Who was your teacher?

[Tubeast]

Great topic for fond memories.

Rosemarie Richter was cantor at one of the larger churches in my home city.
(She moved on to become church music director of my home federal state)
Her contract involved being organist at services as well as choir work with two major annual concerts.
My 8-year-old self began to be that choir´s only boy soprano until puberty set in, and she introduced me to Bach, Händel, Telemann, Buxtehude, Brahms, Mendelssohn-Bartholdy… as well as breathing, phrasing, articulation, and general musicianship. Good times…

Günter Katzewski was a trumpet player and had to put up with my complete lack of practicing motivation for three years of flugelhorn lessons.
I really feel sorry for the pain I must have put him through.
Martin Benstein conducted the Elkhart Central High School band in Elkhart, IN, USA while I was part of a foreign-exchange program.
He introduced me to the joys of HS marching band culture and induced my self-motivation to actually start practicing. about time to start at age 16…

Back home in Germany, I found a great flugelhorn teacher in Ralf Bergfeld, who was majoring in music education on trumpet and tuba at the time.
Two months after I had switched to tuba in my HS senior year a year later, he had to quit private teaching, which left me to self-instruction for maybe three years.
Having Wilhelm Wiedenhoff as trombone choir leader certainly helped during that time. No actual lessons, but his insights were a blessing.

Matthias Häusler led the department of brass at the Folkwang communal music school in my home town, Essen. (Not to be mistaken for the Folkwang Musikhochschule, which is located in Essen as well) and was instructor of brass ensembles I joined while switching to F-tuba.
He eventually introduced me to Christoph Grytz, a local professional tubist and former student of Walter Hilgers.
Christoph became my one and only regular tuba teacher for about 2 ½ years: Best time of my musical life.

From age 25 on I´ve been on my own, with rare, far in-between and very beneficial instruction from Lothar Uth, retired tubist of the Augsburg Symphony and teacher of tuba, euph and wind orchestra conducting at the Augsburg Musikhochschule. He was my community band director for a while, but we rarely sat down for actual lessons.
And yes, Jon Sass kindly reserved time for all-weekend lesson sessions on two occasions, in case that counts.

[bowerybum]

Oscar LaGasse
Rex Connor
Joe Novotny

[The Brute Squad]

In high school, I took lessons from a local college student (whose name escapes me) for a few months.

In college, I studied with Mark Cox, plus one semester with Kenyon Wilson.

[windshieldbug]

Irving H. Cohen.

Irv was a string bass player who had studied tuba with Bill Bell at the Manhattan School of Music.
He was like a father to me, and helped guide my path through life.
He was also a great musician, and passed on his conservatory training.

[UncleBeer]

Most of my formal teachers (with few exceptions) were mediocre at best; seemed self-involved and caught up in academic politics and such. I guess maybe that's a vocational hazard. My real education came from performing next to extraordinary players who were completely absorbed in music-making: Warren Deck, Howard Johnson and many others. I've been very fortunate.

[bloke]

Most of my formal teachers (with few exceptions) were mediocre at best; seemed self-involved and caught up in academic politics and such. I guess maybe that's a vocational hazard. My real education came from performing next to extraordinary players who were completely absorbed in music-making: Warren Deck, Howard Johnson and many others. I've been very fortunate.

yep...The most insightful of my mentors (again: freeway conservatory) have been really accomplished orchestral players (who also played solo recitals)...
...but I've also played for string players, singers, horn players, etc. (I believe it actually takes more courage to play for NON-tuba player accomplished musicians than the tuba player accomplished musicians...I could say why I believe it requires additional courage, but I'll withhold those opinions.)

[tubanh84]

During high school, I took lessons with Gary Sienkiewicz at UConn
In college, I studied for two years with Neal Tidwell and two years with Craig Knox
I did a couple summers at Domaine Forget with Roger Bobo and Lance Nagels

EDIT: I also spent 4 years in orchestral rep class with George Vosburgh, which has had as much of an effect on my approach to playing music as anything else.

It was interesting because of how differently they all approached the instrument. I don't want to offer any specific opinions because I don't want to offend anyone. And none was a bad teacher. But some had a much more technical one-size-fits-all approach, some were more focused on technique behind the mouthpiece, some were more focused on the product out of the bell, some prioritized tone, some articulation, some musicality, some cleanliness.

What I ultimately took from all of the study was my current philosophy, which is of COURSE you need to do technical exercises and develop the physical skill. But if you're not going to ALWAYS overlay it all with a gorgeous tone and musicality, there is no point. If your sound isn't good, every note is wrong. And if you have a fundamental ability to make a gorgeous sound, many of the other elements come easily.

One other thing I noticed, is that everyone has their own base level tone, which is in large part created by their body. Every one of my teachers' sounds out of their tuba was similar to their speaking/singing voice.

[the elephant]

I agree with how bloke and unc think in this regard. I did not list my colleagues, but I have, in fact, learned a great deal from sitting next to them for decades playing music, preparing music, thinking about music, and drinking beer while we chat about music. I had not really considered them to be teachers of mine, per se, but they actually have been directly involved in my continuing education and growth as a player.

[Tubeast]

Afterthought:
I am exceptionally thankful to Christoph Grytz, btw, for helping me make up my mind as a confused beginning student of mechanical engineering to NOT switch majors to tuba performance and just stick with a realistic career path...

[Timswisstuba]

In high school I was fortunate to study with Andy Rodgers (Radio City Music Hall) and Alan Raph (bass trombone)

then Don Harry at Eastman
and Roger Bobo in Lausanne Switzerland.

[Mary Ann]

Welp, no tuba teacher. Daniel Guilet at IU, original violinist in the Beaux Arts Trio. I still sound French on everything melodic, no matter the instrument.

[Mira185]

Dan Cerrilli-LA Opera trombonist
Tommy Johnson-you know
Norm Pearson-La Phil
Luke Storm-Cal Arts

[1 Ton Tommy]

Michael Russel, principal tuba with the Seattle Symphony.

In the seventies I worked at the Seattle version of Click and Clack's Boston garage. It was a collective where we worked on what we wanted to and paid a percentage to the shop. Along with Saab repair for Sonja Bloomdahl's art glass, which is worth a pile today, I traded private tuba lessons for restoration work on Russel's giant Chrysler station wagon that he used to haul his tubas to gigs. The shop had high ceilings and just enough echo to make two tubas sound great. He got me skilled enough to start in the trad jazz scene. I remember him asking what I wanted to do with tuba, and cautioned that there was only one tuba per symphony.

The brother of another of the grease monkeys was a crackerjack Banjo player. We'd heard at Taj Mahal's Seattle gig, a number with Tuba and Banjo called "Tom and Sally Drake."



I believe Howard Johnson played tuba on the recording and may have toured with Taj. We practiced that and with with Seattle Symphony percussionist Howard Gilbert on drums, got several gigs with that act, which was also part of my training. Howard was my French teacher's husband and friend of another symphony percussionist, Randy Baunton who with his VW was also a customer. Randy was a good friend of the Soters both of whom played Viola and had a beautiful daughter... Anyhow Randy Referred Soter to me to service his new Masarati Biturbo which he couldn't afford to have serviced at the dealer. Soter invited me to a party at which I met his daughter, Gina, who subbed for her parents in the Symphony. We both were students at the U of W and as I posted elsewhere she was a classics major. Gina and I palled around for a time but when she graduated she left me for Greece. I had all the grease she could have wanted but no, classics won out. Maybe we should have found her a spot in the combo. Tuba, banjo and drums at a 50th wedding celebration at the historic Cabrini Green mansion on Capitol Hill, somebody Howard knew, can ya dig it? But then...

I ended up playing in a trad jazz band for dances, weddings, political fund raisers etc. and made tens of dollars but I didn't have a symphony salary like some band mates and could never make as much money as fixing cars. Eventually, I had to:



I have since learned a tuba part as our garage band plays this at the Eagles Club. Fogies dance with the young chicks and everybody loves this one. Nobody in the band is under 65. Next month it's the golf club. I long ago gave up my "real job." Hardly need haircuts anymore. I still fix cars on occasion and I'm looking for a good banjo player.

[dsfinley]

Derek Milburn- My first lessons teacher who was a local band director and family friend.
Roy Couch
Vurl Bland
Robert Chambers- bass trombone
Ryan Robinson
James Morrison- Not the trumpet player. My father in law and former pro player and college professor.

[Mark E. Chachich]

I was very fortunate to have learned from:

Connie Weldon (University of Miami)
David Bragunier (Peabody Conservatory, Peabody Prep, privately after College)
Ron Davis (University of South Carolina while doing a Ph.D in Experimental Psychology)

Ken Kennedy (Peabody Prep)
Dan Brown (Peabody Prep)
David Fetter (privately)

musicians that I took a single lesson with that made a real difference:
Ron Bishop (Cleveland Orchestra)
Gil Johnson (Philadelphia Orchestra)
Dolores Jones (Paris Opera, soprano)
Terry Lee (Opera student)

musicians that I was fortunate to have played next to that made a real difference:
Warren Burkhart (Palm Beach Symphony, 1970s)
Joe Girlando (Baltimore Municipal and Park Band)
Wilbur Schwandt (Don Swan) (gigs in Miami)
Sammy Ross (George Owens Dixieland band)
many others

And:
Paul Krzywicki, who listened to our tuba quartet (Randy Harrison, one of his former students was in the quartet). He gave us honest and very good advice on ensemble playing, then we all had some of Paul's home made pizza. We learned a lot that day from one of the greats.

String Bass:
Janet Clippard (assistant principal string bass Florida Philharmonic)
Bryant Converse (section string bass Annapolis Symphony)

I was fortunate to have some very fine music teachers in school:

High School:
Ray Dombrowski
Scott Sharnetzka

Jr. High School:
Pasquale (Pat) Cornacchione

Elementry:
Rufus Hedrick

[cktuba]

Listing in chronological order. Anything good that I happen to do... is on them. Anything else... is on me.


Nick Leist(Jackson HS band director)
Diane Dowdy (1st private teacher)
Dr. Paul Kirk (SEMO State University)
Dr. Robert Gifford (SEMO State University)
Gene Pokorny Stl Symphony
Dr. Jeff Funderburk (University of N. Iowa)
Craig Fuller Omaha Symphony

I learned a lot from each. Similar things stated different ways... it's good to get as many perspectives as possible. Even though a lot of people say the same things... you might hear it phrased in a different way that clicks with you at that time. I've never had a teacher who discouraged taking a lesson with someone else, for this very reason. If you run into one that does discourage this... ask yourself why.

The above is a list of teachers who were my primary instructors. There are many others with whom I've had a lesson or 2. Get as much input as you can from instructors and players you admire. Always ask for feedback after auditions etc. (if available). Always be learning and engaging in self-evaluation. Seek the input of other people you respect. Listen to recordings of others and yourself (no matter how painful it might be at times).

[Eutubabone54]

Undergrad: Euphonium
John Mitchell, Cherry Beauregard, Mike Rogers
Graduate: tuba & euphonium
James Linn, Dave Unland
Bass trombone: Charles Dalkert
Later on in life (on bass trombone)
Joe Ducci, Betty Glover, Robert Kraft, Richard Brady

[russiantuba]

Undergrad: Euphonium
John Mitchell, Cherry Beauregard, Mike Rogers
Graduate: tuba & euphonium
James Linn, Dave Unland
Bass trombone: Charles Dalkert
Later on in life (on bass trombone)
Joe Ducci, Betty Glover, Robert Kraft, Richard Brady

Joe Duchi is a great human being and he’s still playing with the Columbus Symphony last I heard at over age 80. He was on my DMA committee and was extremely helpful and made everything personal that would better me as a person.

[Heavy_Metal]

Like @Mark E. Chachich , I was fortunate to have some very fine music teachers in school:

High School:
Ray Dombrowski
Scott Sharnetzka

Jr. High School:
Pasquale (Pat) Cornacchione

Elementry:
Rufus Hedrick

Also studied with Dan Brown privately in the late 1970s, and more recently with @hbcrandy when I came back to playing after several decades. @Mark E. Chachich was a fine mentor as well when I was coming back to the tuba.

I would not be here without these fine people.

[hbcrandy]

W. Daniel Brown, Paul Krzywicki, Warren Deck and, later in life, Mr. Torchinsky.