Elmhurst University - Fall 2026

[joshwirt]

Hello! Come study with me and my amazing colleagues at Elmhurst University!!!

https://www.elmhurst.edu/academics/depa ... josh-wirt/

The Tuba/Euphonium studio will have openings for both tuba and euphonium in our undergraduate programs in Music Education, Music Performance, Theory/Composition, or Music Business for Fall 2026. Elmhurst University offers generous scholarship awards in addition to Music Department-related ones as well!!!

With approximately 200 music students, Elmhurst University has 3 wind bands, a symphony orchestra, and chamber music opportunities such as brass quintets, tuba/euphonium ensemble and large brass ensemble. In addition to weekly lessons, our brass students attend regular studio classes, monthly brass seminars, and guest artist clinics. Recent tuba/euph clinicians include Andy Smith (Lyric Opera of Chicago) and Misa Mead!

The Elmhurst University faculty regularly perform with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Milwaukee Symphony, Chicago Philharmonic, Grant Park Symphony and Chicago Sinfonietta as well as several regional orchestras surrounding the Chicagoland area. Elmhurst University also has a nationally-recognized Music Business program with the state-of-the-art Gretsch Recording Studio and professional faculty working in the industry. Our Music Ed students are highly sought after as student teachers and as educators. With our suburban Chicago campus location, our students have easy access to the best Middle and High school programs in Illinois!

With the campus situated just 30 minutes west of Downtown Chicago, you also have access to incredible musical performances (via cheap student tickets!!) by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Joffrey Ballet, Grant Park Symphony and Chicago Sinfonietta—not to mention the incredible jazz and theatre scene! The Metra train station to downtown is a mere 10-min walk from campus!!!

For more information on Auditions at Elmhurst University, please visit this link:

http://www.elmhurst.edu/academics/depar ... n-process/

Upcoming audition dates:

Saturday, November 15, 2025
Monday, January 19, 2026
Saturday, February 14, 2026
Friday, February 27, 2026
Saturday, March 14, 2026
Saturday, April 11, 2026

If you are unable to attend one of the official audition dates, an individual audition date is possible. If you have any additional questions regarding studies at Elmhurst or would like to setup a visit/lesson, please feel free to contact me!!

[tofu]

fun fact:

back in the 1980’s Elmhurst College (predecessor to Elmhurst University) hired the Metro-Cats (Metropolitan Chicago Area Tuba Society) for several years to be the half time entertainment for not just any football game but halftime of the Homecoming Game no less. Plus they gave us a very nice check which we in turn put into our scholarship fund for the HS winners of our own judged Solo Contest also held at EC (they also allowed Metro-Cats to rehearse in the College band room once a month). The College was extremely nice to the tuba group.

Imagine, if you will 15-20 guys with euphs & upright tubas, folding chairs and stands wandering out onto the field at halftime - setting up in the middle of the 50 yard line and playing 12-15 minutes of Duke Ellington (Satin Doll) and other tuba jazz. I seem to recall we also finished off with Under the Double Eagle (a nice tuba group arrangement). I think Dan Perantoni had arranged that one when he was down at the University of Illinois.

All these years later and it still makes me laugh thinking of it. We actually seemed well received by the crowd. We lucked out on the weather as I remember it always being sunny and pretty warm for October. Somebody in the college administration or athletic dept must have been pro tuba to have approved that idea. So EU has been a tuba friendly place over the years. No matter what the homecomings we did for them have to have been better than Bad Bunny!

[joshwirt]

Bump for 2026!