Endurance

  Endurance is a big problem that faces a lot of brass players, and horn players especially. The horn requires a very fine-tuned buzz for proper accuracy. Add to that, for a brass instrument, the horn is playing quite frequently in orchestral literature. This can especially become an issue if you have a recital or a hard concert coming up. While situations like these are always going to be problematic ...

How can you maximize you endurance?

• Reduce Stress/Tension - Stress and tension are nature's way of your body saying that you're working against it. Once you learn to use correct posture and get your mind focused in the right way you'll notice a dramatic change in the ease of playing. These two inconveniences are bound to arise as you perform, this is natural,  but having methods to eliminate them will make the second half of a program seem much less daunting.
• Use Proper Air - In comparison, the muscles that you use in your face are countless times smaller than the ones used to breath. On top of that, you've used your breathing muscles all of your life and that conditions them for endurance. The facial muscles, on the other hand, aren't used nearly as much in day-to-day activity and it makes them much more "fragile." If you use those breathing muscles and learn to let the air do the majority of the work then that gives the face more of a break.
• Cheat it - While grade-school teachers won't enjoy hearing this it's the truth. If there's a way to get the horn off your face for a bit, without affecting the music, then give it a try. Just a disclaimer for this method... This mainly only applies to principal horns in pieces where endurance is a big issue; not really an option for any soloists I've come across though. Just make sure if you're attempting this with a large ensemble that all the parts are still being covered and the dynamic is still appropriate.

  Below is one of the finest examples of endurance. The Royal Concertgebouw performs a concert of both Don Juan and Till Eulenspiegels... busy night for the horns.

Strauss Don Juan & and Till Eulenspiegels lustige Strieche - Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

  If anyone out there has any other advice or insight on how they deal with endurance please feel to leave your thoughts in the comments. I'm especially interested in people's thoughts on using an assistant horn since I've never had experience with one.