TubaForum.net

arpthark wrote: ↑Fri Sep 29, 2023 6:19 am Just to be clear, are all the vendors tax-free?

Yes, all purchases on a military installations are not subject to state sales tax. There's literally no better place to buy an instrument (which I've done twice).

Private sales can be done. You can't display your instrument but you can meet up with someone and find a couple chairs in the room. I've done that a couple times, too, no big deal.

Last year had some... hiccups. The small multi-purpose room that serves as the vendor space had at least 2, maybe 3, pool tables in it and really soaked up a lot of available space. I thought the programming had more recitals than I cared for and not enough panels / lectures / master-class type events. As a general rule, I'm really not interested in hearing the low-brass professor from Directional State University play half a recital because he needs performance time for his tenure and will do it for free, but there's a lot of that. I think having people up on stage talking about careers in music is always underrepresented. And last year, the small studio (where most of the recitals and such happen) was largely at capacity for most events while the big room was not used (because of TUSAB rehearsals and such).

I'm looking again at going to this --- because I need to cook for myself I could rent a BNB. Question is, how accessible is TUSAB from the nearby metro station? I really don't want to rent a car and try to drive in that area.

If you can eat hamburgers and salads and such, the bowling alley food next door is pretty darn good for a midday meal, it's not hard to find good food in Arlington, and if you talk yourself into driving, you could sort of stay on Route 50 (between Fort Myer and Seven Corners) - which is pretty easy to understand and avoids not only freeways but the confiscatory tolls as well.

Mary Ann wrote: ↑Thu Oct 12, 2023 1:17 pm I'm looking again at going to this --- because I need to cook for myself I could rent a BNB. Question is, how accessible is TUSAB from the nearby metro station? I really don't want to rent a car and try to drive in that area.

There's nothing I would consider to be in reasonable walking distance.

The closest stop is a little less than 2 miles away, but even if you took an Uber from there, I'm not sure if the Uber driver could get you farther than just to the gate. After you enter the secured entrance, it another .7 mile walk or drive to get to the music building.

Also remember it could very well be snowing, it's happened before during the conference

I'm lucky, I'm staying with a former student who is in the band. If not for him, I'd be renting a car for a couple of days

Snowing, or, 5 degrees F. Or 62 F and sunny.

bloke wrote: ↑Thu Oct 12, 2023 1:22 pm If you can eat hamburgers and salads and such, the bowling alley food next door is pretty darn good for a midday meal, it's not hard to find good food in Arlington, and if you talk yourself into driving, you could sort of stay on Route 50 (between Fort Myer and Seven Corners) - which is pretty easy to understand and avoids not only freeways but the confiscatory tolls as well.

If I could eat restaurant food, I would. I can't. You may remember I opted out of letting you even try to feed me a year and a half ago, because I knew how it would turn out. I HAVE to cook for myself, or take my own freeze-dried food with me, which is very bulky and would require an extra package to go through baggage with the airline. I am not going to bore the forum with the allergy list.

If an Uber can't get in, how would I get in with a car? Clearly there is info missing from my cache.

I still have cold weather clothing from my 12 years in upstate New York and being a skier, and the weather forecast would likely be reasonably accurate; the problem is carrying all that stuff around once you get inside.

Mary Ann wrote: ↑Thu Oct 12, 2023 2:21 pm If an Uber can't get in, how would I get in with a car? Clearly there is info missing from my cache.

I still have cold weather clothing from my 12 years in upstate New York and being a skier, and the weather forecast would likely be reasonably accurate; the problem is carrying all that stuff around once you get inside.

When I drove Uber, I wasn't allowed in some military installations since I was just the Uber driver. It really depends base-to-base (for instance, I could enter the Coast Guard base here, but not the Navy submarine base without military ID).

If you're actually attending the conference, you'd show your photo ID and they will do an inspection of your car. It's up to security whether they will let the Uber in, but they'd likely have to check your driver's ID and inspect their car if so.

Mary Ann wrote: ↑Thu Oct 12, 2023 2:21 pm If an Uber can't get in, how would I get in with a car? Clearly there is info missing from my cache.

I still have cold weather clothing from my 12 years in upstate New York and being a skier, and the weather forecast would likely be reasonably accurate; the problem is carrying all that stuff around once you get inside.

You pre-register as a participant and that's what allows you in

LeMark wrote: ↑Thu Oct 12, 2023 2:32 pm

Mary Ann wrote: ↑Thu Oct 12, 2023 2:21 pm If an Uber can't get in, how would I get in with a car? Clearly there is info missing from my cache.

I still have cold weather clothing from my 12 years in upstate New York and being a skier, and the weather forecast would likely be reasonably accurate; the problem is carrying all that stuff around once you get inside.

You pre-register as a participant and that's what allows you in

Is that a recent thing? In 2012 I just showed up and told them what I was there for.

It was that way in 2018

I believe someone could be willing to pick up Mary Ann at her hotel and take her in and back out, if they agreed to stay about the same number of hours...

... and remember that this is a tuba thing. All you really need to pack with that food is two or three pair of jeans and two or three sweatshirts, along with something to sleep in and maybe an extra pair of sneakers.

You know I would offer, but I'm at the mercy of Zach, who is already toting me around

Otherwise it would be an honor to help her out


If no one else is available, I'll talk to Zack about us picking her up, especially if she's staying near the army base. I know there are a couple hotels really close to the metro rail tracks north of the army base

Everyone would obviously sort of need to pre-agree on how long they would stay on one or all particular days. It's not that easy to get in or to get back in, once having left the base, so taking somebody back to their hotel and then coming back for a concert could easily involve a couple of hours.

I like tubas and I like tuba players, but I'm not much for concerts at night, unless I'm involved in them.. and sometimes - when I'm involved in them - I have to drink an extra two or three cups of coffee, being that I'm beginning to think of myself as sort of old.


On concert weekends, I typically am pretty worn out feeling when I wake up on Sunday mornings, and - if there's a church gig, I'm going to need a pretty vigorous hot bath or shower and a couple of aspirin.

Oh I know. My days there are very long because I'm Zach's shadow. I'm hoping someone else can help Mary Ann out

Thanks for the offers, which I really appreciate. I'll think on how doable I think it is for all with a minimum of hassle.

Just got leave approved to attend. I live less (or more) than an hour from Arlington. Never attended before, so I'm pretty excited.

arpthark wrote: ↑Thu Sep 28, 2023 2:21 pm

Mary Ann wrote: ↑Thu Sep 28, 2023 2:07 pm I want to go this year but still have NO IDEA where it is held. If somebody told me recently I forgot that already. Is there a blog somewhere about accommodations and where to eat etc.?

It is held every year at the Army base at Fort Myer in Arlington, VA.

https://usarmyband.com/workshops/tuba-e ... m-workshop

The official name is now Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall.

For accommodations, look in the "Courthouse" area of Arlington, VA. There're a couple of hotels on Courthouse Road (including a Hilton Garden Inn and a Clarion), and the Virginia Inn is across U.S. 50 from there and very close. There is a Days Inn on U.S. 50, but the old walking gate across from it is closed to civilians, and that was the only appeal of that accommodation. There are also hotels in Crystal City on the other side of the Pentagon, and in Rosslyn on down the hill from the Courthouse area. You'll see all that in Google Maps. A car will be necessary no matter where you say.

For the past several years, the only entrance for civilians without base credentials has been the Hatfield Gate, which isn't within walking distance of anything outside the base. There will be lots of procedure to get on base, and that will be described on the link above. The difficulty of going on and off base is the secret for the survival of the grill in the Bowling Alley.

I'll be there again this year, and Ray Grim is planning to attend and stay with us.

Rick "who wondered what the JBM-HH abbreviation meant for several years after the change" Denney

kingrob76 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 12, 2023 1:36 pm Snowing, or, 5 degrees F. Or 62 F and sunny.

Don't forget rainy.

Rick "worse than snowy" Denney