“Haley has pushed me quite far in my musical journey and has never let me settle for less than greatness. She taught me so much about how to play with a good sound, clear articulation, good intonation, and sensitivity in the low register of the horn. I will never forget the tricks and tips she taught me in our lessons at SMU, and her dedication to help me succeed is only one of the countless characteristics that makes Haley Hoops a wonderful human being and an incredible horn player.”

““My time at SMU with Haley Hoops was one of the most transformative experiences as a horn player and musician. Not only is she a fabulous musician, but she is a generous teacher and wonderful mentor. The lessons that she taught me left me with control and ease in my playing, a focused attention to detail, and confidence that allowed me to achieve heights in horn playing that I did not think I was capable of. Horn players at any level with a desire to fundamentally improve on their instrument should look no further than Ms. Hoops.””

“Haley was the low horn specialist at SMU,” Ms. Wolber elaborates. “My low register was horrendous, so my main professor set up extra lessons for me with Haley. If it weren’t for her, I don’t think I ever would have improved enough to even get into graduate schools, much less win a job!”

“Haley is a fantastic teacher and role model for me.  She knows how to bring out the best in myself and my playing and never lets me settle for less than what I am capable of.  Early on she realized the potential I had and pushed me to work hard to reach that potential.  Without a doubt I would not be the horn player and person I am now without her inspiration and guidance”

“Haley Hoops was a very valuable resource for me during my graduate study at SMU. She was very helpful and patient with me, especially in improving some struggle areas I had coming into school such as low register, sound, and musicality/style. I consistently left lessons with her feeling much more detail-oriented, confident, and with a fresh, creative perspective musically on whatever I brought in. As an artist she is clearly both very hard working and a sensitive musician, and she does a fantastic job instilling those qualities in her students! ”

“I have enjoyed teaching with Ms. Hoops at Southern Methodist University (SMU) for the past 5 years. She is collaborative, supportive, and an excellent colleague. She always puts the needs of the student first. I consider her amongst the very finest of horn teachers currently teaching at the University level. SMU students continue to win jobs, place in prestigious summer music festivals and are routinely selected to the most competitive graduate horn performance programs in the nation.”

“
Studying with Haley at SMU completely transformed my playing and musicianship. She constantly challenged me to raise the bar and taught me how to healthily produce new, revolutionized abilities in my playing across all registers. Under her teaching, I became much more detail-oriented and aware of how to diagnose and fix the various issues in my playing. Haley showed me what it means to be a professional player and what I need to do in order to get to that level. She is incredibly supportive, talented, and most importantly, an amazing person! ”