Sousa Central

Monday, April 30, 2012

Stuff Found in Sousaphones: Aliens!

above: aliens have invaded this Sousaphone...

Okay, so I haven't posted in a while. There is a very good reason for that; traveling for work, working day and night and trying to spend a few minutes with my girls once in a while but I have some new material to post about and should have some new posts soon!

While cleaning out a Conn 14K Sousaphone today this doozy came out of the horn. It's a (apparently) homemade bell cover. When it came out of the horn as I was flushing it with water all I was thinking was "please don't let this be underwear..."

Next on Stuff Found in Sousaphones - a love letter...really.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Essential Recordings: Orchestral Excerpts for Tuba - Gene Pokorny

I want to start this series of articles with one of my favorite recordings; Orchestral Excerpts for Tuba by Gene Pokorny of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

This recording is fantastic. Not only does Gene Pokorny play orchestral excerpts that are commonly played in auditions he also explains important details that will help the player better understand the excerpt like why the excerpt may have been chosen and what particular skill the excerpt is designed to highlight.

Gene Pokorny does a phenomenal job performing the excerpts. It is important as wind players to have a good concept of sound and having recordings like this one help players in that sense. The quality of this recording is excellent. The recording captures the finer dynamic changes and subtle nuances in Gene Pokorny's performances.

My favorite piece of advice Gene Pokorny gives regards Bydlo from Pictures at an Exhibition.

"Bydlo: In spite of the fact that playing Bydlo justifies a whopping 2% at most, of the total job description of an orchestral Tubist, be ready for an ill informed conductor or audition committee to put too much weight on this excerpt in the overall evaluation of the player. Be ready to have it played very slow, or very fast as is demonstrated on this recording and try to find an instrument that has some good in tune slots for the highest notes in the excerpt. Incorporate alot of contrasts with the dynamics. After you win the job, get your ego out of the way and decide who can make more music out of the piece; one of your tacit Trombone colleagues or yourself."

This recording is an essential educational tool and a great example of a phenomenal Tuba sound. It is a must for all players.

LINKS

Orchestral Excerpts for Tuba at Amazon.com

Monday, February 13, 2012

Help your fellow Tuba players: University of Texas Pan American Tuba Ensemble

above: The University of Texas Pan-American Tuba Studio circa 2009 or 2010

Dr. Scott Roeder and the University of Texas Pan-American Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble are heading to Linz, Austria for to play in this years ITEA conference. Unfortunately, this isn't cheap and college students aren't exactly hemorrhaging excess cash, so please help support them in any way you can. If you have a few extra bucks skip coffee for a few days and help some young Tuba students fly around the world and get an experience that will benefit them greatly.

Download a song from the UTPA Tuba Ensemble

To make a donation, please contact Dr. Scott Roeder at:

Dr. Scott Roeder on Facebook

e-mail Dr. Scott Roeder

or call him at 956-665-7134

Below is the flier announcing their performance, with a list of all the players...

UTPA Tuba Euphonium Ensemble Performance

International Tuba Euphonium Conference 2012 in Linz, Austria

The University of Texas-Pan American Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Scott Roeder, has been invited to present performances at the 2012 International Tuba Euphonium Conference in Linz, Austria. The ensemble is only one of seven collegiate tuba-euphonium ensembles across the United States to be invited to perform. This invitation shows that the hard work, dedication, and performance excellence of the tuba and euphonium students at UTPA is being recognized and valued among tuba and euphonium musicians around the world. In a larger sense it is an affirmation of the talent of young musicians in the Rio Grande Valley and the quality of music education in south Texas.

The International Tuba Euphonium Conference (ITEC) is an event held every two years and is a show case for the world’s best tuba/euphonium musicians. Teachers, students, and performers from around the world attend ITEC to hear concerts, lectures, and masterclasses from leading soloists and pedagogues. These conferences are also venues to hear up and coming musicians through international competitions and collegiate performances like the UTPA Tuba Euphonium Ensemble has been invited to present.

Attending an ITEC, especially one held in Europe, is an experience like no other for a music student studying tuba or euphonium. This conference will provide the young musicians of UTPA access to performers and teachers that can only be obtained at an ITEC. They will hear performances that will inspire them to new heights and learn new performance ideas and techniques that will give them the knowledge to get there. The connections that can be made at a conference such as this, have the potential to open doors that would never be possible otherwise. Furthermore, students will be able to hear many great European soloists that rarely make it over to the United States to perform. The guest artists for this conference are nothing short of spectacular. In addition to the great benefits of just attending, students at UTPA will have the unique experience of performing at the conference. Very few collegiate musicians ever get the opportunity to perform at an ITEC.

The students of the UTPA Tuba Euphonium Ensemble are a diverse group of individuals from many different areas of the Rio Grande Valley. Most students in the group are studying music at UTPA. However university students with outside majors also perform with the group. The current members of the ensemble include:

Alexis Alba (Donna HS)

Jossafat Corona (Juarez Lincoln HS)

Loida Guerrero (Roma HS)

Amy Guzman (Palmview HS)

Osvaldo Lopez (La Joya HS)

Abel Ocanas (Economedes HS)

Victor Rodriguez (Economedes HS)

Jesus Ruiz (Nikki Rowe HS)

George Sanchez (Nikki Rowe HS)

This group represents cities and school districts from the entire Rio Grande Valley region and the students came from some of the best high school band programs in south Texas.

While this performance opportunity and trip is a once in a lifetime experience for the students involved, it is also an extremely expensive endeavor that most of the students would find hard to provide all the resources necessary to attend. Therefore the ITEA Chapter at UTPA, it actively seeking out sponsors to help raise the needed funds to allow all ensemble members to participate in this experience. If anyone is interested in helping sponsor the trip, please contact Dr. Scott Roeder (roedersd@utpa.edu, 956-665-7134) or Abel Ocanas (aocanasz@broncs.utpa.edu, 956-624-0601)

Tone Deaf Comics: A Tuba Player's Brain

above: A Tuba Player's Brain from Tone Deaf Comics

(click the image to enlarge)

Tone Deaf Comics creates comics for anyone that was ever in band. Lots of jokes for all the instruments in the band and orchestra. They put them out pretty regularly. I will post Tuba related ones here (and others that I find exceptionally funny).

You can find them at: http://www.tonedeafcomics.com/

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

My Trip to the Musical Instrument Museum

above: outside the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona

Recently I had the great pleasure of working at the Southwest Regional French Horn conference in Phoenix, Arizona. A few miles up the road from the college was the Musical Instrument Museum...so I had to go.

above: a Conn double bell Euphonium

The museum is organized by geographical areas; Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Oceania, Africa with musical instruments from almost every country in each area. When you enter the museum they give you a head set that automatically detects where you are and plays a musical example from the exhibit in front of you. It's pretty great.

In addition to the world exhibits, there is also an interactive exhibit with Nickelodeons (very elaborate player pianos with drums, accordions, bells, etc) gongs, drums and even a Theremin that you can play.

Across from the interactive exhibits was the restoration area. The museum had a large window so patrons could see specialists maintaining or preserving old instruments. Unfortunately we were there on a Sunday afternoon so there wasn't much going on.

above: Mike Riepe masterfully plays the Theremin

above: VERY old Conn Eb Tuba

above: Miraphone Wagner Tuba circa 1983

above: Rotary valve set from Cerveny Eb Helicon

above: another photo of the Cerveny Eb Helicon

above: a small Eb Tuba

above: the MIM had MANY helicons

above: 5 and 6 valve Trombones

above: some kind of strange Sousaphone shaped harmonica like horn

above: Rotor valve set with VERTICAL action and clockwork springs for a tenor Tuba

above: full view of the same Tenor Tuba

above: Eric Clapton's guitar "Brownie." He used this one to record Layla.

above: Steve Vai's custom 3 neck Ibanez. The top photo has a "cheat sheet" with the tunings listed for each neck.

above: Contrabass to be played with a double reed. A link in the chain between Bassoon and Ophicleide. The sort of great grandfather of Tuba...

above: Ophicleide on the right, the creature at the bottom is the bell of a Russian Bassoon.

above: civil war era "over the shoulder" horns

above: Musical Banana. Need I say more?

above: Paul Reed Smith (PRS) 25th Anniversary Dragon

above: Martin Guitars workshop display

above: the gift shop had Sousaphone magnets!

While at the museum I took many photos, but due to a technical problem I lost over half the photos I took. This entry is just dips your toes into how cool this museum is. The admission is (at the time of this writing) only $15.00 and in my humble opinion is worth every penny. If you are going to be near the Phoenix area anytime soon, please make plans to visit. I don't think you will leave disappointed.

LINKS

The Musical Instrument Museum

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Tips for Flying with Musical Instruments - Large and Small

above: the author, awaiting his flight back to the midwest...

Whether we like it or not, sometimes we have to fly with our instruments. I really like to travel, and I have traveled all over the world with musical instruments so I am used to it and quite honestly it doesn't really bother me that much. If you have never flown with a musical instrument it is important to know a few things that might help the process move smoothly and help you to get where you are going.

These tips are just my opinions and come from my personal experience. Your experiences may vary.

Tip #1 - Unless you have to or have a case designed specifically to allow the instrument to be put into checked luggage, carry the instrument with you.

Your instrument will change hands many times between when you check it and when you arrive at your final destination. Not everyone handling it will be as careful as you are when handling your musical instrument. Some people assume that because it is in a case that it is indestructible. Your best possible solution is to KEEP THE INSTRUMENT WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES if possible.

The airline employee might ask to gate check the bag, which means that they will handle it until you board the plane. Ask them if you can hold onto it. You never know what could happen to it when it is out of your hands.

If you are traveling with a Tuba, this might mean that you have to buy the instrument a seat on the plane which in some cases is cheaper than putting it into check luggage. I did it with the horn above. You can see it strapped in and ready to go below.

above: a very happy CC Tuba observing the "fasten seatbelt" sign

Most airlines allow musical instruments to be carried on the plane. If the instrument won't fit into the carry on compartment above the seat, check with the airline to see if they have a closet on the plane that will fit your instrument. I have personally traveled with a Tenor Sax, Trumpets, French Horns (cut bell), 5 Trombone hand slides (please don't ask), and (obviously) a Tuba. I have carried them ALL onto the plane.

Tip #2: Pack your instrument in a compact, lightweight but durable case.

When I have had to travel with instruments, I have found it best to pack them into a gig-bag style case with back-pack straps. I like to reduce the amount of weight I have to carry as much as possible and smaller cases make getting around and through security much easier. When flying with a musical instrument I usually travel with a shoulder bag, a suitcase full of clothes and one musical instrument. Having a lightweight but durable case is a must. For the Tuba above, all I had was the hard case so I had to work with what I had, but it could be done.

Tip #3: Allow yourself more time than usual to check in, get through security and board the plane.

You should give yourself more time than usual and expect to be asked many questions. If you have a larger item, like a Tuba, it will take more time to go through security and more time to board the plane. The TSA will not be able to put your Tuba through the X-ray machine so they will want to open it up and look inside. Once through security, go to the check in desk and let them know you have a Tuba (that has paid for a seat) and you need to get it aboard, but don't want to inconvenience any of the employees or other passengers.

Tip #4: Through all of this BE NICE, BE NICE, BE NICE.

The people who work for the airlines and the TSA agents deal with grumpy people all day and I have personally found that a good attitude and a smile help things get done much quicker.

Tip #5: Before flying, check with your airline to check their policies.

Every airline has different policies for musical instruments. Please check the links at the end of this article for different airline policies. Don't be afraid to call customer service or ask questions if you aren't 100 percent sure about an airlines policies. Like I said before, I have flown with lots of stuff and never once had an issue with any airline.

If you have to check your instrument, use a case designed to be checked. The case needs to be able to withstand movement in the "belly" of the plane, be able to have luggage and other stuff stacked on it without crushing your instrument and be able to withstand being dropped. These cases can be VERY expensive, but if you travel frequently and check your horn it is worth every penny and can save you lots of money in repairs.

If you have any tips that I have forgotten or have any interesting travel stories involving musical instruments, please let me know!

LINKS:

The TSA's advice on traveling with musical instruments

Delta Airlines: Musical Instruments Policies

American Airlines: Musical Instrument Policy

(select musical instrument, pick your origin and destination and they will provide info)

United Airlines: Musical Instrument Policies

Continental Airlines: Musical Instrument Policies

Southwest Airlines: Musical Instrument Policies

U.S Airways: Musical Instrument Policies

Lufthansa policies

Air Canada Musical Instrument Policies