Nicolas Perez is a musician from the United States who has made Brno his home, performing French Horn with Filharmonie Brno, the city’s flagship classical ensemble. Brno Daily spoke to Nicolas about his experiences with the orchestra and his perspectives on life in Brno.
BD: Could you tell us something about yourself? Where are you from, what first drew you to the French Horn?
I was born in Miami but spent about 20 years in Atlanta. When I was 12 years old, I started playing the horn. In the U.S., middle schools give students a few different instruments to try, and when I eventually tried the horn, I was able to get a really good sound out of it. So they placed me on that, and it was kind of love at first sight. As a child, I was very introverted and didn’t speak much, and the horn gave me that voice that I had never had before. It also marked the beginning of my social life—connecting with people who shared similar interests kept me going with it. Throughout middle school and high school, I participated in all the bands and ensemble playing. I even had the opportunity to travel quite a bit around the United States.
BD: What led you to pursue a career in Europe, and specifically in the Czech Republic? How long have you been here?
After high school, I pursued a bachelor’s degree in music performance at Indiana University and during my studies there, I had the opportunity to spend a semester abroad, so I went to Vienna and completely fell in love with Central European musical culture. There’s a concert or performance on every street corner, and that was exactly what I had always been looking for. I loved living in Central Europe so much that I decided to pursue my master’s degree in Germany (Mainz and Weimar).
During that time, I had a couple of contracts with orchestras, but I was searching for a permanent position. My music professor in Germany, who was often here in Brno for a music competition he was a judge for, informed me about an opening at the Brno Philharmonic, so I auditioned—and I got the job! Now, almost three years later, here I am!
BD: Can you tell us about your experience of auditioning for Filharmonie Brno?
I first submitted my application, a CV, and my secondary school diploma, as required. I had enough experience on my CV to demonstrate my background in orchestral playing, so they invited me, along with several other candidates, to audition.
The audition process is very structured and universally fair— it is the same in almost every orchestra. It takes place behind a screen to ensure complete anonymity. Candidates are given a list of pieces to prepare, and the audition is divided into two rounds. We were initially required to perform a Mozart concerto with piano accompaniment, allowing the panel to assess our overall musicality. To maintain fairness, candidates are not even allowed to speak directly but only through a spokesman, so the judges don’t even know our gender.
Afterward, we received a list of orchestral excerpts. The panel selected various passages, including horn solos and other challenging sections. Each candidate was evaluated based on their performance, and I successfully advanced through the rounds, and in the end, I got selected as First Horn!
BD: What is your daily routine like as a member of the Philharmonic? How do you balance your work and personal life as a professional musician?
Honestly, I’m still learning how to find balance in life – I play so much throughout the day! A typical workday starts at 9 am, but I always arrive at the orchestra building an hour earlier to do a proper warm-up. Playing an instrument is very much like being an athlete—you have to approach it with the same discipline and physical awareness.
The orchestra provides us with our parts, and we rehearse throughout the day. Typically, we rehearse for three days, followed by a general rehearsal, and then our concerts take place on Thursday and Friday. In addition to these performances, we also have various educational concerts and several tour concerts. I spend almost every day either rehearsing, studying my part, refining my technique, or performing. Now that I think about it, I rarely have a day off or time away from my instrument! The Philharmonic is deeply involved in the city, and we are gaining more and more international exposure. While I love what I do, I must admit that it can sometimes be quite time-consuming!
BD: Do you have any rituals or routines that help with concentration or nerves?
What’s interesting is that here in the Czech Republic, it almost feels like everyone is a natural music maker. I rarely hear about rituals or nerves. When I was in the U.S. and Germany, everyone had their own rituals—whether it was yoga, meditation, or some form of exercise. But when I came here, the mindset was very much: “Just do it. Just play it. Just be the music.” When I first arrived, I had many rituals to calm my nerves. I used to meditate in the minutes before a concert, but playing alongside Czech musicians has taught me that music comes straight from the heart. Without overthinking, it flows naturally. Over time, I’ve found myself relying less and less on rituals!
BD: Is there a performance you’ve given with Filharmonie Brno that stands out, that you remember fondly, or that moved you deeply?
I have two performances that stand out. One was during our tour when we played at Carnegie Hall in New York. That venue is the ultimate goal for so many musicians around the world. Playing the first note there was just “wow.” Also, my father was in the audience, and he was so proud—it was an unforgettable moment.
Here in the city, every concert is such a high for me, and it’s really difficult to pick just one. But if I had to choose, I’d say my second concert here was particularly moving. We performed Wagner: Der Ring ohne Worte, a concert version of Wagner’s Ring Cycle, and I’ll never forget it. There’s a famous horn excerpt that I had to play, and since I had only recently joined the Philharmonic, it was an intense experience. I was incredibly nervous leading up to it, but when the moment came, I pulled it off. I remember feeling completely in a blur, standing up for the solo applause, and thinking afterward, “Yeah, this is exactly what I want to be doing for the rest of my life.”
BD: How do you perceive the musical environment of Brno?
People here often say that every Czech is a musician at some point, and I truly feel like I’m witnessing that. I’ve seen a lot of attendance at our concerts, with a strong interest from people of all ages. What’s especially touching is how many of them start attending at a very young age. Even more striking is that many of these audiences attend so frequently that they’re able to recognize me when we meet on the street!
Additionally, I’ve been getting to know many people from around the city, and everyone has a very positive view of the Philharmonic and the local musical environment. What surprised me the most, though, is that the city is investing in the construction of a new concert hall! For me, that’s a very encouraging sign of the city’s direction. I can honestly say that the future here looks very bright.
BD: What are some of the biggest challenges and obstacles you face in pursuing a career like yours?
I would say the biggest obstacle is the lack of permanent job opportunities. When I was in the U.S., we were told that statistically less than 1% of us would ever play in an orchestra full-time. To this day, out of the 50 horn players I’ve studied with, only 3 or 4 are playing full-time. There’s a lot of talented people for so few available jobs, and once someone occupies a spot, it can be held for decades. I would say that’s the biggest challenge and one of the reasons that originally drew me here. Especially in central Europe, every city and most towns have permanent orchestras.
BD: What kind of music do you listen to in your time off? Are there any particular genres that you like?
Outside of the orchestra, I actually listen to a lot of video game scores and film soundtracks. I love John Williams and Hans Zimmer – they have an incredible ability to create such epic atmospheres. One thing I really enjoy about the Philharmonic here is that a couple of times a year we really get involved with film soundtracks. We get a lot of opportunities to record soundtracks for films and video games, and every time we do, my inner nerd is so fulfilled (laughs).
BD: What kind of advice would you give to a young person who would like to pursue a career as a musician?
The best advice I could offer, which I’ve used myself, is “get comfortable with the uncomfortable.” With musical instruments, you take it step by step, and it’s a process that takes time. Yes, this piece of music might seem hard now, but if you keep working at it, it will get better. Yes, playing and performing for others can feel uncomfortable, but over time, you’ll get used to it, and you’ll keep pushing your boundaries. It’s a gradual process, but when you’ll look back, you’ll be amazed at how far you’ve come.
