor of horn at Central Michigan University since 2000. In 2015 he released Chamber Music for Horn, Violin and Piano with Hai Xin Wu, violin and Zhihua Tang, piano which was lauded by critics in the US and Britain. In May of 2008, Dr. Bonnell released Souvenirs: Chamber Music for Horn, Flute and Piano with Italian flute virtuoso Vieri Bottazzini and acclaimed Canadian pianist Dr. Peter Green on Centaur Records. The recording garnered rave critical reviews internationally and was nominated for the 2009 “Classical Recording of the Year” award by the East Coast Music Association. Dr. Bonnell is featured on Double Star - the Music of David Gillingham performing the Concerto for Horn and Symphonic Band with the CMU Symphonic Wind Ensemble (2010, White Pine Records).

Dr. Bonnell’s orchestral experiences include Second Horn in the Hong Kong Philharmonic from 1991-1994, and Principal Horn in the Malaysian Philharmonic from 1998-2000 where he earned high praise for his playing from such notable maestros as Kurt Masur, Sir Neville Marriner, Kenneth Jean, David Atherton, Jan Pascal Tortelier and Hans Graf. He has performed with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, Ottawa Symphony, Hull Chamber Orchestra, Bloomington Camerata, and is presently Principal Horn with the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra. Solo and chamber music highlights include the finals of the 1989 Canadian Music Competition, the 1998 Fischoff Chamber Music competition and recitals throughout North America and Southeast Asia.

An enthusiastic performer of new works for horn, Dr. Bonnell gave the world premiere performances of Danger Tree for Horn and Electronic Media by Jay Batzner and Caccia for Two Horns by Christopher Dietz at the 51st International Horn Symposium in Ghent, Belgium in 2019. In 2018 he gave the world premiere of David Gillingham’s Timepiece for Two Horns and Piano at the 50th International Horn Symposium in Muncie, Indiana. These works for two horns have come through a collaboration with Andrew Pelletier and will be featured on a forthcoming recording. In 2013, he premiered Supernatural: Music for Natural Horn with Live Electronics by Jay Batzner at the 45th International Horn Symposium in Memphis, Tennessee and in 2007, he gave the world premiere of David Gillingham’s Concerto for Horn and Symphonic Band in St. John’s, Newfoundland. 

As a member of the Powers Woodwind Quintet, he has toured and performed throughout the Midwestern states and has worked with the group on several recording projects including Brementown Musicians released in 2006 on Centaur Records, Clarinet Chamber Music of Alvin Etler, also on the Centaur label, in 2008, and Hidden Gems and Gems of the Woodwind Quintet Repertoire on the White Pine label (2016 and 2011, respectively). His teachers include William Costin, Kjellrun Hestekin, Michael Hatfield, Paul Tervelt, Richard Seraphinoff and Richard Bissill.

Recent Scholarships

"Chamber Music for Horn, Violin and Piano" - with Hai Xin Wu, violin and Zhihua Tang, piano. Centaur Records, 2015.

"Hidden Gems" - Powers Woodwind Quintet - White Pine Records, 2016

"Gems for Woodwind Quintet" - Powers Woodwind Quintet - White Pine Records, 2011

"Double Star - the Music of David Gillingham" - White Pine Records, 2009

"Souvenirs - Chamber Music for Horn, Flute and Piano" - with Vieri Bottazzini,, flute, and Peter Green, piano. Centaur Records, 2008. 

Nominee - BEST CLASSICAL RECORDING, East Coast Music Awards 2008.​