Hi. Today's interview is very special for me because it is someone who I consider a great interpreter of the Tuba and an excellent person. She was the first woman tubista that I met there in 97 in Madrid with the late Prof. Pilafian and since then our friendship lasts.
Without further ado, I thank you for your kind collaboration.
Let us begin.
- Name and surname:
Deanna Swoboda
- What instrument / s do you use?
I play the Eastman CC tuba – EBC836 and the Eastman F tuba EBF864
Let's talk about your education:
- When and where their studies or tuba euphonium started?
I studied at University of Idaho for undergraduate, Northwestern University (Chicago) for my Masters degree and Arizona State University for my Doctorate.
- At what age?
I began playing the tuba in grade 8, around age 12
- What reasons or circumstances led him to study this instrument?
My first instrument was the clarinet. I chose the clarinet because my mother and my sister played the clarinet. I changed to the tuba in grade 8 because we needed atuba and I got to sit next to a boy that I liked. It was for love! But then I fell in love with playing the tuba also.
- Who were your main teachers?
My main teachers were Robert Spevacek, Rex Martin, Sam Pilafian
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.
Before joining the music faculty at Arizona State University, I was an associate professor of Tuba and Euphonium at Western Michigan University, where I was a full-time member of the Western Brass Quintet. Before WMU, I was a tubist for the Dallas Brass, a group of 6 musicians who traveled the United States and Europe presenting hundreds of concerts each year and working extensively in public schools and colleges and universities. I have also created a motivational video and music recruiting workshop called "Band Blast Off".
In addition I have taught at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, at the University of Northern Iowa, University of Idaho.
As an international and clinical interpreter, I have been invited to the Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid (Spain), Deutschen Tubaforum - Hammelberg (Germany), the Higher School of Arts in Porto, Portugal, and the Saint Petersburg Conservatory in Saint Petersburg, Russia. among others. As a performer, I have performed and presented clinics at national and regional conventions of the National Conference of Music Educators (MENC) on numerous occasions, the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, Brass International Conference for Women, Conference of Army Band Euphonium Tuba, International Tuba-Euphonium Conferences, and for state associations of music educators.
I am a past president of I.T.E.A., the International Tuba Euphonium Association.
- Which uses warm-up exercises?
I like variety for my warm up. My warm up includes many different exercises for long tones, lip slurs, scales, ear training, playing melodies. I incorpórate some of Roger Bobo’s materials, Chris Olka materials, Arnold Jacobs materials, Sam Pilafian materials, Clark Studies, and Arban and my own.
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International Women's Brass Conference 2019 at Arizona State University, Monarch Brass Tuba Euphonium section. Left to Right: Gretchen Renshaw James, Gail Robertson, Velvet Brown, Deanna Swoboda, Stacy Baker
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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?
I think it is possible for someone to only play the Bombardino and not have to master the tuba and euphonium first. They are related instruments but can do different things. If someone imagines themselves as a player of the Bombardino only, I think it would be fine. Maybe they imagine to be a jazz player on the Bombardino? It is different – but sometimes different is good! In the USA the Bombardino is not played. There is no place in the band or the orchestra for the instrument. If someone chooses to play the instrument they might only play solo or a small chamber group or a jazz ensemble.
Let's talk about your teaching experience:
- Tell us what learning centers has taught (full-time professor, visiting professor, courses, lectures, etc.)
I teach at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona (near Phoenix). I teach tuba, euphonium, chamber ensembles, music entrepreneurship and have taught music education low brass methods clases.
- How do you organize your classes and the subject in general?
For every year of private lessons, the students must perform required pieces for the instrument, scales, technical studies, excerpts. Also they must learn some improvisation and other styles of playing.
The students must play standard Concertos and Sonatas originally for the instrument and also perform transcriptions. During their studies at the university they will also compose or arrange music for the tuba or euphonium.
- How long are your classes?
Each private lesson with me is one hour per week. My students also have 30 minutes lesson with the teaching assistant. Studio class are three times per week, one hour each class. Performance class, excerpt class, tuba euphonium ensemble, or improvisation class.
- 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?
Public performance is very important even from the beginning. Maybe the student will only play children’s songs for the family, but a performance of what is learned is important. The more we perform, the better we get at performing. I encourage my students to perform a recital every year, from the beginning of college. They might share a recital with a friend or perform a full recital solo. It depends on the strength and preparedness of the student and their ability.
- Is there another teacher with your same specialty in the center where you teach?
I am the only tuba euphonium professor at Arizona State University. I have two graduate students who also teach the younger students.
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.
- 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 believe that overall excellent musicianship is most important. I teach the excerpts so the student has a foundation and knowledge of the repertoire and through the study of the excerpts they develop better technique. Excerpt study is only one part of building good musicianship. I want my students to be well rounded in their ability to read a score, to hear well when leading an ensemble and to make good choices about how to improve everything they do.
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| Deanna Swoboda testing the Eastman F piston tuba prototype with Chuck Kerrigan, Eastman Music Co. Representative |
- Tell us what is the admission process to access your learning center:
Students apply to the university and are accepted or not depending on their grade point average and test scores. They also apply to the school of music and perform an audition and an interview. The audition for undergraduate is 10 minutes (includes solo, excerpts, scales and sight reading). The Masters degree is 20 minutes (includes solo, excerpts, scales and sight Reading, interview). The doctorate is 30 minutes (includes solos, excerpts, and interview)
- What it is required repertoire in the entrance exam?
For tuba: undergraduate : https://music.asu.edu/admissions/undergraduate-auditions
Two contrasting movements from works comparable in difficulty to the following representative samples:
- Grigoriev: Studies for Tuba
- Bordogni: Legato Etudes Vol. 1
- Blazhevich: 70 Studies for Tuba
- Haddad: Suite for Tuba
- Hindemith: Sonata for Bass Tuba
- Vaughn Williams: Concerto for Bass Tuba, Mvmt. 1
- Holmes: Lento
- Wilder: Suite No. 1 for Tuba
- Marcello: Sonata in F–Major
- Marcello: Sonata in A–Minor
For euphonium: https://music.asu.edu/admissions/undergraduate-auditions
- Etudes chosen from the following or comparable collections:
- Voxman: Selected Studies
- Bordogni and Rochut: Melodious Studies, Vol. 1
- Arban: Characteristic Studies.
- Two contrasting movements from works comparable in difficulty to the following representative samples:
- Curnow: Rhapsody for Euphonium
- Arban: Carnival of Venice and Variations on a Tyrolean Song
- DeLuca: Beautiful Colorado
- Clinard: Sonata for Unaccompanied Euphonium.
- Do you suggest any particular repertoire?
Yes – if a student contacts me, we discuss what they are working on currently and decide what repertoire they should audition with
- How many works are required and in what format (solo, with piano, studies, etc.)?
No piano accompaniment is required. The audition is based on time (10, 20, 30 minutes).
- Is there a mandatory piece? If so, what is it?
No
- What aspects you value most in deciding? ¿Musicality, intonation, rhythm, …?
Musicality, ear development (matching pitch with the piano, playing in tune)
About their work during the course.
- What kind of repertoire you work primarily with your students? Solo, with piano accompaniment, chamber music, ....?
Solo with piano, unaccompanied, all styles, jazz and improvisation, excerpts (orchestra and military band), entrepreneurship and career design
- What format is examining LIMIT? Solo concert, piano recital ...?
Jury at the end of the semester. Perform a solo with piano, excerpts. If a student performs a recital they do not have to perform a jury.
- Does the student selects the works to play? or they are chosen by the teacher?
Both – I choose repertoire that the student should know. The student selects music they want to play. It is a combined effort.
- Is there any work it deems mandatory? So what?
- For example:
Vaughan Williams, Gregson, Broughton Concertos for tuba
Wilhelm, Horowitz, Cosma Concertos for euphonium
SPEAKING OF TECHNICAL ISSUES:
- Could you give us your opinion about different concepts of sound and what characteristics define, articulation, types of instruments, literature, if the influence of language and musical tradition in sound and way of playing is considered important ?
It is important for the student to have a personal concept of sound in their mind/ear. I teach the student to have a full, rich, warm, dark sound with clarity and focus. It is also important to have many ways to play different articulations. There is not one staccato or one way to play marcato. It depends on the composer, the style, the ensemble or solo setting which style of articulation that will be used. I play Eastman tubas (CC and F).
Language is a big consideration. Depending on the language a person speaks, it effects their ability to form the right shape in the oral cavity for good sound on the tuba. It takes extra work sometimes for someone to grasp the concept, depending on the language.
- Talk a little about making snorkels and / or euphoniums and nozzles:
I make breathing tubes out of PVC piping
- Tell us about your experiences and tastes of a particular manufacturer and why?
I am an Eastman Tuba Artist and I play Eastman tubas. I love them very much! There are many instruments to choose from and it is very personal. It is important for the player to try many tubas before purchasing. Attend a conference that features the industry and try the instruments first. It has to be right for the person.
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| At the AETYB Madrid Festival 2018 performing "Relentless Grooves: Cuba" by Sam Pilafian. (Work that I thank you for dedicating to me in your Concert.) |
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.).
It is most important to be a great musician. If you are a great musician, you can play in any style. You can learn any style. It is special to study with someone who teaches a certain style and it is important to have many concepts. Study with as many people as possible – more tools in your belt for playing and for teaching!
Deanna, it's a big pleasure and an honor to count on your experience, collaboration in this series of interviews and long time friendship.
Thank you very much and my best wishes.
A big hug.
A big hug to you! Thank you for including me.
