NB: Moderators, please feel free to move this, if you wish, to a better place.
I'm putting it here because we discussed (what else?) EUPHONIUM BRANDS.
I just returned to Indianapolis after five days in Chapel Hill, NC visiting my mother. Of course, I also wanted to meet Felix (FSUNG) and John (JTJ), who live in the area.
As it turns out, Felix's church, home of the famous euphonium tests, was only TEN MINUTES from my mother's condo!! This church has beautiful acoustics; the congregation is fortunate to have a building that so enhances worship.
I PM'd John and Felix, and they were gracious enough to agree to meet me at the church. John, who is recovering from surgery, brought his Mirafone 5050 and Felix brought his Sterling Virtuoso and a double-bell euphonium. I had my Willson 2905 and Elliott setup. Felix also brought 67,583,096 mouthpieces for me to plug in!!
While I certainly enjoyed playing Felix's Virtuoso, I was absolutely blown away by the Mirafone 5050!! It took EVERYTHING I could give it and responded beautifully...high, low, loud, soft, staccato, legato. Simply amazing instrument! I don't know if they are all so responsive or whether John's was especially fine, but I intend to find out if I can move my 2905. I also enjoyed playing "stupid bell tricks" on the double-bell, which had been modded to use a large-shank mouthpiece.
Of all the mouthpieces that Felix brought, I was most struck by the Demondrae Thurman model and the "Wedge" mouthpiece. The Thurman I found to be very responsive, but I shall reserve judgment about the "wedge." I found it more responsive if I put it 90 degrees out of phase
Then we sat down to play some trios/duets that Felix arranged. They are beautiful arrangements that fit the euphonium perfectly.
John and Felix are great players; it was an honor to join them! As if that were not enough, they arranged and facilitated our "summit." They were both very welcoming and accomodating to a stranger whom they knew only under the "nom de forum" of a Pokemon character!
So...THANK YOU BOTH, John and Felix!! You made my week!
And thanks to Dave for providing a forum that makes such "summits" possible!!
PS--to see the fotos fully, you may have to close the side bar...just hit the "hide" button! Sorry; not sure how to shrink 'em and post 'em here--I just linked to them from my son's photobucket account.
Jim W.
Fsung, Snorlax, and JTJ in action!
The Mouthpiece lineup (wedge at right end; look carefully at the rim!)