Re: National Symphony Orchestra of the Kennedy Center Principal Tubist

russiantuba · Post by **russiantuba** » Fri Jan 02, 2026 5:23 pm

I saw a posting for this on an audition site for the Kennedy Center National Symphony Orchestra that there will be an audition for Principal Tuba from March 6-9, 2026. The website has not been updated (likely an AFM bulletin) with an application deadline of January 27th.

The current NSO base salary is $178,840 with many musicians making over $200,000 according to a recent release over contract negotiations.

I have an orchestral series I have already booked and turned down a conference performance, so best of luck to those preparing the excerpts

bort2.0 · Post by **bort2.0** » Fri Jan 02, 2026 7:40 pm

Is Steve Dumaine retiring? He's not all that old, right?

Tuba-wise, it'll be the gig of a lifetime for the person who wins it. But wow I miss *nothing* about leaving in/near DC.

But it'll be one hell of a tuba gig!

graybach · Post by **graybach** » Fri Jan 02, 2026 9:00 pm

Found this previous National Symphony audition
prelims, semi-finals, and finals report while Googling.
It’s from the old-old group.
Thought others might like to see it.
Some very heavy hitters in that audition.

www.chisham.com/tips/bbs/sep2003/messages/148766.html

arpthark · Post by **arpthark** » Fri Jan 02, 2026 9:22 pm

I didn’t know Steve Dumaine was the runner-up on that audition.

Al Baer was on a tear in the early aughts.

bort2.0 · Post by **bort2.0** » Fri Jan 02, 2026 9:41 pm

arpthark wrote: Fri Jan 02, 2026 9:22 pm I didn’t know Steve Dumaine was the runner-up on that audition.

Al Baer was on a tear in the early aughts.

No kidding. I graduated undergrad in 2002, and this list is basically -- my wannabe tuba career was over before it even began.

Which is also why I think being a tuba player is a lot like being a football QB. Very few can do it, very few can be elite at it, and once you're there you're there for life until you get too old or F it up too much. And when you're plenty old, you can still toss a few well enough to show people you've still got it.

Baer... he definitely knew what people wanted to hear and how they wanted to hear it, that's for sure. An appropriate successor to Warren Deck (didn't Warren also nail a ton of auditions all at once too?)

russiantuba · Post by **russiantuba** » Fri Jan 02, 2026 9:53 pm

Alan Baer also won Fort Worth Symphony.

I can only guess Joe Smoe was Sean Chisham. Many of the people who advanced, 9 to be exact, already had orchestral positions and didn’t play the first round.

graybach · Post by **graybach** » Sat Jan 03, 2026 11:32 am

I’m just curious, for someone “in-the-know.”:

I saw a couple of military tuba players on that list.
Christopher Quade, who used to be principal tuba in the
US Air Force Band, and Frank Crawford, who is still principal tuba in the US Marine Band.

Had one of them won this audition, would he have been able to break off his military contract to be principal?

Isn’t the National Symphony a full-time gig?

jtuba · Post by **jtuba** » Sat Jan 03, 2026 6:05 pm

There used to be a "once in a lifetime opportunity" provision in separation regulations. If there still is one I couldn’t tell you

tubanh84 · Post by **tubanh84** » Tue Jan 06, 2026 11:57 am

graybach wrote: Fri Jan 02, 2026 9:00 pm Found this previous National Symphony audition
prelims, semi-finals, and finals report while Googling.
It’s from the old-old group.
Thought others might like to see it.
Some very heavy hitters in that audition.

www.chisham.com/tips/bbs/sep2003/messages/148766.html

That semifinal list is incredible. And also the one of the reasons I decided not to pursue the audition circuit. No question that all of those players were eminently qualified for the position. Many of them at the time were doing great work in their own orchestras. Several went on to win positions in equally great orchestras. And some of those players didn't even make the finals here. No way I was going to throw my hat into that ring and hope I could shake a career out of it.

Three Valves · Post by **Three Valves** » Wed Jan 07, 2026 11:15 am

I may give it a shot!

bloke · Post by **bloke** » Fri Jan 09, 2026 6:27 pm

Three Valves wrote: Wed Jan 07, 2026 11:15 am I may give it a shot!

I'm pretty sure they require the Berlioz excerpts be played on a 36K.

Three Valves · Post by **Three Valves** » Fri Jan 09, 2026 8:21 pm

bloke wrote: Fri Jan 09, 2026 6:27 pm
Three Valves wrote: Wed Jan 07, 2026 11:15 am I may give it a shot!
I'm pretty sure they require the Berlioz excerpts be played on a 36K.

Imma Lock!

bloke · Post by **bloke** » Fri Jan 09, 2026 8:39 pm

Am I hearing rumblings that they're considering moving from there to East McKeesport?

Three Valves · Post by **Three Valves** » Sat Jan 10, 2026 5:45 pm

bloke wrote: Fri Jan 09, 2026 8:39 pm Am I hearing rumblings that they're considering moving from there to East McKeesport?

Along with the opera!

bloke · Post by **bloke** » Sun Jan 25, 2026 9:59 am

Three Valves wrote: Sat Jan 10, 2026 5:45 pm
bloke wrote: Fri Jan 09, 2026 8:39 pm Am I hearing rumblings that they're considering moving from there to East McKeesport?
Along with the opera!

I might have read that some of the retirement-aged singers are refusing to perform.

Three Valves · Post by **Three Valves** » Sun Jan 25, 2026 2:21 pm

I think I saw one singing at DHS the other day…..

kingrob76 · Post by **kingrob76** » Sun Feb 01, 2026 10:23 am

bort2.0 wrote: Fri Jan 02, 2026 7:40 pm Is Steve Dumaine retiring? He's not all that old, right?

I don't think it's a secret that Steve has been dealing with focal dystonia for quite some time now, I mean if I know it then it can't really be a secret. Amazing player, never met him but been told he's a GREAT guy.

prodigal · Post by **prodigal** » Fri Feb 06, 2026 9:18 am

bloke wrote: Fri Jan 09, 2026 8:39 pm Am I hearing rumblings that they're considering moving from there to East McKeesport?

That would be a FAR more affordable area for the musicians to reside in!

tubanh84 · Post by **tubanh84** » Tue Feb 17, 2026 4:45 pm

bloke wrote: Fri Jan 09, 2026 6:27 pm
Three Valves wrote: Wed Jan 07, 2026 11:15 am I may give it a shot!
I'm pretty sure they require the Berlioz excerpts be played on a 36K.

If ITEA wants to attract people to conventions, this would certainly be a way to do it. I'd watch that. Practice orchestral auditions are ok. I'd take "do it on a sousaphone" or "Vaughan Williams 2nd movement down to octaves." Let's make it weird.

UncleBeer · Post by **UncleBeer** » Tue Feb 17, 2026 6:10 pm

tubanh84 wrote: Tue Feb 17, 2026 4:45 pm If ITEA wants to attract people to conventions, this would certainly be a way to do it. I'd watch that. Practice orchestral auditions are ok. I'd take "do it on a sousaphone" or "Vaughan Williams 2nd movement down to octaves." Let's make it weird.

Only if they have an open bar.

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