Posted by Eric Bubacz on June 26, 2001 at 22:49:23:
I did not post with the thread because I felt this messsage should probably get some immediate attention and does not belong with Anon. Where to begin?!? I transferred from Eastman School of Music in 1992 to Curtis Institute in the fall of 1992. I graduated from Curtis in 1995. I briefly attended graduate school afterwards at the Peabody Conservatory. From my brief bio here, I can definitely tell you that I have attended some of the finest schools in the states and worked closely with some of the finest teachers.
In regards to Jason's query, Curtis Institute is simply the best orchestral experience an undergraduate can hope to have. The tuition is free. You are sitting beside some of the best students anywhere who also work with excellent teacher/coaches etc. The orchestra performs a new concert program each week in front of an audience often times with big name guest conductors. For example, when I was at Curtis, I worked with Simon Rattle, Yuri Temirkanov, Charles Duitoit, David Zinman, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Kurt Mazur, Leonard Slatkin, Eiji Oue, etc. this list goes on and on. Yes, there is only one tuba player at the Institute, but that is because there is usually only one tuba player in an orchestra. Because the school is tuition free, it becomes difficult to have too large a student body. In the brass section there were 3 tenor trombones, 1 bass-trombone, 4 trumpets, and 6 horns.
In terms of lessons, Paul gave me an inordinate amount of time. Weekly, I sometimes had lessons for 2 to even 3 hours in length. While at Eastman and at Peabody(which I am still paying off to this day!), my lessons were only 1 hour. Anon, have you even had 1/2 hour for free from any major orchestral tuba player? With regards to Jason, take a lesson with any teacher you may be interested in because they all have different ways of conveying a point. What David Fedderly(this is just an example) would say could reach you better than maybe another. In terms of schools, you are the shopper; test out the products. Getting back to Krzwycki, we still talk to this day. I am still striving towards his musical standards.
He makes some of the finest beer I have ever tasted!! I now also make fabulous BEER due to Paul's tutelage. I have had some woderful beer-tasting dinners at his place with his family(perks of being a Curtis student).
If there are any questions about Paul's performances, listen to Alexander Nevsky with Ormandy conducting in 1975. I still hope to attain that standard! Some of these recording in the 70's(Paul started in the fall of 1972) are being re-released; check them out.
For the audition, don't worry about equipment. Ed Diefes did not even get his current equipment that he plays in Syracuse until after graduating. He would tell me that the tuba that he played on at Curtis was his "polka-master". Needless to say, it was not his current Warren Deck Meinl-Weston. Paul rates purely on ability and experiences demonstrated(I know because I was on the audition committee when I graduated).
My experiences there simply cannot be duplicated.
I am currently a freelance musician exculsively. I gig out of the Pittsburgh area and I have had the opportunity to be a substitute with Cleveland, Philadelphia and Pittsbugh Symphonies most directly due to my learning and experiences at Curtis. If interested in auditioning for the school; DO IT!!! John Whitener, the current tuba student should be entering his Junior year in 2001-2002.
Bravo to Matt Good(Curtis Institute, Tuba 1985) on his insights. I thought I might add just a few more.