BETWEN TUBAS AND EUPHONIUMS: KEVIN WASS

Hello Everyone

My name is Harold Hernandez Lozano. I'm a Tuba / Euphonium, Repertory Orchestra and Chamber Music Profesor and have been a member of ITEA since 1996.

For me it is an honor to be able to interview for my blog and share it with you to the president of the ITEA. Who is also one of the guests at the AETYB MADRID 2018 Suprarregional Festival and will participate in my Debate on the DIFFERENT TEACHING SCHOOLS OF THE TUBA AND THE EUPHONIUM

Without further ado, let's start:

Name and Surname:

Kevin Wass

Which instrument/s do you use:

Contrabass and Bass Tubas, Euphonium (owned by my school), Cimbasso (owned by my school)

Manufacturer and model of the instrument/s that you use:

Contrabass Tuba (CC):  Alexander 163

Bass Tuba (F): B&S 3100W “JBL Classic”

Euphonium: Hirsbrunner (owned by Texas Tech University)

Cimbasso: Wessex (owned by Texas Tech University)

Manufacturer and model of the mouthpiece/s that you use:

Contrabass Tuba: Schilke Helleberg II, Perantucci PT-88, Dillon Chris Olka CB2

Bass Tuba: Perantucci PT-64 and PT-65, Jeu Naturel Custom Wood Mouthpiece

Euphonium: Perantucci 5C

EDUCATION:
When and where did you begin your studies of the euphonium or tuba?

1984, Bill Reed Junior High School, Loveland, Colorado, USA

At what age?

13 years old

What reasons or circumstances led you to study this instrument?

We had too many good trombone players in our school band and no tuba players so I was asked to switch from trombone to tuba.

Who were your main teachers?

I did not study privately until college.

Dana College (BS, Music Education), 1989-93: Craig Fuller

Indiana University (MM, Perforamance), 1993-95: Harvey Phillips, Daniel Perantoni

University of Michigan (DMA, Performance), 1999-2002: Fritz Kaenzig

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Please leave us a little account of your experience as a soloist, member of chamber groups, orchestra, band, etc:

Orchestra/Band:

Disneyland All-American College Band, 1992

Music Academy of the West Festival Orchestra, Principal Tuba, 1993

Lincoln Symphony Orchestra (Nebraska, USA), Substitute/Extra 1995-99

Omaha Symphony Orchestra (Nebraska, USA), Substitute/Extra 1995-99, 2008

Honolulu Symphony Orchestra, Substitute/Extra, 2004, 2007

Lubbock Symphony Orchestra (Texas, USA), Principal Tuba, 2005-present

Keith Bryon’s New Sousa Band, 2009

Santa Fe Pro Musica (New Mexico, USA), Substitute/Extra, 2009

Santa Fe Opera Orchestra, Substitute/Extra, 2016-17

Brass Ensembles:

Palladium Brass, Omaha, Nebraska, USA, 1992-93

Plymouth Brass, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA, 1996-99

Concerto Soloist:

Fountain City Brass Band (Kansas City, Missouri, USA), Frontier Brass Band (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA), United States Army Orchestra, several collegiate bands and amateur ensembles

(Please write about your warm up exercise, experience and all about this)

I use Chris Olka’s “Drill of the Week” exercises on YouTube, Michael Davis’s “20-Minute Warm-Up”, Sam Pilafian and Pat Sheridan’s “The Brass Gym”, the James Stamp “Warm Ups and Studies”, the Herbert L. Clarke “Technical Studies”, the Bai Lin “Lip Flexibilities”, the William Bell/Abe Torchinsky “Bell Scales”, and various scale exercises in different combinations.  I like to use the set routines with accompaniment (Olka, 20-Minute, Stamp, and Brass Gym) to get started and then base the rest of my fundamental practice on what I’m working on at the time.  If it is a symphony week for me, I’ll emphasize low register and expansive sound, if it is leading up to a recital I’ll base what I’m doing on the repertoire I’m playing.  For example, I was recently preparing James Grant’s “Three Furies” and I included extra work on whole tone and octatonic scales over a four-octave range to prepare for the wide range and technical demands of this piece.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
Please let us know what learning centers you have taught in (as a full time professor, visiting professor, courses, master classes, etc..)

Omaha (Nebraska, USA) Public Schools, Band and Orchestra Director, grades 4-6 and 9-12, 1995-99.

University of Nebraska-Omaha, Adjunct Instructor (Euphonium and Tuba), 1995-98

Dana College (Blair, Nebraska, USA), Adjunct Instructor (Low Brass), 1996-97

Texas Tech University (Lubbock, Texas, USA), Professor of Tuba and Euphonium, 2001-present

Las Vegas Music Festival, Artist/Faculty (Tuba), 2002-2006

TAKING OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST.
Here in Spain, in some centers it is considered that the bombardino / euphonium is an instrument that should have its own specialization and on the other hand some believe that, as an instrumentalist, one must know and master the tuba and the euphonium.

Could you give us your opinion on this and on how you would approach this issue in the interest of an education and training tailored to the necessary specialization that is required today?

I would love to see more euphonium/bombardino players get the opportunity to study with a specialist on their instrument from an early age.  At the same time, I understand that it is currently my responsibility to teach at least six euphonium majors at any given time and I take that responsibility seriously.  I was lucky to be in school with some outstanding euphonium players (Ben Pierce, Mitsuru Saito) and I learned so much from being around them.  I also went to every euphonium recital and master class I could early in my teaching years, taking notes and asking questions to make myself a better euphonium teacher.  I still do not play euphonium very well, but I think I have become a very knowledgeable teacher and a good example to my students, who will all teach instruments they do not play.

I encourage my tuba players to learn as much as they can about euphonium technique, repertoire, and pedagogy, and I encourage my euphonium majors to learn some tuba or trombone.  Most of my students go on to become band directors at the middle school (grades 5-8) or high school (grades 9-12) level, and they teach all instruments but will be counted on as “low brass specialists” in their schools.

If your current work takes place mainly as a teacher, please answer the following questions:

How do you organize your classes and the subject in general?

I work with a set Technique Syllabus that we use to start each lesson and that the students are expected to start their practice with each day.  This is how they learn many of the daily routines and exercises that I list above.

Each student in my studio performs on a Studio Recital each semester in addition to their end-of-semester jury (usually two separate pieces).  They also perform these pieces in a weekly Studio Class where they receive comments and tips for improvement from their peers.

All of my students typically play in our tuba-euphonium ensemble, which meets once per week for a two-hour rehearsal.  We play four concerts per year and typically take a trip to play at a regional or international tuba and euphonium conference.

In the fall, my first- and second-year students are put together into groups of 3-5 students for a weekly group lesson in addition to their weekly private lesson.  We work on practice habits, time management, and other skills in these lessons.

In the spring, I offer audition preparation as a separate class for both tuba and euphonium players.  While they all learn some standard excerpts in their band and orchestra placement auditions each semester, this gives the opportunity for more extensive and in-depth excerpt study for those who are hoping to audition for professional positions in the future.

How long are your classes? How often do they occur? Weekly, biweekly, several times a week?

Private lessons: 1 hour per week for each student

Group lessons: 1 hour per week for first and second year students (Fall semester only)

Ensemble Rehearsal: 2 hours per week for all tuba and euphonium students

Audition Repertoire: 2 hours per week for select students (Spring semester only)

Studio Class: 1 hour per week for all tuba and euphonium students

Do you think it is important that the student does public performances during his training years? If so, recommend  how many times you think it appropriate and from what age or course. Elementary, Professional, Superior?

I think it is crucial that students get as much public performance experience as possible.  In the US, we have very active public school music programs in grades 6-12, but they tend to focus mainly on large ensemble performance.  Students may play one solo piece per year for a special contest, and many students do not even study privately on their instrument.  We are starting to see this situation change, particularly in terms of more students studying privately, but I still think most students ages 13-18 do not get enough solo performing experience.

At the collegiate level, we try to get students to play more often in different settings.  I have my students perform solos a mínimum of two times a semester (four total performances of two different pieces), which is still not very much.  I also encourage solo competitions to help students get more experience, and I am also seeing more of my students get chamber music experience.

We do formal recitals at the third year for Music Education majors and third and fourth year for Performance majors.  Masters level students do one recital per year and Doctoral level students perform four recitals in three years.

I would like to see my students do more varying recitals, including performances outside of the tuba-euphonium community and outside of the academic setting.  I would also like to see more of them work on a program and then perform it multiple times in different settings.  These are also things I think all of us in the professional world could do better as well—playing for the “general public” beyond our own peers and really polishing a few pieces or a recital program through several performances.

Is there another professor  with your same specialty at the center where you teach?

No

A major part of the course curriculum is standardized and based on the idea that the student should master the solo repertoire, sometimes to the detriment of large group repertoire (Orchestra and Band), when in fact, the majority of tuba and euphonium players go on to be teachers and / or members of a band and to a lesser extent, an orchestra in the case of tubas.

In your opinión, how should one address this issue? How important do you think it is to include the learning and mastering of orchestral repertoire as part of the  course curriculum?

I think we have to be very balanced in how we prepare our students since we do not know exactly what they will be doing, what they enjoy doing, and where their opportunities will be.  We need to expose them to as many styles and genres as possible (who knows where latent abilities or interests might appear?) and we need to make sure that they are fundamentally sound on the instrument so that they are prepared for a wide variety of musical circumstances.

I emphasize fundamental skills of tone production and musicianship primarily in my teaching, and then work to apply those skills to different performance settings.  Sometimes, as in orchestral playing vs. solo playing, the demands of the music are so different that we need to address them in very different ways.  This is why I have a separate Audition Repertoire class, so that students who want to pursue advanced study in orchestral excerpts can do so.  At the same time, all of my students have to master some standard orchestral and band audition material through their placement auditions that take place every semester.

Please tell us what the admittance process is to enter your learning center

Students must be admitted to Texas Tech University based on their academic record and a written application.  Then they must audition to the School of Music for admission to any music degree.

What repertoire is required on the entrance exam?

Two contrasting selections of the student’s choice, major and minor scales, sight reading.

Do you suggest any particular repertoire?

I prefer to have students select their own repertoire and I encourage them to choose things that they play well and enjoy playing.  It is very hard for me to judge a student who is playing a piece that is far too difficult for him or her.  I would rather hear easy music played well than difficult music played “almost well”.

How many works are required and in what format (solo, with piano, etudes, etc.)?

Two pieces, student’s choice.  I hear solos, etudes, and band and orchestral excerpts depending on the student’s background and interests.  Piano accompaniment is not required.

Is there an obligatory piece? If so, what is it?

No obligatory piece.

About how long is the exam?

15 minutes, including the playing portion and a brief interview.

What aspects do you value most when deciding? Musicality, intonation, rhythm, ...?

I look at overall performance (tone production, musical maturity, preparation) combined with the student’s goals as outlined in the interview.  Are their career goals realistic?  Do they see studying at my institution as an opportunity or an entitlement?  Are their goals in line with what we offer as an institution?  For example, I do not have the knowledge and we do not have the resources to help a student launch a career in jazz and I would encourage such a student to study elsewhere.

If you had to choose (in a hypothetical situation,) would you have a preference between a tuba player or a euphonium player?

I base my teaching load on the needs of our ensembles and my ability to teach all of the students, so I need to have 6-8 euphoniums and 8-10 tuba students at all times.  Sometimes I am at minimum levels on both instruments but have more students I want to accept.  At these times, I look at the long-term studio numbers (who is graduating over the next two or three years, for example) and accept students as those numbers allow.

WORK DURING THE COURSE TRAINING
What kind of repertoire do you mostly work on with your students? Solo, with piano accompaniment, chamber music, ....?

We spend the bulk of our private lesson time on fundamental exercises and solo repertoire (mostly with piano, some unaccompanied). 

Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble is a mix of chamber music (3-6 parts) and medium ensemble (8-16 parts), both origianal works and transcriptions.

We address band and orchestral excerpts in an Audition Repertoire class each Spring semester.

What format does the graduate exam have? Solo concert, Recital with piano, ...?

BM: one half-length recital (Music Education), one half-length recital and one full-length recital (Music Performance)

MM: two solo recitals, one oral examination over all musical topics

DMA: two solo recitals, one chamber recital, one lecture recital, two written examinations (musicology and music theory), one oral examination (performance and pedagogy), a major document, and defense of the document

What programing does it have? Works of different styles and periods, ...?

BM: One standard work originally written for the instrument, one transcription of a peice written before 1900, other works to fill out the program.

MM: The first recital is standard works (one transcription, one major original work for tuba or euphonium, one unaccompanied work, other works to fill out the program.  The second recital can me more based on the student’s individual interests.

DMA: The first recital is typically standard works, the second solo recital is more based on the student’s interests and career goals.  The chamber recital is typically varied ensembles (not all brass quintet or low brass quartet) and the lecture recital is based on the major document.

Does the student select the works to be played? or are they chosen by the professor?

Students select the works but professor must approve the program.

Is there any work you would deem mandatory? If so, what?

I like all students to have performed the major works for the instrument by the time they finish a doctorate.  Since most of my graduate students come from other programs, we choose repertoire based on what they are still “missing” from the standards.  If I had to list the “standards” I am looking for:

Tuba: Hindemith Sonata, Vaughan Williams Concerto, Penderecki Capriccio, John Williams Concerto

Euphonium: Horovitz Concerto, Ellerby Concerto, Picci Fantasie Originale, Boccalari Fantasia di Concierto, Sparke Pantomime

SPEAKING OF TECHNICAL ISSUES:
Could you give us your opinion about:

the different concepts of sound and what characteristics define it, articulation, the types of instruments, literature, if you consider the influence of language and musical tradition important in the sound and way of playing?

To me, a great sound on any instrument is very resonant and easily produced (I find those almost always go together!).  The goal is to be able to reproduce on the instrument any sound that the artist can imagine.  Rather than just trying to make a “good” sound or the “right” sound on the instrument, we should be learning to manipulate sound so that we have a full palette of colors, articulations, dynamics, and gestures to better communicate with an audience.  Music is itself a language, and we cannot communicate effectively if we restrict ourselves to one or two vowels and a few basic consonants.

I think language has a great influence on musicianship beyond just articulation.  There have been many articles written on “articulate” languages  (Spanish, Italian) that use forward consonants and vowels resulting in brighter and clearer articulations on the instrument while darker vowels and gutteral consonants (Slavic languages) result in darker and heavier sounds and articulations.  Beyond this, I also find that native langauge changes the way we communicate.  Languages and literatures that strive for precision, for example, (German, English) lead people to strive for precision in musical communication.  Languages that are less precise in meaning and lend themselves to poetic expression (traditionally French, Spanish, Italian) lead musicians to expect expression and freedom in the ambiguity of musical language.  This is generalization and oversimplification, of course, but it seems to me that it would be difficult to learn a spoken and written language throughout one’s life without being affected by the characteristics of that language and its literature.

Talk a little about the making of tubas and / or euphoniums and mouth pieces:

Tell us about your experiences and likes of a particular manufacturer and why?

I have just changed both bass and contrabass tubas from piston (Yamaha YFB-822 and B&S Perantucci PT-7) to rotary (B&S JBL and Alexander 163).  I found I was looking for instruments with a lighter response and more flexible sound characteristics.  As mentioned above, I am less interested in a “great” sound than a sound that I can manipulate in many ways.  This is also why I am experimenting with such things as the Jeu Naturel wooden mouthpiece, which I use for almost all of my Baroque playing on the F tuba.  I still think the Yamaha and PT-7 are great horns (I actually sold both of them to students of mine) but it is not what I need right now for the kind of music I want to play and the way I want to play it.

I have always loved the sound of the Alexander tubas and it is exciting to finally own one.  They do have some quirks, but so far I am enjoying that instrument immensely.  Right now, I am really in love with the fat and resonant sound of the “classic” German rotary-valve tubas (I have also played on some Rudi Meinls and older Miraphones that I really like).

TO CONCLUDE:
In your experience, do you believe that the diversity of performers, instruments, and the opportunity to train in various specialized schools is becoming homogenized in the interpretative centers that are already established? (Example Russian, American, Germano-Austrian, English, etc).

I think there is a certain degree of homogenization that comes, but it is mostly due to a “best practices” sort of positive imitation that occurs from the proliferation of recordings and video on the internet.  We can hear the very best soloists, orchestral and band players, and chamber musicians from all around the world with a couple taps of our fingers, and it is only natural that we all steal something we like from each of the best of them.  Over time, many of us steal the same things and we start to sound more alike.

At the same time, individuality will always win out and will always ensure that progress continues.  We are musicians of our time as much as we are musicians of our places, and who knows what the future will bring?  The best players will always push the envelope and many of the rest of us will always follow in their footsteps by imitating some of the things they do.

Language and culture will also continue to influence musicianship as noted above.  In addition, the fact that we start out and grow so differently in each culture will continue to influence our musicianship, sound, and equipment choices.  Most tuba players in the US start out in public school band programs playing a B flat contrabass tuba and do not see a C tuba until they are 16-18 years old and very rarely see an F tuba until they are in college.  Other countries have students who start in brass band (maybe on tenor horn) and learn E flat tuba first.  Still others are trained in a National Conservatory system, where solo playing is emphasized from the beginning and F tuba may be the first instrument they play.  All of this will affect how one develops as a musician and tuba player.

I am very grateful for your kind attention and for answering my questions.

Thank you for involving me in this project—I enjoyed working my way through these questions!

Again, thank you very much. See you in Madrid