Army workshop 2024

[arpthark]

I have the choice of going to the trombone event or the tuba event. For anyone who has been to both, which do you prefer? I can't imagine listening to tubas for several days straight would be a lot of fun in itself. Do they have other groups there? Do they tolerate trombone players? Kind of on the fence.

You can look at the past ensembles for 2023 and get an idea of the types of groups that play there. Not all tuba.

https://usarmyband.com/tuba-euphonium-w ... -ensembles

[BopEuph]

Honestly? Thankful for that. Every time I went to ITEC I was burnt out by the third day for tuba.

There was once that Dennis Askew was SUPER close to having Oystein featured with Chick Corea, but he had a scheduling conflict. That would have been amazing.

[bloke]

Not all tuba.

aha !

yet ANOTHER plus !!!

[bloke]

Seeing as how 99.99% of tuba playing income is generated in ensemble playing, it would intuit that a conference focused on tuba stuff would have examples of tubas playing in ensembles.

Be cool to see more Dixieland/jazz combo stuff on these various agenda. That being said, the TUSAB shindig has a nice offering of stuff.

ETA: recently saw the US Navy Band Northeast and they had a jazz/funk ensemble where the bass was a sousaphone. Was pretty enjoyable. Nice to see them adapting to what the kids wanna hear.

[BopEuph]

Seeing as how 99.99% of tuba playing income is generated in ensemble playing, it would intuit that a conference focused on tuba stuff would have examples of tubas playing in ensembles.

Be cool to see more Dixieland/jazz combo stuff on these various agenda. That being said, the TUSAB shindig has a nice offering of stuff.

ETA: recently saw the US Navy Band Northeast and they had a jazz/funk ensemble where the bass was a sousaphone. Was pretty enjoyable. Nice to see them adapting to what the kids wanna hear.

I've also felt this. I've always disliked the jazz competitions requiring a bassist in the rhythm section with tuba competitors. You're going to be MUCH more useful in a gigging situation if you are a competent bass player, even if it's on tuba. I've often considered submitting a tape without upright and playing basslines when not soloing, and seeing what happens. But I always am either too broke or too booked to go to a tuba conference anyway, so I never actually follow through.

[UncleBeer]

You're going to be MUCH more useful in a gigging situation if you are a competent bass player, even if it's on tuba. I've often considered submitting a tape without upright and playing basslines when not soloing, and seeing what happens. But I always am either too broke or too booked to go to a tuba conference anyway, so I never actually follow through.

Being 'invited' to participate in these things is unfortunately never a sure thing. You're at the mercy of whichever academic has been awarded the glory of passing judgment upon others, often without much qualification.

[BopEuph]

That's the great thing about this conference, it's less about the academics and more about the music

[graybach]

You're going to be MUCH more useful in a gigging situation if you are a competent bass player, even if it's on tuba. I've often considered submitting a tape without upright and playing basslines when not soloing, and seeing what happens. But I always am either too broke or too booked to go to a tuba conference anyway, so I never actually follow through.

Being 'invited' to participate in these things is unfortunately never a sure thing. You're at the mercy of whichever academic has been awarded the glory of passing judgment upon others, often without much qualification.

I’m still blown away by the one person being passed over that has placed something like 2-3 people from his studio over the last few years in legitimate playing jobs, including top tier orchestras. That one broke my brain.

[dp]

I can't imagine listening to tubas for several days straight would be a lot of fun in itself.

F.A.F.

[BopEuph]

I show up by noon on Friday, and it's over on Saturday night

That's enough for me

[bone-a-phone]

I can't imagine listening to tubas for several days straight would be a lot of fun in itself.

F.A.F.

Last year I went to the trombone show, and the best performance was from a tuba. The orchestra played Shostakovich 5, I think it was, and by far the best sound from the whole orchestra came from the tuba player. One year they even allowed saxophones into the trombone show (part of a 2 bone 2 sax quartet), so I'm imagining that tuba players are maybe as open minded and might allow things that play in, say, a different clef or something. Accordions and bagpipes don't count, but maybe euphoniums and french horns.

I usually just stay a night or two for the trombone show, and I can't see doing more than that for tubas, but I would like to see how the other side lives sometimes. Maybe go to the elephant room where they're not playing Bolero or La Gazza Ladra incessantly.

[BopEuph]

I can't imagine listening to tubas for several days straight would be a lot of fun in itself.

F.A.F.

Friends Are Forever

[UncleBeer]

I’m still blown away by the one person being passed over that has placed something like 2-3 people from his studio over the last few years in legitimate playing jobs, including top tier orchestras. That one broke my brain.

From my own guess-timate, he'd taught about 70% of recent job winners, both euph and tuba. Zero interest from ITEA losers.

[BopEuph]

There was another story decades ago about a professor who hosted a competition, and after his students played, he walked up to the judges, asked how his students did, then made some offhanded comment that one of his students better win.

Nepotism is okay when you're the one in control, right?

[BopEuph]

Also, on non-tuba instruments, way back in like '02, I remember hearing from Oystein about Chick Corea, and I made a post on Tubenet about how amazing that would have been, and got a ton of comments saying "good thing it didn't happen. That week is supposed to be about the tuba and euphonium." Many arguments that it would take away the focus of those instruments. It always seems like there's some people who forget that the tuba is a support instrument.

[bloke]

I never even play, unless I know I'm going to win.

[Dents Be Gone!]

I agree, guys. This is the way to go.

[bloke]

"Me my brother we nominate each other to go to convench"

Isn't that line from some movie or old joke?

[graybach]

I don't know why I love the army workshop so much, but it probably has a lot to do with the fact that one of my former students that I still stay in frequent contact with is in the army band, and going gives me time to spend with him

Maybe it's because it's free, where ITEC is rather expensive

Maybe it's because it's in a convenient location every year, and the ITEC sometimes isn't even on the same continent as the vast majority of its members

Maybe it's because the focus is squarely on the music, and not an opportunity to puff up an academic profile

Maybe it's because when I get out of the car in the parking lot, I can stare over the short wall and view the perfectly aligned tombstones of Arlington National Cemetery

Maybe because it's short enough that I feel like I don't have to give up a week of work to enjoy the full experience

Maybe it's just fun

[BopEuph]

I really want to experience it sometime. It seems like all those points you made are why I would like it. It was nice when I was in college and could get grants to go to places like this, but now it's all out-of-pocket. But one of these days!

I do, however, like the international aspect of ITEC, but then again, I've had more fun experiences going to places like that without a week's worth of tuba playing encompassing it.