davewerden

The New York Staff Band is one of the best bands in the Salvation Army, and also one of the best brass bands in the U.S. In this interesting feature they play Cossack Fire Dance, which features many of the band's musicians, especially the cornet, trombone, and euphonium.

This special tuba-euphonium store has been around for a while, but a new section has been added specifically for tuba CD's. There are currently over 60 available titles for tuba solo, ensembles, etc. Artists include Pat Sheridan, the Canadian Brass, Arnold Jacobs, Velvet Brown, Roger Bobo, Jim Self, the Tubadours, Gene Pokorny, and many others. You will find some surprises in there.


Tuba Recordings (CD's)

At the end of this post are the results of this year's British National brass band competition. My first and only "live" experience with the British Nationals was in 1980 when I went to England to accept the Euphonium Player of the Year award. My hosts for the trip set me up with box seats for the contest in Royal Albert Hall.


My wife, who was a clarinet player in the Coast Guard Band, was with me on the trip. Keeping in mind that she is played clarinet, imagine her anticipation ...

I think most low brass players have studied out of the Arban book at some point. It is still my all-time favorite all-in-one book (if you were stranded on an island and could only have one method book, ...). There are twelve terrific theme with variation solos in the back of the book. When I was in school I did not realize that one can buy piano accompaniments for all these solos.


They are all collected in this convenient book:


Twelve Celebrated Fantasies And ...

One aspect of choosing a mouthpiece is often overlooked - the distance it extends out of the end of the leadpipe's receiver. On the euphoniums I have used for example, a Denis Wick or a Bach mouthpiece seems to extend about the correct distance. That is, it seems like what the manufacturer had in mind and compares well to whichever mouthpiece came with the horn.


However, some brands seem designed to stick out further. I believe this is partly because they are made for a trombone ...