"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. 

"BETWEEN TUBAS and EUPHONIUMS.... DEMONDRAE THURMAN"

Hello everyone. It is a privilege for me to interview this renowned North American Euphonium player and professor and to be able to share with you his reflections and experiences that I hope will be of great benefit.
Without further delay let us begin.

• Name and surname: 

Demondrae Thurman

• What instrument / s do you use? 

Euphonium

• That make and model are the tools you use: 

Miraphone 5050 Ambassador

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

Warburton Demondrae Model

Let's talk about your education:

• When and where their studies or tuba euphonium started? 

1986

• At what age? 

12 years old

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

My band teacher chose it for me.

• Who were your main teachers? 

James Jenkins, Mike Dunn, John Stevens

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: 

Extra or substitute with the following orchestras: 

1. New Philharmonic
2. Philadelphia Orchestra
3. Atlanta Symphony
4. Sarasota Orchestra
5. Oregon Symphony

• Metal sets: 

Brass Band Of Battle Creek and the Sotto Voce Quartet

• Solo concerts: 

Many concerts for the last 20 years

(Dear readers, I invite you to read my chronicle on the CD SOLILOQUIES)

Soliloquies Cd cover

• Which uses warm-up exercises? 

Not really big on warm ups..I do lip slurs and long tones.

Trying other topics of interest.

• Here in Spain, in some centers it is considered that the Bombardino, 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 euphonium.

• Could you give us your opinion on this and how would address this issue in the interests of education and training adapted to the necessary expertise required today? 

Today's student want a specialist for the instrument they play. Euphonium will difficult because the job market doesn't merit that. 

I teach euphonium only at Indiana University and only the University of  North  Texas has a full-time euphonium teacher. 

I don't believe that these instruments need specialist necessarily but I am happy that many euphonium players are teaching part-time at many universities in the United States.

Let's talk about your teaching experience:

• Tell us what learning centers has taught (full-time professor, visiting professor, courses, lectures, etc.) 

Left to Right Gail Robertson, Steven Mead, Benjamin Pierce and I

1. Alabama State University
2. Troy University
3. University of Montevallo
4. The University of Alabama
5. Miles College
6. Samford University
7. Indiana University.

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

I teach individual lessons that I schedule with each student

• How long are your classes? 

Generally 1 hour per week.

• Do you think it is important that students make public appearances during his years of training? If so, recommend how many times it deems appropriate and what age or course. Elementary, vocational, higher? 

There should be some public appearances but I believe they should be mostly on the college campus playing for their peers and colleagues.

• Is there another teacher with your same specialty in the center where you teach?

I am the only euphonium teacher at my school.

An important part of the course curriculum is standardized and is based on the idea that students master the repertoire alone, sometimes to the detriment of the repertoire of large groups (Orchestra and Band), when in fact, most students Tuba and euphonium will be teachers and / or members of a band and, to a lesser extent, of an orchestra in the case of Tubas.

Sotto Voce Quartet in the Highway

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

I don't teach the audition excerpts in a such a traditional way. I value overall good musicianship so I talk often about knowing and understanding the score and seeing the music through the eyes of the composer.

• Tell us what is the admission process to access your learning center: 

Undergraduate students audition with two contrasting works in a 10-minute timeframe. 

Graduate students audition with three works plus band excepts for a 15-25 minute timeframe.

• What it is required repertoire in the entrance exam? 

No required repertoire

• Do you suggest any particular repertoire? 

I do not. I ask potential students to show me their musicianship through their playing and repertoire choices.

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

2-3 and any of those formats are ok for me.

• Is there a mandatory piece? 

If so, what is it? no mandatory work.

• Approximately how long is the exam? 

10+25 minutes

• What aspects you value most in deciding? ¿Musicality, intonation, rhythm, ...? 

Tempo maintenance, rhythm, tone quality, and artistry.

• If I had to choose (in a hypothetical situation), would preferably between student Tuba Euphonium or one? 

I like students that can play euphonium and Tuba/Trombone. 

With the Big Daniel Perantoni

SPEAKING OF TECHNICAL ISSUES:

• Could you give us your opinion about different concepts of sound and what characteris-tics define, articulation, types of instruments, literature, if the influence of language and musical tradition in sound and way of playing is considered important ? 

I believe that we each have an individual sound. that sound we use in all pieces that we play. 

The more music we listen to, the more sounds we have to draw upon. I believe that we're drawn to music that supports the way we sound.

• Talk a little about making snorkels and / or euphoniums and nozzles: 

I have larger lips than many people who play euphonium. because of that, Terry Warburton was willing to design a mouthpiece that worked for my lips. 

In addition to making a comfortable rim, we talked about ways to make the instrument project more and have a more consistent color throughout the range. I believe we were able to make that with my model mouthpiece.

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

Until 2007, I played  Besson euphoniums. 

When the company collapsed in 2006, I took the opportunity to reach out to the Miraphone Company to ask if they were willing to design a new instrument. Luckily, they said yes and we came out with the Ambassador 5050. 

The leadership for the company was so amazing to work with and they were so patient with me as we developed what I think is the best instrument on the market as it relates to sound and intonation particularly.

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-Austrian, English, etc.). 

I don't think instruction is becoming homogeneous. I do believe that we are all borrowing from one another as new music and new techniques are developed for the euphonium. 

I think that's a good thing but I always believe that individuality as it relates to countries and performers will remain.

Demondrae, thank you very much for your collaboration and friendship

Keep in touch with my best wishes. I hope to see you soon