Most of my tuba studies have been with people you wouldn't know, being from out-state Minnesota and a small Christian college near Chicago.
Elementary - Raymond Blake, fine violinist and vocalist
Jr. High - Sonja Rehbein, low brass player
Sr. High - Richard Foley, US Army Band and trombonist with one of the Dorsey bands, and president of the MSHSL Jazz Educators
Sr. High - Paul Melby, fine trumpet player, taught me a lot about breathing, phrasing, transposing
Sr. High - Dean Trzpuc, sax and bassoon player, a perfectionist who demanded only my best
College - George Strombeck, very fine euphoniumist and member of a terrific clown band in Michigan and a Salvation Army band in Chicago
College - Andrew Lumbrazo and Charles Boston, both trombone players in the Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra, and limited but influential occasions with Arnold Jacobs
Since that time I've completely enjoyed learning from and performing for/with Russ Pesola (Concordia College), Jim Wheeler (Army Band trombonist and big fan of tubas), and Gene Gaffney (director of the Detroit Lakes Community Band, and genuinely the kindest, most knowledgeable band director I've ever played for). Life's been good.
Tim
Who was your teacher?
Forum rules
This section is for posts that are directly related to performance, performers, or equipment. Social issues are allowed, as long as they are directly related to those categories. If you see a post that you cannot respond to with respect and courtesy, we ask that you do not respond at all.
This section is for posts that are directly related to performance, performers, or equipment. Social issues are allowed, as long as they are directly related to those categories. If you see a post that you cannot respond to with respect and courtesy, we ask that you do not respond at all.
-
MN_TimTuba
- Posts: 631
- Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 3:33 pm
- Location: Wadena County, Minnesota
- Has thanked: 861 times
- Been thanked: 182 times
Re: Who was your teacher?
MN_Tim
Lee Stofer Custom 2341-5
Miraphone 83 Eb
Miraphone 191-5 (formerly)
Holton BBb345 (formerly and fondly)
Lee Stofer Custom 2341-5
Miraphone 83 Eb
Miraphone 191-5 (formerly)
Holton BBb345 (formerly and fondly)
Re: Who was your teacher?
.
Last edited by MiBrassFS on Fri Nov 07, 2025 3:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- These users thanked the author MiBrassFS for the post (total 2):
- cktuba (Wed Jul 16, 2025 7:10 am) • Mark E. Chachich (Thu Jul 31, 2025 4:24 pm)
-
gocsick
- Posts: 1016
- Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2023 11:12 am
- Has thanked: 421 times
- Been thanked: 493 times
Re: Who was your teacher?
This post has been interesting... it makes me wonder how much of an outlier my experience is for an active adult player. Sorry for the long post...
My parents were not musical at all. I started band in middle school on trumpet and the director moved me to baritone.. Family finances were always tight.. so while we always had food on the table and working cars.. private lessons were never really an option. In high school I played baritone/euphonium in concert band and tuba marching. In school the band director believed that screaming and insults without any actual explanation was the foundation of musical pedagogy...Made all county band on a school owned King 3 valve front action, bell front euphonium.. If I wanted a car and spending cash I needed a job... so all-state etc or any opportunities that required payment were not on my radar. After I graduated high school I was lucky enough to have a fiberglass stencil sousaphone with leaky valves that the school literally didn't want back. It was largely held together with duct tape and a prayer... That was my only instrument for a several years until it was destroyed in a move.. then I went about 10 years with nothing... During that time a lot of craziness happened.. I went from working as an industrial mechanic... night school to become an aircraft mechanic.. 9/11 and a lay off.. went to community college.. got married.. engineering degree.. grad school.. kids... Post doc...
At the start of my post doc.. my wife and i got the itch to start playing again (she was also a HS tuba player). We had 2 kids and exactly 2 nickles to rub together.. We found an Eb sousaphone for her and Dave Fedderly made me a sweetheart deal on a consignment 3/4 CC Weril that was languishing at Baltimore Brass and shipped it to New Mexico on 50% down a payment plan for the balance. I played that little Weril in a drinking band that sometimes marched, based in Los Alamos New Mexico for several years... It wasn't great music.. our motto was "Louder is better than good" But we got together at least once a week and played.
Then I got a professor job.. moved and tuba playing was became basically tuba Christmas and occasionally playing along with Dixieland recordings in my basement. Just before COVID I got the itch big time again... my son started tuba in middle school... and I found a local very active charity band.. and, being was in a fairly comfortable financial position, started collecting instruments and playing whenever/wherever I could. For the last four years or so I've been playing about 40 gigs a year... everything from Jazz fests, street fairs, nursing home gigs, weddings, funerals etc.
The long story short... is I never actually had any formal musical training... except for a couple of targeted lessons with @russiantuba piggybacking on when he is here with my son.... I try to play daily.. Lately I have been trying to work on the big gaps... currently low range playing and sight reading....
Any other self learners on here????????
My parents were not musical at all. I started band in middle school on trumpet and the director moved me to baritone.. Family finances were always tight.. so while we always had food on the table and working cars.. private lessons were never really an option. In high school I played baritone/euphonium in concert band and tuba marching. In school the band director believed that screaming and insults without any actual explanation was the foundation of musical pedagogy...Made all county band on a school owned King 3 valve front action, bell front euphonium.. If I wanted a car and spending cash I needed a job... so all-state etc or any opportunities that required payment were not on my radar. After I graduated high school I was lucky enough to have a fiberglass stencil sousaphone with leaky valves that the school literally didn't want back. It was largely held together with duct tape and a prayer... That was my only instrument for a several years until it was destroyed in a move.. then I went about 10 years with nothing... During that time a lot of craziness happened.. I went from working as an industrial mechanic... night school to become an aircraft mechanic.. 9/11 and a lay off.. went to community college.. got married.. engineering degree.. grad school.. kids... Post doc...
At the start of my post doc.. my wife and i got the itch to start playing again (she was also a HS tuba player). We had 2 kids and exactly 2 nickles to rub together.. We found an Eb sousaphone for her and Dave Fedderly made me a sweetheart deal on a consignment 3/4 CC Weril that was languishing at Baltimore Brass and shipped it to New Mexico on 50% down a payment plan for the balance. I played that little Weril in a drinking band that sometimes marched, based in Los Alamos New Mexico for several years... It wasn't great music.. our motto was "Louder is better than good" But we got together at least once a week and played.
Then I got a professor job.. moved and tuba playing was became basically tuba Christmas and occasionally playing along with Dixieland recordings in my basement. Just before COVID I got the itch big time again... my son started tuba in middle school... and I found a local very active charity band.. and, being was in a fairly comfortable financial position, started collecting instruments and playing whenever/wherever I could. For the last four years or so I've been playing about 40 gigs a year... everything from Jazz fests, street fairs, nursing home gigs, weddings, funerals etc.
The long story short... is I never actually had any formal musical training... except for a couple of targeted lessons with @russiantuba piggybacking on when he is here with my son.... I try to play daily.. Lately I have been trying to work on the big gaps... currently low range playing and sight reading....
Any other self learners on here????????
- These users thanked the author gocsick for the post:
- Mark E. Chachich (Thu Jul 31, 2025 4:27 pm)
As amateur as they come...I know just enough to be dangerous.
Meinl-Weston 20
Holton Medium Eb 3+1
Holton Collegiate Sousas in Eb and BBb
Conn 20J
and whole bunch of other "Stuff"
Meinl-Weston 20
Holton Medium Eb 3+1
Holton Collegiate Sousas in Eb and BBb
Conn 20J
and whole bunch of other "Stuff"
-
psullivan19
- Lurker
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Sat May 24, 2025 8:53 am
- Has thanked: 0
- Been thanked: 0
Re: Who was your teacher?
None of these wonderful teachers are still living, unfortunately.
Orpheus A. “Paddy” Knox. He was a great young teacher and tuba player. He had been influenced by Joe Novotny. Obit here: https://www.hollomon-brown.com/obituari ... Id=3373263 Sadly, it doesn’t mention tuba or music; perhaps his life and interests had moved away from that, but for a time, tuba was a major part of who he was.
Lonnie Leard (1923-1978). A great Navy Band euphoniumist. Didn’t believe in double/triple tonguing; his theory was that you could do just as well and articulate better with single tonguing. Spent a lot of time on breath control. The above Paddy Knox had been his “prize pupil” and had recommended him to me (strangely, Paddy Knox was a double/triple tonguer). Died far too young. Buried in Arlington Cemetery. WaPo obituary is paywalled.
Angelo Saverino (d. 1998) Another paywalled obituary. Retired Marine Band. Took lessons from him for a short time at summer band camp. Very helpful; great musician and teacher. Emphasized tone and phrasing (“singing”).
Robert J. Pallansch (1930-2021). https://www.moneyandking.com/obits/robe ... pallansch/ A genius tubist, teacher, creative musician, and instrument repairman. As with my other teachers, I wish I had been mature enough to take full advantage of his wisdom, but I’m grateful for the opportunity to have been taught by him.
Other influences, not teachers;
Mike Smukal (1952-2018), high school classmate. Trombone prodigy. Incredible technique and jazz improv skills. Became a performer and teacher in Las Vegas.
Mike Thornton (1952-2011) https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/ci ... d=52173900 . Showed me what was possible, though my principal career was engineering.
Still living:
Mike Sanders. Put me on to Bob Pallansch, who had been his teacher. Principal St. Louis Symphony.
Andrew Hitz. Great teacher and active next-Gen performer; career innovator. Recommend highly for teaching or coaching.
Orpheus A. “Paddy” Knox. He was a great young teacher and tuba player. He had been influenced by Joe Novotny. Obit here: https://www.hollomon-brown.com/obituari ... Id=3373263 Sadly, it doesn’t mention tuba or music; perhaps his life and interests had moved away from that, but for a time, tuba was a major part of who he was.
Lonnie Leard (1923-1978). A great Navy Band euphoniumist. Didn’t believe in double/triple tonguing; his theory was that you could do just as well and articulate better with single tonguing. Spent a lot of time on breath control. The above Paddy Knox had been his “prize pupil” and had recommended him to me (strangely, Paddy Knox was a double/triple tonguer). Died far too young. Buried in Arlington Cemetery. WaPo obituary is paywalled.
Angelo Saverino (d. 1998) Another paywalled obituary. Retired Marine Band. Took lessons from him for a short time at summer band camp. Very helpful; great musician and teacher. Emphasized tone and phrasing (“singing”).
Robert J. Pallansch (1930-2021). https://www.moneyandking.com/obits/robe ... pallansch/ A genius tubist, teacher, creative musician, and instrument repairman. As with my other teachers, I wish I had been mature enough to take full advantage of his wisdom, but I’m grateful for the opportunity to have been taught by him.
Other influences, not teachers;
Mike Smukal (1952-2018), high school classmate. Trombone prodigy. Incredible technique and jazz improv skills. Became a performer and teacher in Las Vegas.
Mike Thornton (1952-2011) https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/ci ... d=52173900 . Showed me what was possible, though my principal career was engineering.
Still living:
Mike Sanders. Put me on to Bob Pallansch, who had been his teacher. Principal St. Louis Symphony.
Andrew Hitz. Great teacher and active next-Gen performer; career innovator. Recommend highly for teaching or coaching.