Re: Tuba Ensembles?!


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Posted by T. J. Ricer on April 20, 1999 at 21:15:14:

In Reply to: Tuba Ensembles?! posted by Chris on April 18, 1999 at 23:21:08:

I agree with most of the points brought up so far. . . The tuba-euph ensemble is definatly a valuable tool, I think that it would help many young players to be exposed to something other than the bass line. I know that many of us got a shock when we came out of Junior High and started playing some solo literature, some of the time the tubist is not able to cope with this at all after only learning to omp pah in a young band program.

It is also correct that tuba-euph ensembles are a good money making tool. Those of us who haven't landed that dream orchestral job need to get over ourselves and once in a while do gigs that aren't musically fulfilling, but put food on the table. These "junk gigs" can be extremely fun and help show the public a little of the tuba in a melodic setting.
I play in All the King's Tubas, we are a quartet that performs various things in Ohio, the main one being wandering Kings Island. Sure, Smoke on the Water and Rubber Duckie aren't the most amazing pieces, but they can be fun to play and it gets the tuba to audiences that would otherwise not even think the tuba could play a melody. Once you grab their attention with something cheesy you can bowl them over with something fast like Carnival of Venice or William Tell. . . anyway, I'm rambling.

I think that tuba and euphonium ensembles are enjoyable, good tools for learning, a way to bring home money with the horn to your face (as opposed to flipping burgers), and can be musically satisfying if approached the right way.

--T. J. Ricer


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