Quite possibly one of the first women tuba players

Tubas, euphoniums, mouthpieces, and anything music-related.
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.
Post Reply
User avatar
Dave Detwiler
Posts: 186
Joined: Sat Aug 15, 2020 4:12 pm
Location: Harleysville, PA
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 190 times
Contact:

Quite possibly one of the first women tuba players

Post by Dave Detwiler »

Hi all,

As you are well aware, some of the greatest tuba players in the world today are women, which is as it should be. But back in 1903? Well, I may have stumbled upon one of the pioneers. Check out my latest blog post, if you're interested.

http://tubapastor.blogspot.com/2020/08/ ... layer.html

Enjoy!
Dave

1903-02-15 The Boston Globe (Emma Louise Adams).jpg
1903-02-15 The Boston Globe (Emma Louise Adams).jpg (53.99 KiB) Viewed 1537 times


Played an F. E. Olds 4-valve BBb in high school (late '70s)
Led the USC Trojan Marching Band tuba section (early '80s)
Now playing an F. Schmidt (=VMI) 3301 and goofing around
on a 1925 Pan American Sousaphone and an 1899 Conn tuba!
Estubist
Posts: 68
Joined: Wed Aug 19, 2020 12:09 am
Location: Hessen, Deutschland (Hessia, Germany)
Has thanked: 127 times
Been thanked: 18 times

Re: Quite possibly one of the first women tuba players

Post by Estubist »

I'm afraid of her
Schenkelaars rotary Eb, Cerveny BBb, Thomann 4+1 comp. Eb
scottw
Posts: 202
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 11:56 am
Location: South Jersey
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 21 times

Re: Quite possibly one of the first women tuba players

Post by scottw »

She does have a rather forbidding look about her, doesn't she? :eyes:
Bearin' up!
User avatar
LeMark
Site Admin
Posts: 2840
Joined: Wed Aug 12, 2020 8:03 am
Location: Arlington TX
Has thanked: 77 times
Been thanked: 822 times

Re: Quite possibly one of the first women tuba players

Post by LeMark »

OK, I'll admit she doesn't look... happy

But can we avoid making fun of someone in a photo from 117 years ago for how they look?

Thanks.
Yep, I'm Mark
User avatar
Schlepporello
Posts: 545
Joined: Wed Aug 12, 2020 11:12 pm
Location: Amarillo, Texas
Has thanked: 11 times
Been thanked: 15 times

Re: Quite possibly one of the first women tuba players

Post by Schlepporello »

I met an elderly woman from Florida on one of my last trips to Alaska who said she played tuba in high school. I know this isn't her, but I find this thread interesting because of her. If any of you are near Pal Coast, Florida, her name is Lois Settles. I told her that Terry Stryker might be able to fix her up with a tuba if she ever wanted to get back into it.
TubaForum.net Friendly Neighborhood Moderator
There are three things that I can never remember.
1)...................?
OK, make that four.
User avatar
Three Valves
Posts: 4615
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 4:07 pm
Location: The Land of Pleasant Living
Has thanked: 820 times
Been thanked: 506 times

Re: Quite possibly one of the first women tuba players

Post by Three Valves »

Estubist wrote: Sat Aug 22, 2020 2:00 pm I'm afraid of her
:laugh:
Thought Criminal
Mack Brass Artiste
TU422L with TU25
1964 Conn 36k with CB Arnold Jacobs
Accent (By B&S) 952R with Bach12
The Fourth Estate is the Fifth Column
User avatar
tobysima`
Posts: 245
Joined: Wed Aug 19, 2020 8:32 pm
Location: Connecticut
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 7 times

Re: Quite possibly one of the first women tuba players

Post by tobysima` »

Wearing that kind of attire for marching is a yikes from me! Very cool find, though! :tuba:
Toby Simard
M&M 5V CC Tuba - Bach 18
Mack EU1150S - SM2U
User avatar
the elephant
Posts: 3420
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:39 am
Location: 404 - Not Found
Has thanked: 1912 times
Been thanked: 1358 times

Re: Quite possibly one of the first women tuba players

Post by the elephant »

I love her.
Image
User avatar
matt g
Posts: 2583
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 10:37 am
Location: Southeastern New England
Has thanked: 263 times
Been thanked: 555 times

Re: Quite possibly one of the first women tuba players

Post by matt g »

A point of fact:

Not a lot of photos from this period had people smiling. In fact, due to rather long exposure times, people had to sit in a rather relaxed state.
Dillon/Walters CC (sold)
Meinl-Weston 2165 (sold)
User avatar
tobysima`
Posts: 245
Joined: Wed Aug 19, 2020 8:32 pm
Location: Connecticut
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 7 times

Re: Quite possibly one of the first women tuba players

Post by tobysima` »

matt g wrote: Sat Aug 22, 2020 7:29 pm A point of fact:

Not a lot of photos from this period had people smiling. In fact, due to rather long exposure times, people had to sit in a rather relaxed state.
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Toby Simard
M&M 5V CC Tuba - Bach 18
Mack EU1150S - SM2U
User avatar
Dave Detwiler
Posts: 186
Joined: Sat Aug 15, 2020 4:12 pm
Location: Harleysville, PA
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 190 times
Contact:

Re: Quite possibly one of the first women tuba players

Post by Dave Detwiler »

tobysima` wrote: Sat Aug 22, 2020 6:54 pm Wearing that kind of attire for marching is a yikes from me! Very cool find, though! :tuba:
Hey Toby, just to clarify - she played in a touring concert band, not a marching band.

And everyone - do you know if anyone has ever written about the first women to play the tuba? Perhaps in the TUBA/ITEA Journal at some point? Or maybe in Bevan? If not, I may see what else I can find on this topic.
Played an F. E. Olds 4-valve BBb in high school (late '70s)
Led the USC Trojan Marching Band tuba section (early '80s)
Now playing an F. Schmidt (=VMI) 3301 and goofing around
on a 1925 Pan American Sousaphone and an 1899 Conn tuba!
User avatar
bisontuba
Posts: 942
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:08 am
Location: Bottom of Lake Erie
Has thanked: 150 times
Been thanked: 701 times

Re: Quite possibly one of the first women tuba players

Post by bisontuba »

The Peak Family....they were famous as bell ringers, but also the ladies had a brass ensemble...with contrabass saxhorns ( tubas)..OTS and upright...

User avatar
bloke
Mid South Music
Posts: 19409
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:55 am
Location: western Tennessee - near Memphis
Has thanked: 3870 times
Been thanked: 4135 times

Re: Quite possibly one of the first women tuba players

Post by bloke »

There were a couple of reasons why people didn’t smile in pictures in the early days of portrait photography:
- style (main reason)
- Quite a few people didn’t have particularly nice-looking teeth.

EDIT: I now see this has already been addressed.
User avatar
matt g
Posts: 2583
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 10:37 am
Location: Southeastern New England
Has thanked: 263 times
Been thanked: 555 times

Re: Quite possibly one of the first women tuba players

Post by matt g »

@bloke, you’re also correct about the quality and availability of dental care. I’m sure this also factored in to the style of the times.
Dillon/Walters CC (sold)
Meinl-Weston 2165 (sold)
User avatar
tobysima`
Posts: 245
Joined: Wed Aug 19, 2020 8:32 pm
Location: Connecticut
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 7 times

Re: Quite possibly one of the first women tuba players

Post by tobysima` »

Dave Detwiler wrote: Sun Aug 23, 2020 5:32 am
tobysima` wrote: Sat Aug 22, 2020 6:54 pm Wearing that kind of attire for marching is a yikes from me! Very cool find, though! :tuba:
Hey Toby, just to clarify - she played in a touring concert band, not a marching band.

And everyone - do you know if anyone has ever written about the first women to play the tuba? Perhaps in the TUBA/ITEA Journal at some point? Or maybe in Bevan? If not, I may see what else I can find on this topic.

Ah! I figured marching because it was a Helicon - either way, being inside a horn with very covering clothes must make one sweat.
Toby Simard
M&M 5V CC Tuba - Bach 18
Mack EU1150S - SM2U
User avatar
Dave Detwiler
Posts: 186
Joined: Sat Aug 15, 2020 4:12 pm
Location: Harleysville, PA
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 190 times
Contact:

Re: Quite possibly one of the first women tuba players

Post by Dave Detwiler »

bisontuba wrote: Sun Aug 23, 2020 7:04 am The Peak Family....they were famous as bell ringers, but also the ladies had a brass ensemble...with contrabass saxhorns ( tubas)..OTS and upright...
Thanks, Mark - about what year(s) are we talking? And do you have a better shot of a lady playing one of those saxhorns? I can't seem to access and enlarge the photo you posted to get a better look.
Played an F. E. Olds 4-valve BBb in high school (late '70s)
Led the USC Trojan Marching Band tuba section (early '80s)
Now playing an F. Schmidt (=VMI) 3301 and goofing around
on a 1925 Pan American Sousaphone and an 1899 Conn tuba!
User avatar
bisontuba
Posts: 942
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:08 am
Location: Bottom of Lake Erie
Has thanked: 150 times
Been thanked: 701 times

Re: Quite possibly one of the first women tuba players

Post by bisontuba »

Tried but this forum for some reason doesn’t show close ups...sorry..

Second image is upright contrabass Saxhorn and third image has OTS Bass & Contrabass saxhorns...both c. late 1860’s...
Post Reply