Re: Ohio Tuba Teachers


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Posted by ohio tuba player on July 07, 2001 at 21:33:31:

In Reply to: Ohio Tuba Teachers posted by Ryan PA on July 07, 2001 at 18:30:50:

I suppose either Ohio school is good if you are looking for marching band, but maybe if you really want to be a performance major, you should evaluate what marching band will do to your chops. I'm not saying it can't be done, but be careful. Consider the time it takes from your schedule, and what kind of demands it will place on you. Be sure you have time to fit in your practice... after all, you do want to be a performance major.
As far as advice on the local teachers... OSU, as mentioned above, is definitely a marching haven. Jim Akins is a solid player, I'm sure you could learn a lot from him.
OU's teacher, Jason Smith, is going into his third year there. He's a great player and a great teacher as well. He's fairly young by comparison, but still I would rank him up there as far as his teaching goes. He is pretty multifaceted, so if you have other interests such as composition, he might be a consideration.
Other schools in Ohio with good teachers... Velvet Brown at BG is of course someone whom you could get a lot from. I had the opportunity to talk with her, and she seems to have a good thing going there. Cincinnati of course is a great school, but again, this is a choice where you have to consider if your true calling is with your hobby of marching band or with playing. Oberlin is another such instance, if a full-time always present teacher is not a major concern. Conservatories will not be tolerant of marching, schedule and demand-wise (provided the schools even offer a marching band). I worked with Tucker Jolly at Akron once awhile back when i was in high school, he has good things to offer as a teacher as well.
Be sure to check everything out. Once you find the right teacher and school, you may automatically reconsider your priorities... You may find a great match with a school that doesn't have a marching band, or with a teacher who will discourage it. You have time, things may change.
Of course, outside of Ohio, all the choices mentioned here are great. Take your time, this is a big decision. It sounds like you have the time, so go look around.
Good luck!


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