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Thread: A Future In Euphonium

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Farmington Hills, MI
    Posts
    472
    Agree with everything above and want to emphasize that the euphonium is the perfect instrument for a serious hobbyist. I'm the perfect example. I went to college as a euphonium performance major and immediately was talked out of that by my teacher. That was great advice. As I didn't want to teach music, I became a marketing major but still played in the top bands and took private lessons. Since graduation, I've used my marketing degree and have played in good community bands and competition brass bands for the last 30+ years. On occasion I get some paid church gigs as well.

    There was a time when I thought about a DC service band gig and did a local audition which qualified me for the next step which was to submit a tape (if I remember correctly) for an opening in a premier band. This was in 1980 and now the competition is much stiffer. Having a solid back-up plan is key.

  2. I know that Euphinator is thinking at this time about a career as a euphonium performer. When I was a Junior in high school, I thought about the same thing. I auditioned into the first chair for the 1968 and 1969 all-California State Honor bands and had the opportunity to play Pictures at an Exhibition (Bydlo) under Frederick Fennell. But I also had the benefit of having parents who were music teachers and professional musicians and knew pretty well how limited the career options were. Since I only wanted to play the horn and not to teach, I decided to major in computer science at UC Berkeley, graduating in 1973. While I played at least 20-30 hrs/week for my entire college career, I ended up with a very marketable set of skills outside of music after graduation. Despite spending 28 years in high-tech before retiring to become a math teacher 12 years ago, I have also been a euphonium player/performer at a high amateur level for over 40 years now. I started taking lessons again 5 1/2 years ago and have been able to travel throughout the US and England and enjoy my third career (part-time euphonium player in local and regional ensembles) for the last 4 years.

    My point is that while the US military bands (whether premier or not) are generally the only full-time non-teaching performing opportunity for a euphonium player in the US, one can still have an entirely different career, perform at a high level, and maintain your musical skills on a lifelong basis without having to compete for one of those incredibly scarce positions.

    Doug
    Adams E3 0.60 Sterling bell - Prototype top sprung valves
    Concord Band
    Winchendon Winds
    Townsend Military Band

  3. Thank you for all of you responses!

    What would be the best schools to study Euphonium at? I'd imagine that University of North Texas with Dr. Bowman must be one of the best, what other schools would be good?

  4. #14
    How soon would you be going?
    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. I am currently a Junior, so at least not for 1 and a half more years, and I will probably stay in-state (Florida) for bachelors unless I get offered a scholarship. So about 2-5 years.

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    West Palm Beach, FL
    Posts
    3,853
    If you need to stay in Florida for your undergrad, be sure to check out USF in Sarasota. Jay Hunsberger has a great studio for tuba and euphonium and was a student of Harvey Philips.
    Last edited by RickF; 12-18-2012 at 10:39 AM.
    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)

  7. I'll be sure to do so!

    What are the best schools in the overall US for euphonium?

  8. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by The Euphinator View Post
    What are the best schools in the overall US for euphonium?
    Well, North Texas, obviously. But Indiana is also very good, as is Arizona. And I can't say as much as I'd like yet, but keep an eye on Butler University announcements in the next few months.
    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

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Indianapolis area
    Posts
    1,003
    I made the finals for the West Point Band in 1979 or so, though not a music major. Fortunately, I studied with Harvey Phillips. Like Michael Schott, I decided it was better to use my training in Business and Languages (and I flunked the West Point physical due to an operation on my spine--that was likely a sign as to where I was supposed to wind up). After a while, I became a professor of Business. That gave me the best of all possible worlds--a steady job that I enjoy, tenure, a flexible time schedule, and the ability to be in several excellent groups as a performer and arranger. If you play well, there will always be an opportunity to study with a fine teacher and play in fine groups. One last comment--the nice part of this arrangement is: If I get a call to do a gig I don't want to do, I just say no and don't have to worry about how I'm going to pay the bills.

  10. #20
    I'm with the older guys in the forum: was a strong player in college, but knew there just weren't any jobs outside of the service bands, which I could not qualify for because of an injury which had made me 4F in the draft, and of no interest to the uniformed services.

    But back to today, if I were young, knowing what I know today, I would seek to study with either Demondrae Thurman or Ben Pierce. Demondrae is arguably our best pure artist and performer & Ben has won every competition in the world worth winning, including the Falcone on both euphonium and tuba. They could help you to develop every bit of your talent; that plus a large measure of luck is what brings together a playing career.

    http://www.benpierce.com/?page_id=6

    http://www.demondrae.com/Bio.html
    Last edited by JTJ; 12-19-2012 at 08:20 AM.

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