"BETWEEN TUBAS and EUPHONIUMS...JEFF BAKER"

Hi. For many people, today's interviewee is a well-known tuba player and teacher in the USA. For others, outside of those lands, they may not even know him and this last is something we wish to remedy.

It is a pleasure for me to be able to bring you closer to this brilliant American tuba player whom I thank for his friendship and collaboration in this interview project.

I hope and desire that you enjoy his experience as much as I do.

Without further ado, Let us begin.

· Name and surname:   Jeff Baker

· What instrument / s do you use?

Tuba, Contrabass Trombone, Cimbasso, Euphonium

· That make and model are the tools you use:

Meinl Weston 2165 CC tuba

¾ Rudy Meinl CC tuba

Alexander F tuba

Adams F tuba

Meinl Weston Cimbasso

Holton Bass Trombone

Adams E1 Euphonium

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

Stofer Geib Mouthpiece

Laskey 30H Mouthpiece

Thein MCL contrabass trombone mouthpiece

Schilke 59 bass trombone mouthpiece

Griego BB1 euphonium mouthpiece

Let's talk about your EDUCATION:

· When and where their studies or tuba euphonium started?

I joined the band program when I entered middle school (6th grade).  That first year, I was in a class with other first-year trombones, euphoniums, and tubas.  I also played tuba in a jazz band that rehearsed in the evenings.

· At what age?

I began playing tuba at the age of 11 and trombone at the age of 14.

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

One of my earliest music memories was when the Dallas Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet came to my elementary school.  The tuba player was Ev Gilmore and I knew that’s what I wanted to play.  There was an after-school orchestra program at my elementary school, I began playing the cello in this program when I was 8 years old.  At the age of 10, I switched to contrabass and when I was 11 and entering middle school, I switched to tuba.

· Who were your main teachers?

I have had many great teachers throughout my musical studies, but my two primary tuba instructors were Don Little and Ted Cox.  I was fortunate to have the opportunity to study with students of Arnold Jacobs and Harvey Phillips.

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: 

I perform regularly with the Dallas Opera on tuba, cimbasso, and bass trombone.  I have also performed with many of the orchestras in the area including the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Ft. Worth Symphony Orchestra, and the Dallas Winds.

· Metal sets:

I have very little Brass Band experience, it is not popular in this part of the country.  I have performed with the Texas Star Brass Band.

· Solo concerts:

I perform recitals every year and have been a soloist with bands and orchestras in the US and Brazil.    

With the Tatuí Conservatory Orchestra. Conducting James Gourlay

About your ORCHESTRAL EXPERIENCE:

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

I played in the opera orchestra as a substitute musician for a couple of years before serving as a long-term (full-season) substitute when Don Little retired from the orchestra.  Our music director retired during this time as well, and it wasn’t until the new music director’s second season that a tuba audition committee was created.

• How was the selection process?

I was fortunate that I was able to rehearse and perform with the Dallas Opera for almost 4 seasons before the audition committee was created.  Through a unanimous vote among the committee and the music director, they offered me the permanent position in lieu of a traditional audition.  

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

There was not an audition list, but by the time the committee met to discuss my permanent acceptance, I had performed a variety of works within the orchestra, many with little or no time to prepare.  I was called for Tristan und Isolde the day before the first rehearsal and I was called for Verdi’s La Traviata (on cimbasso) less than a week before the first rehearsal.  We performed a number of classics and family concerts, a rarely-performed 12-tone opera by Dominick Argento, a unique chamber opera called Death and the Powers, along with a variety of other productions by Puccini and Verdi.  

It was on opening night of Strauss’ Salome that the personnel manager and the audition committee met with me to let me know the position was mine.  The music director was sitting on the front row for most of those rehearsals and later told me that he was listening intently to my playing during Salome to help finalize his decision.   

In another sense:

• How is your current work in the orchestra?

The orchestra performs approximately 20 weeks out of the year, during those weeks, it is very busy.  It is not uncommon to rehearse and perform on many different instruments within the same week.  A typical week is 20 hours of rehearsals and performances.    

• Do you combine it with another musical group?

I used to freelance around the metroplex and play a variety of gigs, but I don’t have the time anymore.  I have a full-time teaching position at a university in the area and a young family.

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

Listen to recordings, buy scores, and learn the music.  It’s okay to practice the excerpts, but if you don’t know the music, the committee will figure that out very quickly.

• Be nice to people, it doesn’t matter how well you play if nobody likes you.

We don’t get many opportunities in life, you must be prepared to step into a position and immediately be successful.  If you wait until the opportunity and then begin preparing, it’s too late.  I spent years studying opera music and preparing for an opportunity like the one I had.  I bought a cimbasso mouthpiece and practiced Verdi excerpts on my F tuba long before I ever had a chance to play in the opera orchestra, I went to orchestra and opera concerts regularly, I practiced excerpts on bass trombone, and I took every band and orchestra audition that I could.

 

With my partners of the Dallas Opera Orchestra.

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?

I think there must be a balance.  If a school has the students and the finances to support both a tuba and euphonium teacher, that’s great, but that’s very rare.  I have always played multiple instruments, so I feel I have a unique perspective when it comes to teaching and I encourage my students to study multiple instruments for this reason.  While tuba and euphonium are similar, a teacher will be more effective if they understand the nuances of both instruments through their own personal experiences.  I am happy that I can teach and play both instruments at my university.

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

In the USA, there are more tuba and euphonium jobs now than ever.  In the Dallas area, it is possible to make your entire living from teaching tuba and euphonium private lessons.  I think this is wonderful, we’re also seeing many musicians challenging composers to write more difficult repertoire.  Sergio Carolino and Roland Szentpali come to mind, these musicians have created a paradigm shift that ultimately raises the level for all musicians.

Let's talk about your EXPERIENCE IN TEACHING:

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

I have been a faculty member at Texas A&M University-Commerce, Cameron University, and the University of North Texas.  I have taught masterclasses throughout the USA and Brazil and online as well.

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

Regarding masterclasses, this all depends on where I am teaching, who I will be teaching, and how much time we have.  I focus on fundamentals, mainly tone, breathing, and ear training.  I have also presented clinics on college preparation, audition preparation, and performance anxiety.

· How long are your classes?

Private lessons are one hour in length, masterclasses are usually two hours in length.  If a student that I don’t work with on a regular basis wants a lesson, we will usually go a little longer than a standard lesson.

· 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?

Absolutely.  We are performers and many people are not comfortable with sitting in the spotlight.  Only through experience can we master our doubts and fears.  I encourage my students to perform early in their career and often.  I like for my performance majors to perform a recital each year they are in school.  My music education majors are required to perform one recital before graduation, but I encourage them to do more.

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 Bombardino 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 encounter students that only want to work on excerpts.  Harvey Phillips and Arnold Jacobs both believed that if a tubist only practices band and orchestra music, they will be limited as a musician. We must study all great musicians and aspire to perform all types of music at a high level. 

I think if we only practice solo literature, we will also be limited as a musician and the reality is most tuba players do not earn their living as a soloist.  There needs to be a balance and the student should be willing to learn as much music as they can from many styles and genres.  

· 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 have no preference, they are both musicians and the goals are the same.  An ideal student for me is curious, hard-working, and willing to try new approaches.

With the Contrabass Trombone

About your DAILY WORK.

· What type of repertoire do you mainly work in?

My repertoire varies throughout the year.  During months where I perform with the opera orchestra, I am focused on what we will be performing.  If I am preparing for a recital, I may not play my 6/4 CC tuba and spend extra time on bass trombone and F tuba.  

I have a variety of etudes and solos on my music stand at home, this is the type of music that will help force you to maintain a high-level of playing.

· What warm-up exercises do you use?

I play different instruments every day, I don’t always warm up on my 6/4 CC, in fact, I haven’t played it in a while!  Regardless of the instrument that is in my hands, I am trying to create a consistent sound throughout the low, middle and high range, and I am trying to ensure that I am in tune in all keys.  I play a lot of flow studies and songs in all key signatures.  

Long tones are always beneficial, so are scales and arpeggios.  I used to play a specific routine, the same exercises every day in the same order.  While I believe that is useful for younger musicians, I now play what I feel I need for each day.  If my connections are not smooth in my flow studies, I play more lip slurs or possibly switch to a different instrument that requires more attention in the area I am trying to fix.  I do this a lot with tuba and cimbasso because the cimbasso requires much more air and control.  I will often play ear training exercises on bass trombone which will help my intonation on euphonium.    

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?

Regarding sound, I believe that a student must have a strong idea of what they want to sound like.  We model or mimic others, in the same way that babies learn to talk from hearing their parents.  Depending on the instrument, ensemble and the repertoire, my ideal sound models are Michael Lind, Warren Deck, Floyd Cooley, and Brian Bowman.

I’m fortunate to perform with singers, I try to take a singing approach in my own studies and it is the cornerstone of how I teach musicians.  We have to communicate with the audience, like a great singer.

The influence of language is something I also discuss with my students, we perform German, Italian, and English songs and often discuss how the text relates to our articulation and breathing.  We should mimic singers in articulation and phrasing.  We should be creative and expressive storytellers.

· 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?

My first CC tuba was an Alexander and that influenced me in many ways.  There is no other sound like an Alex, it’s beautiful and despite its 4/4 size, a well-played Alex can be heard easily inside any ensemble.   Handmade instruments like Alexander, Rudy Meinl, and Adams use thinner metal since there are not any machines used to form the parts.  I think this thinner metal allows the instrument to respond better, it also allows me to play softer with more control, which is much more difficult than playing loud.

I have a variety of equipment that allows me to adjust my sound and presence depending on the repertoire.  For example, my trombone colleagues prefer that I play bass trombone on La Boheme, but for other works by Puccini, I use cimbasso.    

I use medium-sized mouthpieces on all my instruments, I feel that I have more control, more endurance, better intonation, and it requires less air to create an ideal sound.

You are a recognized interpreter in you country.

Please tell us something about the history of our instruments in your land.

The tuba sound in the United States has changed over the last 30 years.  Americans used to perform on 4/4 rotary tubas, much like Roger Bobo, Chester Schmitz, and Ron Bishop.  Large 6/4 piston tubas became popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s primarily due to the success of Arnold Jacobs and Gene Pokorny in the Chicago Symphony.  My Meinl Weston 2165 is a copy of a 6/4 Holton, like the one Floyd Cooley used in the San Francisco Symphony.  It was made famous by Warren Deck in the New York Philharmonic and now there are numerous versions of 6/4 piston CC tubas available.  I don’t know that this is good or bad, it’s mainly just a change in what tuba players wanted which led to many new models and styles.

In the United States, beginner tuba students learn BBb tuba first.  I encourage all of my university students to learn CC tuba, I feel this makes them a more effective musician and teacher if they understand BBb and CC.  I do not requre them to own a CC tuba and if they prefer BBb, I am happy to support them.  There are some fantastic BBb tubas available and many of the top tuba players in Europe don’t own a CC tuba.  I do believe that CC tuba responds better than BBb, probably due to the shorter length of tubing, moreover, currently in the United States, there are more professional-level CC tubas available.

Tuba/Euphonium studio at Texas A&M University-Commerce in the Music Building's Concert Hall with the adjunct tuba teacher Dr. Ken Drobnak and an adjunct euphonium teacher Brian Davis.

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).

Of course, how could it not be?  Music education in Germany is quite different than in the United States, the same could be said for most countries.  If you are not from Germany but travel there to study, you must do what they tell you in the style they tell you.  Politics, history, economics, and how the arts are valued at a national level all affect these varied styles of pedagogy and performance. 

In our lifetime, I think we have seen, and will continue to see, more diversity and acceptance due to a more interconnected world created by the internet.  Youtube videos, zoom lessons, digital concert subscriptions, this is all wonderful and allows for a wider acceptance of ideas.  This can also be a way to educate our students on different approaches to music.  When I am working on Berlioz excerpts with a student, I encourage them to find recordings of French orchestras and French conductors.  There are many fine recordings by the Montreal Symphony with Charles Dutoit conducting, these sound very different than the Chicago Symphony.  When we are preparing Wagner excerpts, my students must listen to German recordings, Bayreuth sounds very different than the New York Philharmonic.     

Jeff, 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.

Thank you for inviting me to participate Harold, stay safe and I look forward to seeing you when we can all get together again!

"BETWEEN TUBAS and EUPHONIUMS...VIKENTIOS GIONANIDIS"

Hi all. The interviewe on this occasion, to whom I thank him for his friendship and sincere collaboration with this interview that he will surely enjoy as much as I do, is one of the current references as a Tuba interpreter in an orchestra at a European level and perhaps worldwide, among other things.

Without further ado let's begin.

· Name and surname:

My name is Vikentios Gionanidis.

· What instrument / s do you use?

I play F tubas, Bb tubas and F cimbasso.

· What manufacturer and model are the instruments you use:

My F tuba is a B&S 3100 JBL Classics. 

My Bb tuba(s) are Bohland&Fuchs. I have a 6/4 Bb that is huge and is the instrument I mostly choose to play in the orchestra. It was made around the 1930s. 

I also have a 4/4 from around 1900 witch is currently under construction. Usually these very old instruments need a lot of repairs and restorations before you are able to play them.

I also play a Lätzsch F cimbasso in the orchestra.

· What manufacturer and model are the mouthpiece / s you use:

On the F tuba I use for over 10 years the same mouthpiece, a Denis Wick 2,5CC.  

On the Bb tuba I play a Josef Klier  S 0.9 671.

On the F cimbasso I use a combination of my F tuba mouthpiece rim and a smaller cup made by Werner Schmidt.

Let's talk about your EDUCATION:

· When and where did you start your Tuba studies?

My first contact with the world of music was on the island of Corfu, Greece where I was born. There is a big wind band tradition there and most of the children go there and learn how to play woodwind, brass or percussion instruments free of charge. I started playing the tuba after playing quite a long time other brass instruments and percussion. 

I then started getting lessons with G.Rarakos at the Corfu Conservatory. Later on I decided to study abroad and got accepted at the University of Music and Theater in Hannover, Germany to study under Prof. Jens Bjørn-Larsen. 

· At what age?

I was 15 when I started playing the tuba.

· What reasons or circumstances led you to study this instrument?

I was 12 years old when I first started playing the percussion, particulary snare drum, at the wind band ‘Mantzaros’ in Corfu, Greece. I was always fascinated with the sound of the trumpet and aprox. 5 years after playing the percussion I started taking trumpet lessons. This didn’t last long since my embouchure wasn’t helping. One day, the low brass teacher came to me after he heard how much I was struggling to play notes in middle register of the trumpet and persuaded me to switch to the euphonium. 

I immediately could play stuff way easier than on the trumpet. After reaching a level good enough to be a member of the concert band, the same teacher said I should get some trombone lessons if I later would like to become a professional brass player, since the euphonium has no place in the symphony orchestra. After some months practicing the trombone, I took part to the first masterclass for brass in 2003 and the teacher there convinced me to play the tuba. 

This felt even easier for me than the euphonium and started liking the profound sound of the law frequencies.  I am glad I took this long journey when I was still young, from the trumpet all the way down to the tuba. I learned how those instruments work and their abilities, this helped me a lot on playing the tuba as well as on arranging, witch I am very active nowadays.

· Who were your main teachers?

My teachers where Otto Gkogkas, George Rarakos and Prof. Jens Bjørn-Larsen.

Regarding your vast PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Please give us an account of your experience as a soloist, member of chamber groups, orchestra, band, etc.

· In Orchestra and / or Band:

I am tuba player with the Deutsche Oper Berlin since 2013. I have played with many major symphony and opera orchestras in Germany, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Gewandhaus orchestra in Leipzig, the Hamburg State Opera, the German Symphony Orchestra Berlin (DSO Berlin), the Stuttgart State Opera, among others. 

I have played with orchestras outside Germany, such as the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in Switzerland. In addition to that, I also played with the Ensemble Modern in Frankfurt, which is an ensemble specialized in contemporary music.

· Brass Ensembles:

In 2019 I played a lot with the Stockholm Chamber Brass. I also conducted the Metallon Brass Ensemble from the Athens State Orchestra with exclusively my arrangements. Apart from that, we form brass quintet or brass ensemble with members of the Deutsche Oper Berlin and play chamber music concerts regularly. 

In my studies in Hannover we used to form all forms of tuba ensembles, from tuba duets up to 14-part tuba orchestras!

· Concerts as Soloist:

I won first prizes in two of the most prestigious competitions for brass instruments. At the International Aeolus Competition in Düsseldorf (2010), apart from the first prize, I  also won the special prize for contemporary music and the audience award. At the final round of this contest, every brass instrument is competing each other, witch makes it even more difficult for the tuba to win against the trumpet or the trombone. 

At the International Instrumental Competition in Markneukirchen (2012) I won the first prize. In addition, I have won prizes at the National Music Academy Competition in Lübeck (2011) and the International Brass Competition in Gdansk (2012).

The competitions gave me the chance to appear as a soloist with orchestras such as the Folkwang Chamber Orchestra in Essen, the orchestra of the Plauen-Zwickau Theater, the Göttinger Symphoniker, the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker, the Gdansk Academy Orchestra, just to name a few.

About your ORCHESTRAL EXPERIENCE:

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

First, the Deutsche Oper Berlin offered a time contract and I took the audition for that and won, this was back in 2012. I played with them for some months and then there was an opening for the permanent  position. Many tuba players from all over the world auditioned too.

I had to audition for my job twice.

• How was the selection process?

Usually, the group, after receiving the applications, decides witch candidates to invite to the audition, according to their orchestral experience, age, etc. In this case, the tuba player (my orchestra has two tuba positions) together with the trombone group. I had some experience when I applied, had played with professional orchestras in the past, to get an invitation wasn’t a problem. 

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

The list had all the classics! R.V.Williams tuba concerto with piano, F tuba excerpts from Berlioz to Bruckner, Bb tuba excerpts from Wagner to Mahler.

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

This wasn’t an option.

In another sense:

• How is your current work in the orchestra of Opera?

The times we all  experienced was difficult during the pandemic lockdown. We were not allowed to do what we love to do, this is really hard especially for the artists. I was fortunate enough to be able to go back and play in June. 

The Deutsche Oper Berlin was the only opera company that got the permission to make a small production in an open air stage! We staged an arrangement of R.Wagner’s Rheingold for small orchestra. This felt like heaven after sitting home for so long time, practicing just for yourself (and the neighbours!).

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

I know it’s hard to get a job as a tuba player, there are not many opportunities, not many auditions. You have to perform your audition program in a certain way in order to make most people happy to get the job. This comes with a cost. Sometimes we tend to forget how WE like to play, how we want to sound, how we would like to phrase an excerpt. We always need to find the balance on that with the least sacrifice of our own taste. 

Get inspiration from great performers, great orchestras, etc. not necessarily tuba players, not even brass players. We can learn from anything around us. I learned a lot listening to great opera singers, how they fraze, how they make words sound less or more important. You can steal ideas from everywhere.

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?

As I said before, I switched from euphonium to other lowbrass because the euphonium has no place in the symphony orchestra. In Germany, most euphonium players are mainly trombonists that play euphonium if you ask them to. 

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

You can study tuba in most places around the world in a very high level. A young tuba player should consider where to apply for studies, cause there are traditions from country to country. f.Ex. the american brass playing philosophy is much different than the let’s say the german. 

For the euphonium, studying options are more limited. In the US, most tuba studios include euphonium students too. In Europe things are different. 

Let's talk about your EXPERIENCE IN TEACHING:

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

I started teaching periodically at the Hannover Music School, orchestral and solo literature in 2014. This is in form of masterclasses, twice or three times a year. Last year, I gave masterclasses for tuba and chamber music at the Rice University in Houston and at the Baylor University in Texas. In the past years I was invited to teach masterclasses in Athens, Greece.

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

This depends on the student needs, I try to stay flexible and adapt on what the student needs the most. In the start, I usually let the student play for a longer time to be able to understand on what we need to focus.

I don’t believe that the teacher should have only one style of teaching. Every student is different. Especially on masterclasses, there are so many different levels, ages, etc.

· 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?

I strongly believe that a student should perform as often as possible. This makes you stronger as a performer and it’s the only way to get used to play in front of public, to learn to be exposed, to entertain the audience to enjoy it! But always be well prepared. 

· 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?

I would choose a tuba student. The reason is that we would have much more to work on, according on my experience.

About your DAILY WORK.

· What type of repertoire do you mainly work in?

I divide my practice schedule on:

Staying in shape: 

This includes warm up exercises, technical exercises, etc. Both bass and contrabass tuba. 

What I need to practice depending on what I have to perform: 

If there is a solo appearance, I would focus my practice on that. If there is an orchestral piece I haven’t yet played coming, I would focus on learning it. This requires to listen to the work, study the score, etc. 

When I have a new arrangement done for tuba I always like to test it out and of course make corrections, changes, etc.

· What warm-up exercises do you use?

I usually start my warming-up with slow, flowing exercises such as Stamp. I often make my own exercises. Then I do some flexibilities in different speeds, expanding the registers. Always alternate and modify them, This keeps me being creative.

This  depends on how much time I have avaible.

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?

I believe most people around the world use very similar instruments, Melton, B&S, Yamaha, etc. This makes the sound already very similar. Of course, the language of the player influences the playing a lot.

· 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 always liked the B&S F tubas because they have a sound you can shape it in the way you like it. You can do a lot with it. For Bb tubas, I am a big fan of the old Kaiser tubas simply because they produce a sound very deep, profound and round that modern ones don’t do. There are other difficulties such as intonation you need to be extra careful with these old tubas.

You are a recognized interpreter in Germany but I like know about our instruments in your country.

Please tell us about the history of our instruments in your land.

Most of the modern german instrument makers have their origins to Graslitz-Bohemia, today is Kraslice-Czech Republic. There where many brass instrument factories and makers, such as Bohland&Fuchs. It is very interesting. 

IN CONCLUSION:

· In your experience, do you think that the diversity of interpreters, instruments and the opportunity to train in various specialized schools is being homogenized in the interpretive centers that are already established? (Example: Russian, American, German-Austrian, English, etc.).

In my opinion, even though most of the players play very similar instruments or from same instrument makers, you can still hear the differences and be able to tell where they studied, what are there background. However, I each player is an individual with his own personal characteristics. For me these characteristics such as sound, articulation, frazing, musicality are more distinctive to a player.

Vikentios, it is a big pleasure and a great honor to count on your experience and collaboration in this series of interviews.

It was my pleasure.

I hope see you soon.

Thank you very much and best wishes.

A big hug.

"BETWEEN TUBAS and EUPHONIUMS...MATTIAS JOHANSSON"

Hello everyone. Today I bring you an interview with one of the current leaders of the Tuba in the Nordic countries and a friend of a server. I hope and wish you enjoy your experience in your interview as much as I do. I thank you for your kind collaboration.

Without further ado we begin. 

Let's start.

· Name and surname: 

Mattias Johansson

· What instrument / s do you use?

I use a B/S F tuba, JBL model and I have two C tubas. Hirsbrunner, York model and a 4/4 piston valve. I also have a travel tuba.

My orchestra has a Rudolf Meinl cimbasso in F.

· What manufacturer and model are the instruments you use:

B/S, Hirsbrunner and Rudolf Meinl.

· What manufacturer and model are the mouthpiece / s you use: 

I use Scott Laskey 28 F for the F tuba and SL 28 H for the C tuba. Sometimes also a Conn Helleberg.

Let's talk about your EDUCATION:

· When and where did you start your Tuba studies?

I started in my local music school in Sweden. 

· At what age? 

I was 13 when I started to play tuba.

· What reasons or circumstances led you to study this instrument?

I played violin since I was six years old, but the lack of a tuba in my orchestra and a persuading teacher, convinced med to switch the violin for tuba and electric bass.

It got me right away, to play in both wind band and big band.

· Who were your main teachers? 

Jens Bjørn-Larsen at the conservatory in Copenhagen. Periods with Mel Culbertsen, Bordeaux and Torbjørn Kvist, Oslo. Also important lessons with Rex Martin.

Regarding your vast PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Please give us an account of your experience as a soloist, member of chamber groups, orchestra, band, etc.

· In Orchestra and / or Band:

I am tuba player in Aalborg Symphony Orchestra, Denmark.

From 2002-2004 I had the tuba position at Malmo Opera orchestra, Sweden, and between 2008 to 2014 in Aarhus Symphony Orchestra.

· Metal Ensembles:

Brass quintets in the orchestras I have been working in.

· Concerts as Soloist:

I have had the opportunity to premier two tuba concertos with my orchestra:

Anders Koppel, ´Concerto for tuba and orchestra´in 2003 and 2009. Also recorded on CD for Da Capo records (cd8.226052), and Mogens Andresens ¨Colonial Concerto`in 2015.

In 2011 I performed R.Vaughan-Williams, Concerto with Aarhus Symphony Orchestra and in 2018, a double concerto for tuba and double bass, ´Rain, Wind, Fire and Death´, composed by Bo Gunge, with Aarhus Sinfonietta. 

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?

I believe euphonium needs the specialization as any other instrument. Here in Denmark it’s often trombone players, who switch to euphonium, when needed. Not so common with tuba players. 

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

I have only taught euphonium players in Spain, never in Denmark, but there is of course a lot of things in common. I think it would be good for tuba players to have some teaching on euphonium, and with that, wider the job opportunities afterwards.

Let's talk about your EXPERIENCE IN TEACHING:

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

I teach tuba at the Music school in Aalborg an at the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus.

Through Erasmus I have twice been visiting ESMUC in Barcelona for master classes, and I 2019, at CSM in Jaen.

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

Both with beginner students and conservatory students, I think it´s important to have a session with breathing/mouthpiece and basics in the start, and then go trough excercises etudes and solomusic. And of course orchestra parts.

· How long are your classes?

From 25 minutes with beginners to 1h15min with conservatory students.

· 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?

On every level it´s important to perform as often as possible. You learn a lot when performing and for students its important with experience, and if necessary, dealing with nervousness.

For tuba student, I also believe it is important to take every chance of playing chamber music and orchestra, to get the experience of playing with other musicians.  

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 Bombardino 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?

Orchestra parts is very good in studying the basics, rhythm, sound, sustaining notes and intonation. 

· 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? 

Tuba.

About your DAILY WORK.

· What type of repertoire do you mainly work in?

Mostly modern music when I perform myself, and more standard repertoire for my students.

· What warm-up exercises do you use? 

At the moment I use Michael Davis:20 min Warm Up.

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?

From sitting at some tuba auditions, and teaching students from different parts of Europe, I certainly can hear difference in the articulation and that many times has to do with language.

I think it´s a spice to the music, as long as it doesn´t interfer with the sound.

We all, more or less, play the same brands and same sizes of tubas.

The difference in literature, where You can hear the countries musical language is very interesting.

· 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 have all the time been playing B/S and I love the sound of it.

For C tuba it´s the same. For me, the Hirsbrunner sound is great in orchestra.

Both tubas has the dark warm sound I like, and the B/S can also really shine if necessary.

For many years I played Conn Helleberg on both instruments, but changed to Scott Laskey. I now I have used that for some years. I guess I don’t experiment so much with mouthpieces.

The last years I have tried Miraphone, Elektra and Firebird on different occasions, and like them a lot to.

You are a recognized interpreter in you country.

Please tell us about the history of our instruments in your land.

Since Michael Lind came to Sweden in the mid 1970, it has been a lot of fantastic, both solo and chamber music written for tuba.

Great teachers like Jens Bjørn-Larsen and Torbjørn Kvist, has made the standard of tuba playing in the nordic countries very high.

IN CONCLUSION:

· In your experience, do you think that the diversity of interpreters, instruments and the opportunity to train in various specialized schools is being homogenized in the interpretive centers that are already established? (Example: Russian, American, German-Austrian, English, etc.).

With the high level of teaching there is most places, I think You can go almost anywhere, for  teaching, and get the personality from that specific country on top, whether it´s Spain, Russia or Denmark.

Mattias, it is a big pleasure and a great honor to count on your experience and collaboration in this series of interviews.

My pleasure. Hugs from Denmark:)

I hope see you soon.

Thank you very much and best wishes.

A big hug.