David Saunders, Boise State Horn Professor, Dies After Hiking Accident

David Saunders, a French horn instructor at Boise State University, died in August 2026. The cause of death was injuries sustained in an accident while hiking. He had been a faculty member for 27 years, retiring in 2019 after teaching French horn, music history, and music theory.

Colleagues describe Saunders as a strict adherent to musical standards. Professor Emerita Jeanne Belfy noted his commitment to principles derived from his Ivy League education and his background in orchestral performance and conducting. “He was my final colleague in music history, holding firm on principles that he absorbed from a first-rate, Ivy League education, and from many years of professional orchestral and chamber music horn performance as well as conducting,” Belfy said.

His private horn students progressed to top conservatories and professional orchestras across the United States. Beyond the classroom, Saunders performed regularly in solo recitals and chamber groups. Professor Leslie Moreau, a clarinetist, recalled touring the Pacific Northwest with the Boise State Woodwind Quintet. The group often traveled in Saunders’ minivan to perform works by Hindemith and Poulenc.

“We enjoyed many tours and performances together as a faculty woodwind quintet,” Moreau said. “I particularly enjoyed playing Hindemith’s Quintet and the Poulenc Sextet with David.”

Saunders extended his influence into the Idaho music community by directing the Treasure Valley Youth Symphony for 13 years. In that role, he introduced high school students to symphonic literature. Many of those students later enrolled at Boise State or other renowned conservatories.

The youth symphony also performed annual silent film concerts at The Egyptian Theater. Musicians played live accompaniment to films projected on screen, creating a multimedia experience for local audiences.

Saunders is survived by his wife, Phyllis, and his sons, Jacob and Jonathan. Phyllis performed with the Boise Philharmonic and taught in the Boise School District. Jacob serves as associate principal cello in the Boise Philharmonic and holds a Master of Music in Cello Performance from Boise State.