"BETWEEN TUBAS AND EUPHONIUMS...DIRK HIRTHE"

Hello everyone. Today's interviewee doesn't need much introduction. He is a reference in his country, Germany, he is a renowned artist of one of the most important tuba manufacturers of the current scene and he is, of course, an excellent tuba player and teacher to whom I am sincerely grateful for his friendship and collaboration in this interview project.

Without further ado, let's get started.

· Name and surname: Prof. Dirk Hirthe

· What instrument / s do you use?

F Tuba

B Flat Tuba

· What manufacturer and model are the instruments you use:

Miraphone Elektra F481

Miraphone Hagen 497

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

Miraphone TU 28 F Tuba

Miraphone Elektra 481

Miraphone TU 43 B Flat Tuba 

Miraphone Hagen 497

Let's talk about your EDUCATION:

· When and where did you start your Tuba studies?

My first lesson I got from Jörgen Welander a swedish Jazz Tuba Player who played with Howard Johnson's Gravity on there European Tour in the 1990's. He lives with his family in Freiburg where i am grown up. That was just luck for me.

· At what age? 

12

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

I was so impressed by the Gravity Band of Howard Johnson that the only instrument to learn for me was the Tuba. 

· Who were your main teachers?

Jörgen Welander

George A. Monch

Prof. Jens Björn-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: 

Badische Staatskapelle, Museumsorchester FRankfurt, Bayerische Staatsoper, SWR Sinfonieorchester etc…..

· Metal Ensembles: as guest: 

Grand Ensemble de Cuivre d'Alsace, Lucerne Festival Brass Ensemble, Stockholm Chamber Brass

· Concerts as Soloist: 

Museumsorchester Frankfurt, Badische Staatskapelle, Mid Europe Festival, Ungarische Kammerphilharmonie, Blasorchester der Stadt Düren, Bochumer Sinfoniker

In the Orchestra. Badische Staatskapelle

About your ORCHESTRAL EXPERIENCE:

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

It was written out. Then i applied and got an invitation to play the audition. Normal process in Germany. 

• How was the selection process?

I did an audition and won. 

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

1. Round Vaughan Williams 1. and 2. movement and Ride of Wallküre

2. Round B Flat Tuba: Bruckner 7 4th movement, Rheingold Wurm Motiv, Prokofiev Symphony No 5 and I don't remember

3. Round F Tuba: Mahler 1, Lohengrin, Meistersinger, Coppelia

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

Yes to play all the chamber music stuff and give solo concerts and to pla recitals is absolutely free choice. 

In another sense:

• How is your current work in the orchestra?

When theres is a tuba part in the orchestra I have to play it. Sometimes it is more sometimes less. 

• Do you combine it with another musical group?

No 

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

If you want to get an orchestra job. Practice as hard as you can to win an audition. Good luck! 

In the Orchestra. Badische Staatskapelle

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?

For me Euphonium is a own thing. In Germany you can't study Euphonium. So i don't know much about this instrument. For me it should be normal to have own Euphonium teachers like Tuba teachers. 

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

We need more teachers for both Instruments. Not one Teacher for low brass in general. 

It's getting better in these days but still a long way to go. 

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

I think each government should understand that saving money for culture in general is always the wrong way. Education is the solution for many things on our planet. 

Let's talk about your EXPERIENCE IN TEACHING:

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

Vilnius , Krakow ,Vienna,  Graz,  Linz,  Salzburg, Paris, Brno, Budapest, Pecz, Szeged,  

Debrecen, Leksand, Strasbourg, Valencia, Varasdin, München, Hannover, …….

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

I asked what the students want. And then we do it. The topic can be very different depends on what the students and the teacher need. 

· How long are your classes?

Depends on how much students and how much time i have. Normally i stay 3 days at one destination. 

In class. Karlsruhe Music University

· 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?

Of course it is important for any level. Just respect the level of the student and then all is ok. 

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?

In Germany it is already a part. We have 3 different parts of exams.

Chamber Music, Solo Recital and Orchestral Excerpts. 

· 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?

Yes! Tuba Student because i don't know so many things about Euphonium and i don't have to in Germany. 

About your DAILY WORK.

· What type of repertoire do you mainly work in?

Solo Pieces , Chamber Music and Orchestra Pieces, depends what is on the schedule. 

· What warm-up exercises do you use?

Different one: I Have my daily routine programm plus the things I need to be perfectly prepared. 

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?

Each language and each country has it's own tradition in a way. Of course there are some influence countries like the states or Germany or France but the all in all the tradition and environment where the people started to make music plays the main role in my opinion. I think there is right way how to play. When you are good and love what you do than other people will like it too. 

· 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 am a Miraphone Artist. I Love this factory because they do all themselves with love and there are good. I never met people in a factory who are so heartfull and nice. 

You are a recognized interpreter in you country.

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

In Germany the Tuba was mainly an Orchestra and Chamber Music Instrument and still is it. But more and more people see that we can also play Solo Stuff. But for me it's not so important how other people see me as a tuba player. I love what i do and try to get better every day. 

Playing

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.).

No. We still have many different ways to play even in Europe. and that's good and interesting for me. I like when not all people doing the same things

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

I hope see you soon.

Thank you very much and best wishes.

A hug.

"BETWEEN TUBAS and EUPHONIUMS.....NORBERT NOLD"

Hi all. Today's interview is with a very important person and known to many metal musicians in Europe who love the Miraphone brand. It is a pleasure to be able to interview him for my blog and I thank him infinitely for his patience, collaboration and friendship for many years. 

Without further ado let's begin.

• Name and surname:

Norbert Nold

• Do you play or have you played any wind instrument?

Trombone and saxophones

• What instrument manufacturer do you own, CEO or representative?

Director Marketing and Sales

• What instruments do you make?

Various professional Miraphone brass instruments from flugelhorns to tubas "100% Made in Germany" 

• What models?

1. Bb tubas: model Hagen, 91A, 86A, 282
2. F tuba: Elektra, Firebird, Petruschka
3. C tuba: New Yorker, Bruckner
4. Eb tubas: Norwegian Star, Starlight,
5. Euphonium: Ambassador M5050, M5000, 1258
6. Tenorhorn/bariton 47WL, 54L, 56L
7. Flugelhorn 24R, 25
8. Trumpet: M3000, M3050, 9R, 11

MIRAPHONE Tubas

• What type of Tubas and / or Euphoniums are manufactured in your company? Professionals, for students, beginners?

Tubas 4 -6 valves with rotary valves, front action and piston valves upright, euphonium 3-4 valves with or without compensating system. All manufactured for professionals and students.

• Do you manufacture nozzles in your company?

No

• What type of nozzles? Standard or specifically for each instrument?

All mouthpieces are made by J. Klier and specially made for each instrument.

Let's talk about your company:

• When it was founded?

1946

• In what city or country?

Waldkraiburg, Bavaria, Germany

• Who was the founder?

13 instrument builders from Graslitz who came to Waldkraiburg after being expelled from their country after World War II

• Since when do you manufacture Tubas and / or Euphoniums?

Having started with repairs the founders decided in 1947 to build instruments, including tubas and euphoniums

MIRAPHONE   Factory

• What reasons or circumstances led you to manufacture Tubas and / or Euphoniums?

The 13 founders brought the knowledge and started building instruments in their new home country. We continue the tradition, experience and craftsmanship in order to give the musicians instruments that meet their highest demands concerning response, intonation, sound and perfection. Thus we give them the opportunity to create their individual sound according to our slogan: "Live the Perfection"

• Who were its main designers?

In the early years there was no special main designer. Instruments were developed in cooperation with professional musicians. Main designers from the late 1970´s onwards: Franz Köhler, then Bernd Jestädt, now Christian Niedermaier

Regarding the vast experience of your brand in the market:

Please leave us a count of the most relevant artists in your catalog broken down as follows:

• In Orchestra and / or Band, Metal Sets, Soloist and Teachers:

Please see here a short list out of our huge endorser pool:

• Öystein Baadsvik, Norway
• Dirk Hirthe, Germany
• Gerard Buquet, France
• Micael Cortone d‘Amore, France
• Pablo M. Fernandez Garcia, Spain
• Eros Sabbatani, Italy
• Gil Goncalves, Portugal
• Dr. Benjamin Pierce, USA
• Steve Rosse, Australia
• Sun Shuai, China
• Florian Wielgosik, Monte Carlo
• Demondrae Thurman, USA
• Salvador Tarraso, Spain
• Stefan Huber, Germany
• Wolfgang Rabensteiner, Italy
• Gianluca Grosso, Italy
• Michael Pircher, Austria
• Max Wagner, Germany
• Alexander Wurz Germany
• Carsten Ebbinghaus, Germany
• Daniel Herskedal, Norway
• Miraphone Tuba Quartett, France

MIRAPHONE artist:
Oystein Baadsvik, Pablo Fernández, Gil Gonçalves, Dirk Hirthe and Demondrae Thurman

TALKING ABOUT TECHNICAL ISSUES:

• Could you give us your opinion on the different concepts of sound and what characteristics define it, according to the different types of instruments, that your brand manufactures?

First of all, the sound depends on the taper of the instrument, of course also on the material thickness and whether it is a brass or gold brass instrument. Further influences are the bore of the machine, whether you choose a small bore and how much the body then widens to the bell. Rotary valves or piston valves have their own sound character.

Our intention is to produce instruments with a direct and easy response and a large sound projection, together with a well centered tone for both the orchestral musician and the soloist. Therefore, we have different models in the range, where every musician can choose “his" instrument, suitable for his individual sound concept.

• Please tell us a bit about the actual manufacture of brass instruments based on your experience?

Most important is to train the employees well and to keep them in the company for a long time. This is a fundamental requirement for a good quality of the products. Furthermore, the suppliers who supply us with the tubing material are of great importance. With many of our suppliers we have cooperated for decades.

During MIRAPHONE ANDALUCIA TOUR 2018
Left to Right: Pablo Fernández, Harold Hernández and Norbert Nold

IN CONCLUSION:

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

It is certainly the case that the training, the idea of sound and interpretation are different in the different countries. And that's a good thing!! In the recent years my experience in numerous international activities has shown that students - of course also studied brass players - attend many international seminars and workshops or even take semesters abroad with renowned lecturers in universities and academies. Likewise, most professional musicians are very closely linked internationally, so their own musicality has become more open and free. 

The new impressions they gain are taken over into their own playing, which in turn makes one's own music more multifaceted and flexible. This, in turn, is very important, because many of the students often do not find a vacancy in their own country and therefore have to look abroad for a suitable job.

The experience already gained internationally can play a very important role.

It is a pleasure and an honor to count on your experience and knowledge in my work as well as your sincere friendship.

Thank you very much and best wishes.

A big hug.