Toronto Symphony Orchestra principal horn player Neil Deland began playing the French horn when, in grade five, his school’s band director came around looking for recruits. In the previous year Neil had experimented making sounds on his uncle’s mellophone (marching horn) and so the horn seemed like a logical choice for Neil. Neil’s mother was a singer and he grew up with music in the house. He and his siblings took piano lessons while growing-up and Neil would often tag along with his mother to gigs, including many funerals! Neil went to school at the University of Minnesota, the Boston Conservatory and the New England Conservatory.

Prior to his recent appointment as TSO principal horn, Neil freelanced in Boston. He has been a member of the Boston Philharmonic, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Portland Symphony, Rhode Island Philharmonic, and played numerous performances with Emmanuel Music, Cantata Singers, Musica Viva and nearly every ensemble in the Boston area. Neil was a frequent substitute with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops, and has performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra. His chamber music credits include the Boston Symphony Chamber Players and the Moab Music Festival.

Outside of his musical career, Neil likes to cook - and he cooks a lot! Italian food, like pizza and pasta, is his favourite. Neil was on the swim team in high school and played water polo into college, and still swims a lot today. He enjoys hanging out with his family and undertaking the occasional kitchen renovation. Neil also has a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever named Sloppy who loves to...you guessed it, retrieve.