Boise State Horn Professor David Saunders Dies After Hiking Accident

David Saunders, a French horn professor at Boise State University, died in August 2026 from injuries sustained during a hiking accident.

Saunders taught French horn, music history, and music theory at the university for 27 years before retiring in 2019. His private instrument students attended top conservatories and joined orchestras across the United States. He also instructed required music history classes for all music majors.

Jeanne Belfy, a professor emerita of music, described Saunders as a colleague who maintained strict principles derived from an Ivy League education and professional performance experience. She noted that he absorbed these standards from years of orchestral and chamber music horn performance as well as conducting.

Beyond the classroom, Saunders performed in solo recitals and collaborated with faculty brass and woodwind groups. Leslie Moreau, a clarinet professor, recalled touring the Pacific Northwest with the Boise State Woodwind Quintet. The group traveled primarily in Saunders' minivan. Moreau said the ensemble enjoyed many tours and performances, specifically citing Hindemith’s Quintet and the Poulenc Sextet as favorites.

Saunders directed the Treasure Valley Youth Symphony for 13 years. In that role, he introduced young musicians to symphonic literature. Students who studied under him later pursued music degrees at Boise State and other renowned conservatories.

The symphony performed annual silent film concerts at The Egyptian Theater, playing live accompaniment to films shown on screen. These events provided unique performance opportunities for young players and offered multimedia entertainment to the local community.

Saunders is survived by his wife, Phyllis Saunders, and his two sons, Jacob and Jonathan. Phyllis performed for many years with the Boise Philharmonic and taught orchestra in the Boise School District. Jacob serves as associate principal cello in the Boise Philharmonic and earned a Master of Music in Cello Performance at Boise State.