"BETWEEN TUBAS AND EUPHONIUMS...JAMAL BOUKHNOUCH"

Hello everybody, It is a pleasure for me to bring you this interview with a great musician and friend from the "unknown" African continent. I am referring to the exceptional Moroccan tuba player Jamal Boukhnouch.

Without further ado, I thank you for your kind collaboration.

Let us begin.

• Name and surname: 

Jamal Boukhnouch

• What instrument / s do you use? 

F Tuba/ E-flat Tuba/ B-flat Tuba/ C Tuba.

• That make and model are the tools you use: 

Melton 4250-S, Melton 2141, Melton 197/2, Melton 5450-S Thor  and Eastman 836

• That manufacturer and model are the / s nozzle / s you use: 

Melton and Eastman

Let's talk about your EDUCATION:

• When and where their studies or tuba euphonium started?

I started to studies Music at the Air Force Conservatory of Music with the Euphonium and one year later with the Tuba.

• At what age? 

13 year old

• What reasons or circumstances led him to study this instrument?

In my country we don’t have a big Brass tradition like in Spain or other European country, that’s why my parents had no idea about Brass instruments.

So the reasons I am playing the tuba now, is that when I was very young I watched a movie with a Brass Band scene, as a kid I saw that I was in love with the French Horn, how it looks and how it is shining, and I asked my parents I want to learn this instrument, then my parents bring me to the Air Force Conservatory because in my city it was the best school for learn Brass instruments. at that time I was not lucky to start with French horn because the class was full of students, and the only free places was in the Flute or the Tuba class, that why I went for the Tuba because it was the closest to the French horn.

• Who were your main teachers? 

Valerie Biondi, Arnaud Boukhitine, Ulrich Hass and Alexander Kritikos

As for his PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Please leave us a little account of his experience as a soloist, a member of chamber ensembles, orchestra, band, etc.

• In Orchestra and / or Band:

Suzhou Symphony Orchestra

Cairo Opera Orchestra

Royal Symphony Orchestra

Philharmonischen Orchester Hagen

Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin

Bochumer Symphoniker

Essener Philharmoniker

Iceland Symphony Orchestra

Malaysian Philharmonic

Shanghai Opera orchestra

Nordwestdeutche Philharmonie

Bremer Philarmoniker

• Metal sets:

Air Force Brass Orchestra

Marinemusikkorps Wilhelmshaven

Concert tour in China with the World Master Orchestra

• Solo Concerts

Festival "AETYB" (Valencia-Spain)

Beijing Conservatory of Music (China)

Festival "Soest in Armony" (Germany)

Chang-Ang College of Music (Seoul- South Korea)

ITEC 2019 (Indiana - USA)

Festival "Kymi Brass Kovoula" (Finland)

Festival "Silver Trumpets of the Volga" (Russia)

Chamber Music Festival of the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music (China)

About your ORCHESTRAL EXPERIENCE:

• Tell us your experiences to access the orchestra place you currently occupy:

The experience I had when I applied for my last Orchestra job, it was completely different process than the other auditions I did before, for example in Asia must of the Orchestra Audition you have to send a video audition first round, around 20 min and after you pass the video round you are invited for the final live Round.

• How was the selection process?

Video First round : Vaughan Williams , contemporary solo piece free of choice and Orchestral excerpts.

Final round live performance, Concerto and Orchestral Excerpts (without curtain)

• What works and / or orchestral solos were there as mandatory in the tests?

Prokofiev Symphony No. 5 

Prokofiev Romeo & Julia 

Wagner Die Walküre 

Wagner Lohengrin

Wagner Meistersinger von Nürnberg 

Berlioz The Damnation of Faust 

Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique 

Mahler Symphony No. 1

Respighi Fountains of Rome 

Mussorgsky pictures (Bydlo)

• Did you take any work of free choice? Which was?

Yes for the Video first round I chose a solo piece Capriccio Penderecki for Solo Tuba

In another sense:

• How is your current work in the orchestra?

I am Principal Tuba with my Orchestra, I perform Symphonies repertoire, Ballet, Operas, Film Music, and also contemporary Music.

• Do you combine it with another musical group?

Yes we also do Chamber Music, and we performing local music with traditional instruments, and also sometimes play Jazz and Rock Music.

Europe tour with SZSO concert at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg

• What recommendations would you give future tuba players aspiring to an orchestral position?

My recommendations to the young generation tuba players is to Keep hard working and always dream, and love what you do it will always pays.

Treating OTHER TOPICS OF INTEREST.

Here in Spain, in some centers the Euphonium is considered to be an instrument that should have its own specialization and, on the other hand, some believe that, as an instrumentalist, one should know and master the Tuba and Euphonium.

• Could you give us your opinion on this and how you would approach this topic in the interest of education and training adapted to the necessary specialization that is currently required worldwide?

It is always great when someone can play both perfectly. But in my opinion, the Tuba and the Euphonium are completely different and have different technic, that why I think the Euphonium should have its own specialization and degree.

• How do you see the tuba and euphonium teaching today and with a view to the future?

In our days I think almost all the young player plays great and the level is really hight, I think this due to the quality of the teachers and development of the instrument, but we as teachers we have to teach student to be creative and special and not to try to copy someone or be like someone and be unique, and think always about Music.

• Please tell us anything else that you consider of interest on this topic

Keep hard working, focus in your way and never give up your dreams and not to be afraid to try new things.

Let's talk about your EXPERIENCE IN TEACHING:

· Tell us in which learning centers you have taught classes (visiting teacher, courses, master classes, etc.)

Master Class at the Kymi Brass festival in Kovoula (Finland)

Master Class at the Beijing Conservatory of Music (China)

Master Class at the Chang-Ang College of Music (Seoul- South Korea)

Master Class at the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music (China)

Master Class at the Chung Ang College of Music (South Korea)

· How do you organize your classes and the topic in general?

I organize my lesson in 3 parts: 1. breathing gym and relaxation/ 2. Instrument technique warm up playing in mode ( legato, staccato, flexibility) / 3. Playing Etudes and solo pieces .

· How long are your classes?

I think Individual lesson One and half hours it’s a good time

· Do you think it is important for a student to make public presentations during their years of study? If so, how many times do you consider it appropriate and at what age or grade? Elementary, Professional, Superior?

Yes it is important to perform for public during the years of study, even after the first or second year of learning tuba, if they can of course, like this student have always a goals to practice hard and preparing something to share with the audience.

 

An important part of the course curriculum is standardized and based on the idea that the student masters the repertoire alone, sometimes to the detriment of the large group repertoire (Orchestra and Band), when in fact the majority of Tuba students and Euphonium are going to be teachers and / or members of a band and, to a lesser extent, of an orchestra in the case of the Tubas.

· In your opinion, how should this problem be addressed? How important do you think it is to include learning and mastery of the orchestral repertoire as part of the course curriculum?

I think learning only the solo repertoire, is not a good think for a student also when a tuba player think he is goes in the way of being a teacher so he needs only to learn the solo repertoire.

Because also as teacher you might need to master the orchestra repertoire, and know how to teach to the student, and try to help them to prepare the Orchestra Auditions.

We have to think that not everyone can be a teacher or Orchestra Musician that’s why we need to be flexible and able in our study time to learn everything.

· If I had to choose as a student (in a hypothetical situation), would you have a preference between a Tuba student and a Euphonium student?

No I don’t have any preference between a Tuba student or Euphonium student, but if I can suggest him or her later if they like and want to switch to the Tuba, because as a teacher I can see that he or she may has more chance to be better the Tuba player then a Euphonium player.

Master Class at the Chung Ang College of Music (South Korea)

About your DAILY WORK.

· What type of repertoire do you mainly work in? 

Orchestral repertoire, and solo repertoire

· What warm-up exercises do you use?

Breathing exercises, Mouthpiece Buzzing, long notes with different dynamics, Flexibility, scales with slurs and articulation, usually not more than 45 min.

TALKING ABOUT TECHNICAL ISSUES:

· Could you give us your opinion on the different concepts of sound and what characteristics define it, the articulation, the types of instruments, the literature, if the influence of language and musical tradition on sound is considered important and how to play?

The author and Jamal
after Jamal´s Concert in the
AETYB Valencia 2016

I think the literature helps us to master the sound, and the influence of language as an impact on our articulation, I believe that no matter how good we master the tuba everyone will have his own sound exactly like a human voice, each of us will have his unique sound.

· Tell us a bit about the manufacture of Tubas and / or Euphoniums and mouthpieces and tell us about your experiences and tastes of a particular manufacturer and why?

I personally prefer to play with Tubas and mouthpieces Manufacturers from Germany because it has a long history and tradition. I was always playing Melton Tubas and I fond that it has an unique Sound and also the quality work and material they use on the Tuba.

Jamal, you are a renowned performer in your country and in other countries on the African continent.

Please, if possible, tell us about the history and teaching of our instruments in your land and in neighbouring countries.

In Morocco and Africa in general, sadly we don’t have a big tradition for Brass, when I was young I was lucky to have a French teacher who helped me a lot, and after that I went to Europa to different teacher to study and master my instrument.

IN CONCLUSION:

• In your experience, do you think the diversity of performers, instruments and the opportunity to train in various specialized schools is homogenizing in interpretive centers already established? (Example: Russian, American, German, English, French).

I must say it is definitely a good things to do if we have the possibility and the opportunity to learn with different teachers and schools, this bring us always to the best level.

Jamal, it´s a big pleasure and an honor to count on your experience, collaboration in this series of interviews and friendship.

Thank you very much and my best wishes. A big hug.