Eli Newberger Article

In a recent feature on All About Jazz, my friend and hero Eli Newberger was featured by Edward Bribe in his article Eli Newberger: Music Maker, Medicine Man. For those who don’t already know Eli, he is a fantastically gifted tubaist who also happens to be a renowned Pediatrician. In this article, Eli and his wife Carolyn, speak of their love of music, medicine, and art and we learn a good bit about Eli most tuba players aren’t aware of. Here is a brief excerpt:

New Englanders who know Dr. Eli Newberger through his clinical services respect him as an expert in family conflict. His face is as familiar as almost any other jazz musicians, but for a different reason: his (all-too-frequent) television appearances as an expert commentator on matters of family violence and child abuse. But if forced to make a choice between current careers, one wonders whether he could do so, as the two paths of medicine and music are so intertwined as to be one.

Eli played with the New Black Eagle Jazz Band for years, and has made several recordings of classic jazz and dixieland music that way it is supposed to be played – with good friends and for the sheer joy of it.  To find out more, check out Eli Newberger’s Webpage.

Going to ITEC 2010!

Earlier this year, my students and I were invited to perform at ITEC (International Tuba Euphonium Conference) 2010 at the University of Arizona in May. I just learned that the University of Iowa School of Music will provide us with the transportation and housing expenses for the trip! There will be a lot of planning ahead, but we are sure to have a great time. The theme for ITEC is I.T.E.C. (Innovate, Translate, Educate, Create), so I hope to do all four.

The logo (above) for ITEC 2010 is a southwestern-style graphic featuring Kokopelli playing a tuba, designed by Will Houchin at Blind Eye Designs. I first met Will two summers ago at the Northwestern Masterclasses with Rex Martin and Gene Pokorny and was nearby warming up when he took his famous beach photos. PS – thanks to Facebook, I know that today is Will’s birthday – Happy Birthday Will, See you at ITEC!

Stockhausen Video

Check out this video from YouTube:

Watch for the tuba player (not sure who it is) one minute into this wild performance! There are five total clips featuring this performance of “Micheals Reise un de Welt” (Michael’s Journey) by Kalheinz Stockhausen. I don’t know what’s more interesting, the wild performance – including a live orchestra with trumpet soloist (Marco Blaauw) strapped to a gigantic rotating arm while moving all over the stage, above the orchestra – or how impressive it is to have memorized this avantgarde work.

This video excerpt is actually from an opera, described below by Thomas Ulrich:

On 25 and 26 August, the Cologne Philharmonie turned into an opera stage; a spectacular scenic performance of „Michaels Reise“ („Michael‘s Journey“) from the monumental opera cycle „Licht“ („Light“) by Karlheinz Stockhausen was staged. This event took place on the occasion of the composer’s 80th birthday…..

Stockhausen’s opera cycle “Licht”, in particular, is laid out genuinely grandly; it is a cycle of seven operas about the days of the week from „Monday“ to „Sunday“, 29 hours of music which the composer worked on for more than 25 years. The time journey through the week which the cycle sets off on is also a journey passing through the central issues of life which every man has to confront himself with, in which he has to prove himself – such a basic theme is attributed to every day, which Stockhausen takes from the traditions that are linked to the names of the weekdays: Tuesday being the day of war and conflict, Sunday being the day of praising the Lord etc. The three protagonists from the Jewish-Christian tradition move through these missions of man’s life: Michael, the archangel, who becomes a man in order to lead mankind to God; Eve as a representative of heavenly and earthly love; and Lucifer, the fallen angel, as an antagonist. “Licht” is a cosmic world theatre. Stockhausen does not intend to put an esoteric artistic product on the stage – rather, he communicates a message to his audience: Here is where your life is being negotiated. …

The remarkable thing about this act of the opera is the fact that it can do without singers – there are hardly any words spoken. All figures perform on the stage as instrumentalists: Michael as trumpeter, Eve as basset horn player, Lucifer as trombonist or tuba player. Still, it is an opera that we experience here rather than a trumpet concert, since the music is in itself imaginary, scenically laid out – it cries out for a lively staging. A Spanish director‘s team around the director Carlus Padrissa, which is linked to the Catalan theatre group “La Fura dels Baus”, has taken up this task with huge stage machines, a fast-paced movement direction and exciting video projections. What mattered to the team was to translate the 30-year-old work into the theatre language of today in order to open up new spaces, in the very spirit of Stockhausen. The production was premiered at the Wiener Festwochen (Vienna Festival Weeks) in May; there it turned out that the visionary and monumental intention in Stockhausen’s work was immediately grasped when the stage performance was shaped by theatre makers who intended to stage the astounding. But: Not only the powerful, sometimes even astounding element of Stockhausen’s tonal language is to come into its own but also the cheerful, tender and intimate moment – this is what this extraordinary music theatre evening intends to achieve. It was intended as a gift for Stockhausen‘s 80th birthday on 22 August 2008 – what a pity that the master, who died all of a sudden on 5th December 2007, couldn‘t witness any more how his work inspired a new generation of artists and musicians alike and found its way to the audience.
- Thomas Ulrich

The Creative Tubist

My friend, colleague, and fellow blogger Jeff Agrell asked me to write a guest article for the International Horn Society Journal. Here’s a peek:

Creativity is more than just being different. Anybody can play weird; that’s easy. What’s hard is to be as simple as Bach. Making the simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity - Charles Mingus

I am not a horn player, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. I have the honor to have Jeff Agrell as a colleague and friend, and we have a lot of conversations about creativity – as musicians, as teachers, and artists. He asked me to write a bit about creativity in my tuba-euphonium studio at the University of Iowa. I would like to share with you two main ways I utilize creativity in my studio teahing; encouraging creative practicing and assigning final projects.

CREATIVE PRACTICE – To help my students avoid memorizing mistakes and building bad habits by careless repetition, I encourage them to be creative – to make a game out of practicing. To me, being creative means to look at a problem with a fresh perspective and come up with a new solution. But it is much more than that. The practical side of creativity for musicians, is that it fuels progress in the practice room. After “running it a few times” what do you do next? I suggest practicing using a seven-staged approach:

1. IDENTIFY – Where are the problems? Frequently, a challenging piece seems fraught with difficult sections, and can seem overwhelming. But, like all problems, if you break the project down into digestible pieces, the process is more productive and less frustrating. I suggest penciling in brackets, or circling the most difficult portions, and direct your energies to these smaller, more concentrated areas of difficulty.

2. ISOLATE- Focus only on that small problem, or snippet, for now. So now that you now where the problems are, just work on those areas. Avoid playing the rest of the piece that “sounds good already” for a while, until you can strengthen the weak links.

3. DISSECT – Take it apart, slow it down, examine the problem. Sometimes you might think that the problem has to do with tonguing, but then realize it had to do with air; or you might realize that you have not  been hearing a certain interval correctly. Stop and use your tools (metronome, tuner, piano, singing, conducting, buzzing) to address that problem.

4. SIMPLIFY – Start with what you CAN do; try to play a simplified version. I like to suggest to my students that they determine what aspect of the passage is the most difficult, and reverse it. If it is very high, take it down an octave; if it is fast, then take it slow. But many might not realize that it would be just as helpful to play a slow passage fast (speed-reading), or slur a marcato passage. Perhaps simplifying the rhythm by taking out the trill, or removing the tie, or making all of the note values the same. Granted, that version is not the final product, but starting with what you can do can be much less daunting.

5. SUCCEED – Master the problem once. After some time, you will succeed, and be able to execute the passage accurately. Please remember that success once (especially after many repeated failed attempts) does not guarantee future success.

6. REPETITION – Don’t stop with step five! You must repeat the success to “erase” the effects of any repeated failed attempts. Make a game out of it and see if you can play the passage perfectly five times in a row. Try memorizing the snippet, or repeat it in a looping fashion, without pauses.

7. REINTEGRATE – Go back a few bars and test your ability to succeed in context. One you are confident that you have improved the likelihood of succeeding at your next attempt, put the snippet back in context to see if your preparation will get you through the “heat of battle”.

Final Projects -  In an effort to help my students learn more, about music and themselves, I require them each to complete a final project each semester. The projects vary, but all have something to do with music, but help them learn beyond just what they learn in lesson, ensembles, and rehearsals. The goal is the expand their interests and expose them to a variety of aspects of a musicians life – such as arranging, transposing, reading, writing, improvising – which may not necessarily be directly studied through applied lessons.

Some past final project assignments have included:

1. IMPROVISATION TEAMS – Given my experience and respect for the value of improvising, I divided my students into pairs and told them that they had to meet once a week to improvise together. There were no rules; they could use any instrument or voice, tonal or atonola, jazz or free. Once a week, during seminar class, I would schedule a team to improvise for five minutes in front of the studio. In addition, they submitted a recording of their weekly improvising. I think everyone learned a lot, and they had a good bit of fun too. I think it is important, even essential, for all musicians to have the ability to create music spontaneously. It may seem a bit unnerving at first, but it  can also be very liberating.

2. PRACTICE BLOGS – I have maintained my own blog TubaHead for several years now, and I thought it would be a good way to motivate my students in their practicing, and keep an eye on their progress. I asked them to post a few times a week and blog about their progress in the practice room, as well as their musical experiences in ensembles and attending concerts.3. JOURNAL ARTICLE REVIEW – The International Tuba Euphonium Journal is our version of the Horn Call, and I have found it helpful most of the time. I have, however, noticed a few articles that I either disagreed with, or didn’t find very informative. In an effort to inspire my students toward improving their own writing, I assigned them each to write a review of a recent ITEA article, and have encouraged them to submit their own.

4. BASS LINE TRANSCRIPTION – One of my first final projects was to transcribe the bass line from one of about a dozen pieces of rock and world music on a compilation CD I made. I have personally learned a lot by having to transcribe bass lines off of recordings to learn for different bands. Additionally, I chose pieces with active bass lines ranging in style from Mexican Banda to classic rock. After the student transcribed the piece mid-semester, they had to perform the bass line along with the recording at the end of the semester.

5. ENSEMBLE ARRANGEMENT – The University of Iowa tuba-euphonium ensemble, Collegium Tubum, is very active, and we are always in need of new music. One semester, I had each student arrange a short piece for the group. We read all of them, and a few ended up on concerts. But the most impressive result, was that several students ended up being published arrangers.

6. ETUDE COMPOSITION – In an effort to get my students thinking like composer, as well as teachers, I had them each compose two etudes; one melodic, and one technical. At the end of the semester, each student performed one of their etudes in front of the studio, while the rest of the class graded each etude.

7. INTERDISCIPLINARY ARTS PROJECT – The University of Iowa enjoys a rich, and diverse artistic community, so I wanted to encourage my students to take advantage, and attend numerous arts events. They were required to go to non-brass recitals, concerts by ensembles they might not have attended, poetry readings, art exhibits, and dance recitals. At the end of the semester, they each discussed their experiences.

8. BOOK REPORT – This past semester, I chose about twenty different books on the theme of “the brain and music”. Students were to complete the text by a certain mid-semester date, and utilize what they were learning in their comments during seminar classes. For the final seminar class, each student gave a brief overview, and commented on what they liked and didn’t like about the book.

A Few Thoughts On Creativity

One purpose of creativity is to innovate, but creativity can also invigorate, especially us “creative types.” Creativity may simply be doing something in a different way – to spice up the routine and avoid boredom. New technology can be a great catalyst for creativity. It combines the novelty of the “new toy” with the excitement of a fresh medium. Think back to the first time you finger-painted, or used a computer, or discovered the drums. Think of all the creativity released with the advent of the printing press or the internet. Sometimes pressure spawns creative bursts – like the space race not only got man to the moon, but launched countless developments and technologies which benefit man. Many writers and artists report that they “work best under a deadline”. The Modernist movement music was characterized by an intentional, self-conscious departure from the norm. Perhaps great ideas just dawn on us, but often we need to instigate the thought process, and necessity or the deadline serve as great motivators.

I have been inspired by the creativity of many artists, and especially by some very creative tuba players. In a very pragmatic way, your creativity may lay the groundwork your future. The list of tuba players below are all unique, entrepreneurs, who carved out their careers outside the mainstream.

Creative Tuba Players:

Oren Marshall – is one of the few pioneers to experiment with “electric” tuba – that is, amplified with synthesized and guitar effects.

Marcus Rojas – is the top freelance tuba player in New York city. His impressive range of styles runs from orchestral and jazz, to commercial and avant-garde.

Deana Swoboda – is the tuba professor at Western Michigan and has played in the Dallas Brass. She has a fantastic educational show called brass rap and helps educate and promote band musicians.

Jon Sass – Although he studied at the classical repertoire, he ended up moving to Vienna and making a name for himself in the European jazz/funk scene.

Brian Wolff – Like Marshal and Heasley, Brian utilizes electronic effects and loops to create a techno/house style of music all created by sounds originated with his tuba.

Oystein Baadsvik is the world’s only full-time professional tuba soloist, and a skilled improviser. His innovative, beat-box style of playing made splash on You-tuba with his hit “Fnugg” – which combines Nordic folk singing, multi-phonics and his funky “lip-beat” technique.

Tom Heasley – is an ambient musician from California. His music is transcendent and mesmerizing.

Deana Swoboda – is the tuba professor at Western Michigan and has played in the Dallas Brass. She has a fantastic educational show called brass rap and helps educate and promote band musicians.

Make Your Own Tuba or Euphonium Mute

Tuba and euphonium mutes are expensive, rarely needed, and sometimes not worth it. Contact for a free pattern to build your own mute for less than ten dollars. It involves cutting six pieces of foam core (available at art stores) joined by ducted tape. This design can be disassembled and folded flat for storage or travel. The success of the mute depends on proper measurement, some trial and error to fit properly in the bell, and experimenting with additional materials like fabric or foam lining the inside walls to absorb more sound.

Tuba Mute Pattern

Email me

Tuba Art

I’ve frequently noticed how popular tubas are as the subject of photography. Their eye-catching size seems to be a magnet for artists as well. I occasionally trawl the internet for tuba-related art and found some of the more interesting works below. Okay, some of them are officially sousaphones, but they all caught my eye.

Tuba Musician ceramic sculpture by Ludmilla Kosima

Tuba Fats by Allen Flattmann (Bryant Galleries)

Tuba Parrot by Rocking Chair Frank

Tuba (mixed media) by Paul Goodnight

Ray Grim, tuba meister by Jacinto Guevara
(Used by the band Eskimo Spit Bath Orchestra as a photo on their bands orchestra members page of their website)

The Ladder of Fire I (L’Échelle du Feu) 1934 by Magritte

Found at the blog about books Seven Impossible Things, this illustration is by Dave McKean from the illustrated book
The Wolves in the Walls written by Neil Gaiman.
“The biggest, fattest wolf of all was playing an old wolf melody on Lucy’s father’s second-best tuba”

Tuba Player by Mia Wolff from her blog Wolff Brain
Gato Loco featuries Joe Exley on tuba

Tuba Player by Andrei Aserivants

Dessin Tuba by Jean Coulon

Tuba Sculpture by Jordan Janesko


Tuba by Don Stewart

Tuba (bronze) by Alex Palkovich

Euphonium Audition Primer

Dave Werden has to have one of the most valuable, and possibly underrated online resources on the internet for tuba and euphonium. Among his many pages, links, resources and discussions, I found this page called Euphonium Audition Primer. If you are an aspiring euphonium player, hoping to get into a military band, I encourage you to check this site out. It includes a survey (ask the experts) and strategies and insights on the most requested audition excerpts. Above is a sample what the strategies page looks like  for Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever (i.e. “Notice these are not eighths!”, “Soft, but clear and with energy”). Thanks again to Dave Werden and his invaluable website.

Happy Halloween 2009

Happy Halloween!

 

Oktubafest 2009 Photos

Our “OkTUBAfest 2009″ celebration is going really well. Thursday, we had a visit from Carol Jantsch, the principal tuba with the Philadelphia Orchestra. She gave a masterclass in the afternoon and an AMAZING recital that night with Alan Huckleberry. Today we presented our annual “Spooky Tubas” concert at the Coralville Public Library for a great audience of kids and parents. There were so many great photos, I thought I would post them here.

Ben, Ben, and Blaine with Carol at her masterclass

Ben A. with Carol Jantsch

Blaine with Carol

Alan and Carol after their amazing recital

Blaine at Spooky Tubas

Kristina and Tucker – cowfolk

Pat, Ben and Justin as Nerds

Zombie rag doll tuba girl

Brian Wolff Workshop

Yesterday, our studio enjoyed a creative and inspiring workshop presented by Brian Wolff. Formerly of Drums and Tuba fame, and currently touring with Buckethead, Brian took time out of his busy schedule to share his music and thoughts with students. From my notes, here are a few things he said that I really liked:

“Your instrument is just a means of expressing yourself”

“I’ve travelled around the world playing weird electronic tuba music”

“Audiences are more open-minded [to experimental music] than the music industry gives them credit for”

“This is my third tour with him (Buckethead), and I still haven’t met the guy”

“Carve out your niche”

Brian also mentioned some of his influences and information about his inspiration and equipment. Here are a few related links:

Spaceheads – The band he heard in Lafayette, LA that inspired him to do what he does

The two New Orleans style brass bands he mentioned were Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Rebirth Brass Band

Barcus-Berri –  The manufacturer of microphones and pickups for orchestral and band instruments

ELO – Electric Light Orchestra

Fugazi – The punk band from Washington D.C. who do business and music on their own terms (Their Dischord Records Site)

Ian McKaye – Member of Fugazi and owner of Dischord Records

Marcus Rojas – The New York tuba performer and teacher Brian mentioned. Marcus is my hero; plays everything from orchestral and chamber music, to commercial and free improvisation.

The Ramones – One of the greatest bands ever and pioneers of the punk movement.

The Picador – I don’t know much about this Iowa City club, but if they are open-minded enough to book Buckethead and Wolff, I’ll keep an eye on their schedule

Buckethead – The eccentric and mysterious guitar player

Horn Insights Blog

My friend and colleague, Jeffrey Agrell, has started keeping his own blog called Horn Insights. In addition to being a wonderful teacher and player, he is a very talented writer, as many horn players know from his years of contributing to the Horn Call journal. Although his theme is horn-centered, a lot of what he discusses and uncovers can be very helpful to all musicians. One of his posts, “Quotations for Musicians” is simply a list of great tidbits of advice from people like Arnold Jacobs, Martin Luther, and Wynton Marsalis. Here’s an excerpt:

•The arts, inspiring — indeed requiring — self-discipline, may be more “basic” to our national survival than traditional credit courses. Presently we are spending 29 times more on science than on the arts and the result so far is worldwide intellectual embarrassment. -Paul Harvey

•I always loved music; whoso has skill in this art is of good temperament, fitted for all things.  We must teach music in schools; a schoolmaster ought to have skill in music; or I would not regard him. -Martin Luther

•When taking a shower, take a shower. When playing horn, play horn. -Zen Saying

•Mastery comes from practice; practice comes from playful, compulsive experimentation. – Stephen Nachmanovitch

•Sitting under a tree is good for your playing too. -Arnold Jacobs

•What is best in music is not to be found in the notes. –Gustav Mahler

•Fine horn playing is the result of a vast complex of physical motions and nerve reactions… [practice] is a process of eliminating those physical movements which do not produce the desired result, eventually reducing it to the one set of movements that does produce that result.   – Gunther Schuller

Final Project – Fall 2009

Each semester, our studio completes a final project. Intended as a semester-long endeavor, the final project varies each semester, but is intended to help you learn beyond applied lessons and ensemble experience. This semester, I have chosen to focus on literature on music and the brain. I have selected a number of highly recommended books on the subject and compiled an Amazon wish list here.

I got the idea while shopping at the Boston University bookstore this summer, when I purchased The Mastery of Music: Ten Pathways to True Artistry by Barry Green. Kind of like a book club, I wanted the studio to spend a semester reading, discussing, and applying the concepts within the best literature regarding the relationship between intellect and musicianship.

Here are the complete details of the assignment:

University of Iowa Tuba-Euphonium Studio
Final Project – Fall 2009

• Read book at your own pace, but complete it by October 29th.
• Write down useful quotations and concepts
• Use quotations and concepts in Seminar class
• Apply concepts in your own practice, performing, lessons
• Prepare a five-minute oral book report to present at the final Seminar meeting; which should include a summary, observations and review.

Peruse all of the texts and by next week, be ready to express your choices in order of preference. The order of the random drawn lots was:

1. Steve
2. Michael
3. Blaine
4. Tucker
5. Devin
6. Pat
7. Justin
8. Dana
9. Kristina
10. Ben A.
11. Ben R.
12. Karina

• At the beginning of Seminar next week (Thursday, September 3rd), book selections will be made in the order above. I would suggest ranking your books, and rank as many as your lot number. [If you drew number 12, be sure to rank your top 12 books since you will choose last)

• Everyone must acquire (purchase, borrow, or sign out) their books by the next by September 10th.

• Blaine and I will inform you of which books are available through the University of Iowa Library, the Iowa City Public Library, or the Coralville Public Library.

• You must complete the book by October 29th (7 weeks), and make weekly notes and quotations to use when making your comments in seminar.

• The complete list of books maybe be found at the following link: http://amzn.com/w/Y1ES1P62F0DH

Welcome class of 2013

Today the Iowa Brass Quintet played for a welcome convocation for the thousands of incoming freshman at the University of Iowa.We only played a short processional and stayed long enough to snap a few photos. One of the messages at this renewed tradition was that of the “Iowa Challenge”. The Iowa Challenge, “expresses important principles that help students succeed in the classroom and beyond. It establishes what The University of Iowa expects from its students, and what students should expect from themselves and each other. In essence, it’s a mission statement for UI students.” The challenge lists five key goals: excel, stretch, engage, choose, and serve.

Excel. Academic excellence means setting and meeting high standards for yourself as a student. Faculty, staff and other students will ask you to work hard and push yourself intellectually. We expect a lot of you; you should expect only the best from yourself and the University.

Stretch. At Iowa, you will find diversity of people, ideas, opportunities, and experiences. That diversity is one of the benefits of being an Iowa student. Step away from the familiar, try new ideas, experience new cultures, and learn from people different from yourself.

Engage. You will be a more successful student and enjoy yourself more if you spend your time and energy on activities that matter. The University of Iowa offers almost limitless opportunities and the resources to help you become a leader in and out of the classroom. Take advantage of them.

Choose. Every day you make decisions that affect your education and your future. Take your choices seriously and use your freedom wisely. Your Iowa education is what you make it. Make it something you and your university can be proud of.

Serve. As an Iowa student, you are a member of many communities, on and off the campus. You have the opportunity and responsibility to be a good neighbor and citizen and to serve the community. Make your community a great place to live.

Here is a link to a slideshow of the convocation.

Abe Torchinsky 1920-2009

Abe Tochinsky, former principal tuba with Philadelphia Orchestra and the NBC Symphony, passed away this morning at the age of 89. Mr. Torchinsky was a giant in the world of the tuba, and he has had unmeasurable influence on generations of tuba players. He will be missed. This biography is from WindSong press:

Abe Torchinsky, a native of Philadelphia began playing tuba in a Boy Scout band.  In 1935 he began taking lessons with a young student at the Curtis Institute named Arnold Jacobs.  By the time he was in high school, he was performing professionally on tuba and bass, even playing with Isham Jones Orchestra.  He enrolled at Curtis in 1940 and studied with Philip Donatelli, the tubist of the Philadelphia Orchestra until the wind department at the Institute was shut down at the beginning of World War II.  Mr. Torchinsky played in the Southern Symphony Orchestra and with the National Symphony Orchestra for one season (1942-1943).  He then moved to New York City for concentrated study with William J. Bell.  He performed in the original cast productions of Billy Rose’s Seven Lively Arts, and Rogers and Hammerstein’s Carousel and Allegro, and was in the cast of the movie Carnegie Hall.  He performed with the Cities Service Band of America under Paul LaSalle, and the NBC Symphony with Arturo Toscanini (1946-1949).  Torchinsky joined the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1949, and served as principal tuba until 1972.  Mr. Torchinsky and trombonist Henry Charles Smith hosted a radio program about the orchestra.  After retiring from the Philadelphia Orchestra, Torchinsky became a member of the faculty of the University of Michigan (1972-1989).  A Philadelphia Brass Ensemble recording, The Glorious Sound of Brass earned a Grammy in 1967.  The Philadelphia Brass Ensemble’s recording of the Antiphonal Music of Gabrieli with the Chicago and Cleveland Brass Ensembles won a Grammy in 1969.  The Philadelphia Brass Ensemble as soloists were also nominated in 1976 for a two album set of Hindemith’s sonatas for brass instruments with pianist Glenn Gould.  A less-familiar, early recording called Catch the Brass Ring by the Philadelphia Brass Ensemble, masquerading as the “Torchy Jones Quintet” had the distinction of being pulled from distribution by Columbia after Eugene Ormandy objected to orchestra members making a “jazz” recording.  His scholarly efforts in publishing full parts to orchestral works were an innovation and a vast improvement for students over previously available excerpt books.

One Year After

Our last Holiday Tubas concert made the top of the December news in the “Year In Review” portion of the University of Iowa Annual report. Also worth viewing are the slideshows at One Year After, which feature the voices and images of University of Iowa students, faculty and staff speaking about how they dealt with the devastating flood of June 2008.

Carol Jantsch Rap

Carol Jantsch, principal tubist with the Philidelphia Orchestra, is featured in a rap called “Buy Carol’s CD” on Steve TV. To view it, go to the Peterson Project and click on “Buy Carol’s CD”, which is a hilarious rap parody to promote her new recording Cascades. Be sure to check out Carol’s website here.

Tuba Exchange

Here is a profile and slide show from Indy Week on the Tuba Exchange. Located in Durham, North Carolina and run by Vince Simonetti and his wife. The Tuba Exchange website features new and used instruments, including a historic collection, and advice on choosing an instrument.

Bad Tuba Poetry

From the “Tuba Lady“, at Interact Jacksonville.com comes this post on her blog about a tuba poem she wrote when she was young. Her self-criticism is in parentheses:

My tuba, my tuba, I really love my tuba (gosh, that’s such an original way to start)

It came with me from Florida, I’d take it to Aruba (well, I guess I didn’t want to go to Cuba)

It’s big and shiny and really, kinda heavy (true, albeit a stupid line)

I think they musta made it out of a ‘57 Chevy! (not even close to clever)

I’ve had it since I was a girl of just eleven (I might have been 13, but I needed 11 for the next line’s rhyme)

Do you think God will let me bring it all the way to heaven? (I did mention it was a church talent show)

Mom and Dad found it in a little music store (true)

They paid $300, but I would have paid much more (not true, I didn’t have any money then)

It had dents and scratches, but played a tune just fine (it was me that was bad, not the equipment)

From the minute that I saw it, I knew it would be mine (I don’t think I saw it until they bought it and it was no return, no exchange, so we had to keep it)

I’ve played it in churches, I’ve played it in bars (luckily not at the same time)

I’m sure my neighbors wish, I’d only play it on Mars (this is so sad)

I’ve played it for money and I’ve played it for free (you can guess which one happens more often)

I’ve played it for others, but mostly just for me (obviously)

I’ve played concerts and solos, in and out of doors (noise ordinances be darned)

I’ve played it in competitions and received the judge’s scores (sympathy more like)

It’s made from silver and some other nickel ore (it could be lead, that would explain the brain damage that occurred before I wrote this)

I’d give more detailed info, but I don’t know any more (heard of the internet?)

It just plays oompah, oompah to the really untrained ear (is that how you spell oompah and shouldn’t I know?)

But to me it plays beautiful sounds that I really love to hear (I can’t hear anything when I play, it’s too loud)

I’ve played the clarinet, the flute and saxophone, (none of these are any better)

I’ve played bagpipes and cello, and the slide trombone (you haven’t heard anything yet)

None can compare to the joy, that I often receive (solitary joy, everybody else leaves the room)

from all my tuba playing, a gift from God I believe (give thanks, always – that I don’t live in your neighborhood)

A Capitol Weekend

I had two gigs with the Java Jews this weekend; one at Beaverdale Park – as part of Jazz in July (free music every night in July) sponsored by the Metro Arts Alliance -  and one at the Des Moines Arts Center, as part of their multicultural event Art Inside Out. The weather was absolutely perfect, surprisingly cool for July, and the performances were fun and laid-back. I met a new friend, Bongo Barry (a.k.a. Barry Bernstein, who is a music therapist), and enjoyed some great art, and fantastic Thai food at King and I Thai Cuisine.

At the Arts Center, I enjoyed viewing an exhibition by Tara Donovan, who is a master at creating beautiful art out of everyday things like styrofoam cups, toothpicks and hot glue. She is featured here in the New York times slideshow and article “The Genius of Little Things.”

Fan Gets McCartney Autograph Tattoo

Audrey McCombes, a lucky fan at a Paul McCartney concert was invited onstage after she held up a sign that read “Sign my arm so I can get it tattooed”. From Times and Transcript of Canada, here is the complete article, “Live and Let Dye” (great title) and an excerpt:

“After the first verse, he looked at it and he got this really puzzled look on his face. I’ll never forget it. And then he kept smiling at me throughout the song.”

Ms. McCombs considered taking a different sign to the concert. She’s a tuba player and thought about taking a poster offering to play tuba for Mr. McCartney.

The Beatle fan is a music education major at a California university and hopes to attend Liverpool Hope University in the England next. It offers a master’s degree in the Beatles, popular music and society.

Music isn’t the only way Mr. McCartney has influenced the fan. Ms. McCombs is also a vegetarian.

After walking off the stage Saturday night, Ms. McCombs was so worked up she had to visit the medical tent before returning to watch the rest of the show.

Ms. McCombs left to return home at about 3 a.m. Sunday morning. She didn’t shower and got one of her friends to arrange an appointment for the tattoo.”

Play Me I’m Yours

I just saw a great feature on CBS Sunday Morning about a wonderful public art/music program in London, “Play Me I’m Yours.” It is an installation that is touring the world created by Luke Jerram, involving placing thirty pianos outside in public areas, currently in and around London. Jerram has a unique approach, calling it “Live Art”, including some amazing projects like First Light, Sky Orchestra and Dream Concert.

In these tough economic times (I know, that phrased is overused) it’s good to be reminded that, as one woman on the CBS clip said, “Good things in life a free.” I just wonder what people would think of a public art installation of thrity tubas around the city

Sam Pilafian on life/music skills

I stumbled upon this great video and just had to share it. It is an excellent example of Sam Pilafian’s talent for inspiring and educating through his articulate and expert speaking. He speaks of something that is probably true to most music teachers, a pride of his students who took the skills and discipline needed for music and applied them laterally to another discipline. I enjoy listening to Sam speak as much as I enjoy listening to his amazing tuba playing. It turns out, on jobing.com, there are NINE short videos of Sam speaking, teaching, and even playing accordian.

Walt Disney World Vacation

We just recently returned from a five-day vacation to Walt Disney World. Despite frequent rain, and warm weather, we had a great time. Here are some tips and resources I found helpful in planning and enjoying our time there:

Tour Guide Mike – For $20 this site generates a customized tour plan for you. Full of great tips and advice.

The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World by Bob Sehlinger and Len Testa, and it’s companion site www.touringplans.com. One of the best and most comprehensive tour guides I read.

Passporter’s Walt Disney World
A combination tour guide and scrapbook, including pockets for each day’s plans.

Do’s and Don’ts:

• Do take advantage of Extra Magic Hours if you are staying in the parks, but get out of that park by noon. People tend to stay all day. Get a Park Hopper pass and after a lunch break and nap back at the hotel, enjoy a different park.
• Bring a small backpack with water, with a hand towel, sunscreen, snacks, a rain poncho and anything else you might need.
• If you stay in a Disney Resort hotel, purchase the refillable mug for $12, you’ll use it. Although you can only refill it at your hotel, it is worth it for morning coffee, afternoon soda, evening hot chocolate.
• Get up EARLY and get to the parks before they open. Return to your hotel for a nap or a swim during midday if you can.
• Read signs! We could have saved ourselves a lot of walking and time by reading signs more carefully, especially to buses.
• Take advantage of the FastPass options, but get them as soon as you enter the park.
• Don’t wait in lines longer than 20 minutes.

Favorite Rides and Attractions:

1. The Haunted Mansion
   
2. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
3. The Twighlight Zone Tower of Terror (only I went, but with Fastpass, I only waited 10 minutes)
4. Festival of the Lion King Show – An amazing show, nice cool theater-in-the-round, tons to look at
5. Lights, Motors, Action Extreme Stunt Show

Favorite Dining Experiences:

1. Tusker House Restaurant – a fantastic, fresh, buffet with great, friendly service.
2. Cape May Café - Even though we waited 30 minutes, we enjoyed the atmosphere and the food was very good.
3. Restaurant Marrakesh - The restaurant in the Morocco Pavillion. Great atmosphere, bell dancer and live music. Food was fair.

Least Favorites:

1. The Maelstrom Ride at the Norway Pavillion – LAME!
2. Innoventions
3. Restaurantasaurus

Four Corners Released

I am happy to announce that my first solo CD, “Four Corners: Tuba Music from around the World” has been released on Summit Records. UPDATE: The website Just For Brass, has Four Corners as a featured product for July and August.
It is also available at Amazon, hbdirect, and CD Universe. There are also free bonus tracks available for download here and at napster of my own composition “Dark”, which is an electronic/acoustic backdrop to be improvised over, like I did on the CD.

Here is the complete program:

Retratos by Vinicio Meza
Fantasy on a Lakota Theme by Kenton Bales
Tuba Concerto by Barry McKimm
Guzheng Suite transcribed by Chi Sun Chan
Silhouette by John Harmon
Dark by John Manning

Thanks to the University of Iowa for funding this project. Also a special thanks to: Shari Rhoades, piano; Shin-Yi Yang, guzheng; Chi-Sun Chan, arranger of Guzheng Suite; Jeff Funderburk, Producer; my teachers Sam Pilafian and Scott Mendoker and my family.

Lukas Bratcher: assistive technology euphonium

Lukas Bratcher - Photo by Haden Barkley

Edutopia, the website for the George Lucas Educational Foundation has a remarkable and inspirational video of Lukas Bratcher who plays euphonium with assistive technology. I hope we continue to help people follow their dreams regardless of any physical limitations. Please take the time to go to their site and search Lukas Bratcher and check out the site. You can also view it through VodPod here. Thanks to Josh Calkin (Yellow Tuba, White Noise) for the tip.

Great Plains Regional Tuba Euphonium Conference

All Faiths Chapel - Kansas State

Last week, my students and I attended the Great Plains Regional Tuba Euphonium Conference (GPRTEC) at Kansas State University in Manhatten, Kansas. Collegium Tubum presented a concert of arrangements – some by our own students – and played better than ever. I was very proud of all of my students, but especially of those who entered the competitions. As it turned out, they all received awards, which is fantastic. They included:

• Blaine Cunningham – 1st place in the over 21 tuba solo competition
• Karina Ferrera – 1st place in the under 21 euphonium competition
• Chris Dickey – Honorable Mention in the over 21 euphonium competition
• The “Corntet” (Karina Ferrera, Melissa Reiff, Kristina Gavin, Pat Bigsby) – 3rd place in the quartet competition
• Chet Aliga – won the “Tuba Toss”

Many thanks and kudos to Steve Maxwell, who hosted the event, and our colleagues in all of the studios throughout the Great Plains who participated. Also thanks to Barbara York, my pianist for my recital and composer of many beautiful works for tuba.

YouTube Symphony Orchestra

You Tube announced today the winners of their Symphony Orchestra audition. (Click on Winners, then on the instrument/sections to view the videos of the winners) Congratulations to Andy Chester, who studies with Floyd Cooley at DePaul University in Chicago. We were all rooting for our buddy Jim Lyons, who sounded great on his audition video, but Andy’s win is well-deserved. Below are a few news items about the announcement:

“First You Tube Symphony Orchestra Picked” (ABC News)

Paul Dosier

I recently heard the sad news of the passing Boston tuba busker, Paul “the Tubanator” Dosier. With his band, Made In the Shade, he was a mainstay on the streets of Boston and Cambridge. Please watch the videos below to learn more about this talented, gentle man who died long before his time.

The first, a two-part documentary about Paul, is really well-edited, with surprisingly excellent sound. Listen to Paul’s solid bass lines, and a confident and tasteful solos. Also be sure to check out the promotional video of Made in the Shade’s school show, Jazz: America’s Music.

Thanks to Phil Johnson, and my condolences to Dan Fox and the rest of Paul’s friends.

Don’t You Wish You Played the Piccolo (Pt. 1)

Don’t You Wish You Played the Piccolo (Pt. 2)

Boston for Christmas

I just returned from a very enjoyable visit to Boston, despite all of the expected weather-related delays. I got to hear my niece and nephew perform a piano recital, visited with family and friends, and best of all, stayed at the Bertram Inn bed and breakfast. It is a beautiful Victorian house in Brookline, with a very cozy atmosphere, fantastic breakfast and coffee all day long.

As expected, we encountered numerous weather-related delays, both comic and ironic. Here’s a short list:

• Leaving Moline, IL our flight was delayed due to the fact that that de-icing equipment was frozen
• We arrived late to Chicago, but luckily our departing flight to Boston was delayed as well
• Unfortunately, we had an eighty-minute hold on the runway due to a traffic problem
• Upon arrival at Logan airport in Boston, our jet, which successfully landed in a blizzard, was temporarily stuck in the snow
• We waited for two hours for our luggage because the luggage compartment doors were frozen shut
• When I checked in for my return flight home, the ticket agent asked for my passport. I said I was just flying to Moline. She replied, “You aren’t flying to Shang Hai?”, “No, not that I know of”, I replied. Oh, I see, your flight from Chicago to Moline has been cancelled – you’ll will have to fly tomorrow. I opted to be diverted to Cedar Rapids, an airport closer to home, even though my car is in Moline.

Holiday Tubas 2008

Holiday Tubas 2008 went very well, despite the cold. We had a healthy addition of tuba and euphonium players join us, and the crowd was very enthusiastic. I am especially proud of the fact that we filled two boxes of toys this year for Toys for Tots. Thanks to the Old Capitol folks for hot cider and cookies, and thank you to all my students for a great job during this challenging semester.

Here are links to some of the press about the performance:

Press-Citizen

One Big Holiday Blowout

Cedar Rapids Gazette video

Audio Slide Show from FYI (University of Iowa Faculty and Staff News)