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Thread: Most memorable euphonium performance?

  1. Most memorable euphonium performance?

    A question for everyone out of curiosity. What is the single most moving live performance that you've ever personally seen by a euphoniumist and why? Can be solo, chamber, or even large ensemble.

    I'll start off. In 1999 I attended the Rafael Mendez Brass Institute in Cincinnati. The best part of the week was that the euphoniumists (about 8 of us) got to spend about 4 hours a day in a masterclass with Brian Bowman (as we were euphoniumists, there wasn't much else for us to do, it was more of an orchestral-focused seminar). In an afternoon masterclass, Brian was working with a grad student on the opening of the Bocallari "Fantasia di Concerto." The student had great chops, but Brian wanted him to sing more. He picked up his horn and demonstrated the first 4 bars. The rest of us (all about graduate level and experienced players) collectively went "holy crap." Though only about 20 seconds long, it was the most beautiful, sincere moment of music I've ever heard performed on a brass instrument. It was all we could talk about the rest of the week. It completely reshaped the way I approached the instrument.

    Looking forward to hearing about your experiences!
    Martin Cochran
    Adams Performing Artist
    mceuph75@gmail.com

  2. Most memorable euphonium performance?

    I would say, almost seriously, that Martin's perfomance a couple of years ago at IEI in Atlanta was the absolute acme: appearing on stage in a little musical melodrama along with Thomas Ruedi and another fine player I just can't recall at the moment, Martin completely stole the show and positively "racked-up" a dramatico-musical triumph. If you were not there, you'll have to ask Martin for the details ...

    But I'll come down to earth and tell about Larry, the principal euphist in the Atlanta Concert Band. I like to tell tales of him and have done so on other forum threads, so some of you may hear an echo here.

    He has the pedigree: Columbia University graduate, lifelong educator, studied trombone at Julliard (across the street from Columbia in those days) with Alan Ostrander, played summer gigs on Coney Island back in the day, all of that. He'll be 76 this month (June 2011).

    Talk about determined to keep making music: he has a big ol' bypass surgery scar down his chest, and euph is his secondary instrument, but he nonetheless plays circles around the rest of us.

    But here's the story I want to tell: I arrived late to one rehearsal, plopped my stand down, got oriented and began to play. It was some technically demanding piece, and I had plenty of issues with it. But I was surprised to hear that Larry was actually dropping a note here and there; very strange. Then I noticed how awkwardly he was holding the horn: cradling the bottom bow with his right arm, he was working the valves by reaching around the FRONT of the horn with his left arm, doing a bizzare radius/ulna twist to get his left hand on the valves.

    When the conductor stopped us to work with the clarinets, he says in that flat Jersey accent, "I got my right hand slammed in a car door, it's gonna be OK in another week or so ... sorry about the missed notes ... "


  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Minneapolis, MN
    Posts
    178

    Most memorable euphonium performance?

    Warumtobendieheiden, I love that last story.

    My most memorable performance wasn't what most would take as a performance at all. Steve Mead visited my university. We had a great selection of performers give masterclasses, and I learned something from all of them. It was Steve Mead gave me the first "aha" moment. I was walking through the halls of the music building when I heard an incredible euphonium sound*. It was as if I could feel it in my legs. I knew that he must have arrived. Folks, I was floored by him warming up, and I'm really not that easily amused. I sat in the choral room and just stared in absolute amazement while he did long tones and flexibility exercises.

    Later, I had a lesson with him. I told him that I wanted to work on my tone. He started to give me a lot of what I had heard many times before regarding air. I stopped him and said that it can't just be about air because there was no way on earth he could beat me in the 100 yard dash. I wanted to know how all of that air translated to a fantastic sound. He then went on to give me the lesson of a lifetime. Dr. Jeff Funderburk, also visiting, was making use of my professor's computer to check his e-mail. He also contributed to the lesson as well.

    *This statement is in no way to take away from Dave Werden's performance 1 year later which was both incredible and amazing, and it was a true pleasure to have him perform in the University of Iowa Brass Fest.

  4. #4

    Most memorable euphonium performance?

    I had several along the way. The first time I heard the Childs Brothers comes to mind.

    But thinking waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back, I had two experiences a year apart in high school. Our school combined with another h.s. in town and did a guest artist concert each year. In my Jr. year we had Doc Severinsen. I had never heard a trumpet player with such a tremendous (in several ways!) sound. Then a year later we had Harold Brasch, who was the first "real" euphonium player I had ever heard on recording or in person. Each man changed my ideas about their instrument a great deal. Unexpected by the band, Harold played along (offstage) with our last march. It was amazing to suddenly hear his great sound floating over the band like that.

    A little later in life, I was at an event where Henry Charles Smith performed the Hovhanhess Symphony No. 29, with a piano accompaniment in place of the usual orchestra. He was playing a Conn Constellation, and his sound and musicality were truly eye-opening! By then I was pretty much a Besson bigot, figuring that a Besson was the only horn that could give you a professional sound with real carrying power. (This was before the newer compensators had caught on much.) But Henry Charles had so much of an internal sense of the sound of this piece that it just seemed to pour out of the horn.

    Around this same time I heard Salvation Army euphoniumist William Himes perform with a band. He did Journey into Peace, as I recall. But it wasn't the piece that caught my attention - it was the sound. Here was my first live experience with a euphonium player who had a true British concept (even though I think he was born in the USA). His sound filled the large hall, but never sounded the least bit strained. It was just everywhere around my head, easily heard during even the soft passages, and always warm and rich. Himes later became conductor of the Chicago Staff Band of the SA.

    In each case, to really whack me on the head the performance needed to be live with me in the room. With euphonium especially, it is really tough (actually, so far at least... impossible) to capture this kind of sound on a recording played back through speakers or headphones (and I have very good versions of both listening devices). Plus there is always something about a live performance, no matter what the instrument(s), that is not quite captured on recording. We are really blessed that in today's euphonium world there are great players from all around the world who are willing to travel and perform in the USA.



    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
    Twitter: davewerden
    Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    West Palm Beach, FL
    Posts
    3,853

    Most memorable euphonium performance?

    I don't think I can narrow it down to just one "Aha moment" but I do remember two performances that really impressed me.

    The first one was in 1988 or maybe 1989 when the Coast Guard Band came to South FL on tour. The concert was held in the gymnasium of the Santaluces High School in Lantana, FL. My youngest son was a Freshman there and played euph in the HS band. He had also just started on T-bone so he could play in the jazz band later. David Werden played "Carnival of Venice" in front of the band. We were both blown away by Mr. Werden's performance. I remember my son saying, "I didn't know that the euphonium could play technical stuff like that!" I had been out of music for about 20 years then... and it would be another 12 years or so before I'd get back into it. I'll always remember Dave's performance. Great tone, wonderful technique and great projection over the band. A real pleasure to listen to.

    The other performance I'll never forget was by Steven Mead when the BBBC (Brass Band of Battle Creek) came and performed at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach, FL. I think it was in 2007. Steve Mead played "Rule Britannia" in front of the band. It was the first time I've heard this performed live on euphonium. Steven had this memorized. With each variation he picked up a Union Jack flag with his left hand and would waved it around. On the next variation he'd grab a bigger flag. The last variation he grabbed a full sized flag that had to be at least 3' or 4' long. So he's waving the flag around with his left hand while supporting the 10# horn AND fingering it with his right hand. BTW, Mr. Mead is left handed. There's a video of Steve Mead playing "Rule Britannia" on YouTube, but the recording isn't that good so really doesn't do him justice.

    I'll always remember these two performances. Thanks for the memories.
    Rick Floyd
    Miraphone 5050 - Warburton BJ / RF mpc
    YEP-641S (recently sold)
    Doug Elliott - 102 rim; I-cup; I-9 shank


    "Always play with a good tone, never louder than lovely, never softer than supported." - author unknown.
    Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches
    El Cumbanchero (Raphael Hernandez, arr. Naohiro Iwai)
    Chorale and Shaker Dance
    (John Zdechlik)

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