The legendary Sam Pilafian on Empire Brass, Leonard Bernstein, and life-threatening pedagogy. We talk about his life as a tubist, arranger, composer, educator, performer, producer, and mentor (and countless other descriptors) on our 100th episode. Sam Pilafian is perhaps best known as a founding member of the internationally renowned Empire Brass Quintet (1971-1993). He has also recorded and performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestra of St. L...
Dec 11, 2018•1 hr 33 min
Tom Holtz is a former member of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band in Washington, DC. During his career with the Marine Band, Tom served as a soloist, an arranger, and as a concert moderator. He also performed with the United States Coast Guard Band in New London, CT, and was featured as a soloist twice with the Army Blues, from Ft. Myer, VA. He retired from active duty in 2012, after more than 21 years of service. Tom currently works for the Department of Veterans Affairs as the of...
Nov 27, 2018•1 hr 3 min
Trumpet soloist Buddy Deshler is an ambassador for the transformative powers of the arts, champion of living composers, and agent for change in the instrumental music field. His burgeoning career has taken him around the country, as well as internationally, and has allowed him to share the stage with ensembles such as the King’s Brass, The Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass, Foden's Band of Sandbach, Cheshire, his own Vice City Brass, and Marquee Brass, and as of 2017, the illustrious Dallas...
Nov 13, 2018•1 hr 5 min
In this Listener's Choice episode, Andrew & Lance answer a frequently asked listener question regarding starting a brass group. We cover many areas, including: Start with why Gigging group or full-time endeavor Traditional brass quintet instrumentation? Skills developed via chamber music The path if you want a gigging group Opportunities to play different musical roles The "who" decision "Good to Great" by Jim Collins Division of labor The Polka Bandits The Dead Animals 2 Red Performance Com...
Oct 30, 2018•54 min
Jennifer Marotta is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Trumpet at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. An active freelance musician based in Los Angeles, she regularly performs with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Los Angeles Opera, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Master Chorale, and the St. Louis Symphony. Marotta is currently a member of the Grand Teton Music Festival and the Music of the Baroque in Chicago. She was...
Oct 16, 2018•58 min
TBJ95: TEM Takeover! In this crossover episode, we hear Andrew in conversation with Jeff Conner from The Entrepreneurial Musician podcast. Jeff Conner has performed in over 30 countries on 4 continents with his brass quintet, Boston Brass. Jeff talks about how they went from a college group playing small gigs around the Boston area to an internationally touring, full-time ensemble. Topics Covered: How he got a powerful Boston businessman to financially support Boston Brass The importance of havi...
Oct 02, 2018•1 hr 11 min
Dr. Gail Robertson serves as Assistant Professor of Tuba and Euphonium/Jazz at the University of Central Arkansas where she is tubist in the Pinnacle Brass and teaches the Jazz Ensemble II. She earned her B.A. degree from the University of Central Florida and an M.M. in Euphonium Performance from Indiana University while serving as graduate assistant to Harvey Phillips. She postponed her doctoral studies at the University of Maryland with Dr. Brian Bowman to perform with the “Tubafours” at Walt ...
Sep 18, 2018•1 hr 5 min
Euphonium and Tuba artist (and long-time buddy of Lance) Matt Tropman shares incredible stories of music, survival, and mayhem. Not necessarily in that order. Matt Tropman currently serves as Assistant Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at the University of Arizona and is an active freelancer, soloist, and chamber musician. His performances have been praised in numerous publications such as the New York Times, which stated: “Tropman makes a serious case for the euphonium as a solo instrument.” An a...
Sep 04, 2018•1 hr 1 min
TBJ92: Jason Ayoub, Principal Horn in The US Navy Band on Dallas Brass, playing with Charlie Vernon and meeting a moose Chief Musician Jason Ayoub is the Principal Horn in the Navy Band and teaches at Towson University. Chief Musician Jason Ayoub, a native of El Paso, Texas, joined the Navy Band in 2006. He received his Bachelor of Music from the University of North Texas (UNT), where he studied with William Scharnberg. During his final year at UNT, he joined the nationally acclaimed Dallas Bras...
Aug 21, 2018•1 hr
Canadian Tubist Jarrett McCourt is the Acting Principal Tuba of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and the Tubist of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Prior to this, Jarrett was the Tuba Fellow of the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Florida. Jarrett’s playing has been called “magnificent” by the Palm Beach Daily News and “warm, romantic and seamless” by the South Florida Classical Review . Jarrett has performed with a number of different high-level ensembles, including the Detroit Symphony Orchest...
Aug 07, 2018•1 hr 21 min
TBJ90: New Seraph Brass trumpeter Raquel Rodriquez on her new gig at UNT, traveling to the Lieksa Brass Week and recovering from a chop sunburn. Raquel Rodriquez is the newly appointed Assistant Professor of Trumpet at the University of North Texas (Fall of 2018). Prior to that, she was the Assistant Professor of Trumpet at Tennessee Tech University. Dr. Rodriquez maintains a versatile career as a performing artist, clinician, educator, and scholar. She has performed throughout China, Europe, th...
Jul 24, 2018•1 hr
TBJ89: David Gordon of the Seattle Symphony on Boston, Mahler and giving it your all. David Gordon, whose playing has been described as “spectacular” by the Chicago Tribune , is Principal Trumpet of the Seattle Symphony and Chicago's Grant Park Symphony Orchestra. As a soloist, Gordon has appeared with the symphony orchestras of Seattle, Grant Park, and Charleston (with whom he performed as soloist every season of his tenure), the National Repertory Orchestra and the Lake George Chamber Orchestr...
Jul 10, 2018•1 hr 7 min
TBJ88: St. Louis Symphony trumpeter Jeff Strong on preparation, playing with the Marine Band and having an air blowing epiphany. Jeffrey Strong of the St. Louis Symphony and formerly of the “President’s Own” US Marine Band, joined Andrew & Lance to detail his current gig, playing Taps in inclement weather and what he learned from Chris Martin. In this fun and lively conversation, we cover: Blitzstein opera, Regina Finishing 3rd season with the SLSO Played in The President’s Own Marine Band F...
Jun 26, 2018•1 hr 12 min
TBJ87: Craig Knox of the Pittsburgh Symphony on premiering the Jennifer Higdon Tuba Concerto, European road stories and the joys of palinka. Craig Knox is Principal Tuba of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and a founding member of the Center City Brass Quintet. With these ensembles and others, he has performed for audiences across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, and been heard on recordings, and radio, television, and internet broadcasts around the world. Mr. Knox works regularly with music student...
Jun 12, 2018•1 hr 19 min
TBJ86: Listener's Choice - The Falcone Festival Lance and Andrew take up another Listeners' Choice episode to talk about the history and development of the Falcone Festival at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Twin Lake, Michigan. Form the website: The Leonard Falcone International Euphonium and Tuba Festival has gained recognition as the premier event of its kind. Born in 1986 as a competition for both student and artist level euphonium performers, the event evolved into a true festival in 1991 when ...
May 29, 2018•1 hr
TBJ85: Tom McCaslin, Tubist with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra on audition prep, recording yourself and all things Canada. Tom McCaslin, Tubist with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Soloist, Teacher, and Clinician has been described by Fanfare Magazine as “one of the contemporary tuba virtuosos” . Originally from Regina, Saskatchewan Tom’s playing and teaching have taken him around the globe. He has performed and taught in Canada, the United States, Switzerland, Portugal, Finland, New Ze...
May 15, 2018•1 hr 3 min
TBJ84: Brass legend Mark Gould boldly goes where no other guests have gone before! Mark Gould, the former Principal trumpet of The Met, the mastermind behind Pink Baby Monster and author of the hilarious new book, "Orchestra Confidential" joins Andrew & Lance in an episode filled with laughs, stories and swear words. Like, a lot of swear words. WARNING: As mentioned in the above description, this interview is more "adult" than our usual fare. If you are sensitive to this sort of thing, maybe...
May 01, 2018•1 hr 20 min
TBJ83: Trombonist Donna Parkes of the Louisville Orchestra on having a “Yes!” attitude, sleeping bags and growing up in Australia Donna Parkes, Principal Trombone with Louisville Orchestra joins Andrew & Lance to detail her amazing career, from Australia to Kentucky, with stops in Chicago, Alaska and Doha, Qatar. In this fun and lively conversation, we cover: Playing Principal Trombone with Louisville Orchestra Playing with the Colorado Music Festival Coming from Indiana, I mean Canberra, Au...
Apr 17, 2018•1 hr 4 min
TBJ82: Geoffrey Pilkington, Principal Horn for the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra on yoga, humility and the Long Call Geoffrey Pilkington, Principal Horn for the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra joins Andrew & Lance to talk about working with Don Greene, dealing with the effects of a pinched nerve and gives us a great behind-the-scenes look at what goes into preparing for and playing the Ring Cycle. In this fun and lively conversation, we cover: His main gigs (Principal horn for Na...
Apr 03, 2018•1 hr 8 min
TBJ81: Matthew Murchison, Sexiest Euphonium Player in West Virginia on playing, writing and charting your own course in music Composer, tuba and euphonium soloist and all-around fellow knucklehead Matthew Murchison joins Andrew & Lance to discuss his bands Mainspring and the Matthew Murchison Mutiny, studies with Brian Bowman and being yourself as an artist. In this fun and lively conversation, we cover: Being the Sexiest Euphonium Player in West Virginia That he is, in fact, a Doctor Teachi...
Mar 20, 2018•1 hr 5 min
TBJ80: Philadelphia Orchestra Principal Horn Jennifer Montone on playing, meditating and telling your own story Jennifer Montone has played with the Philadelphia Orchestra for 11 years. Prior to that, she spent time in the Dallas, St. Louis and New Jersey Symphonies and teaches at both Curtis and Juilliard. In this fun and lively conversation, we cover: Playing at Tanglewood as a student in the Empire Brass Seminar Lance playing w/Jennifer in Philly (it had such a lasting impact on her) Dealing ...
Mar 07, 2018•59 min
TBJ79: Euphonium Ambassador Adam Frey on what it is like to be the Ambassador of Euphonium. Like that is a thing. Adam Frey has had a great career as a soloist, publisher, teacher and major proponent of the euphonium and has endured Lance's hump-busting for over twenty years. He is also the mastermind behind both the fantastic International Euphonium-Tuba (IET) Festival and euphonium.com. He currently teaches at the University of North Georgia. In this fun and lively conversation, we cover: Euph...
Feb 20, 2018•1 hr 5 min
TBJ78: Chip Crotts on playing trumpet with Ray Charles, prosthetic robot arms for musicians and his comeback from Bells Palsy Chip Crotts has played trumpet with an incredible array of stars, from Natalie Cole to Maynard Ferguson and has been involved with building an innovative program from the ground up at Georgia Tech. In this episode, we cover: The integration of music and technology at Georgia Tech Building the undergraduate degree from the ground up The development of a prosthetic robotic ...
Feb 06, 2018•59 min
TBJ77: Tubist Deanna Swoboda on her gig at ASU, Brass Rap and the difference between entertainment and art Deanna Swoboda has been a longtime friend and colleague to both Andrew & Lance and has had a great career as a performer, teacher and leader from her days with Dallas Brass to her current gig at Arizona State University. In this episode, we cover: The value of studying music at the college level Her gig at ASU Her five years with the Dallas Brass The difference in approach between playi...
Jan 23, 2018•1 hr 9 min
Washington National Opera/Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra trombonist Doug Rosenthal joins Andrew & Lance in a conversation ranging from the bass trumpet to dealing with the Valsalva maneuver and his experiences as an openly gay brass player. Currently, in his 6th season with the Washington National Opera/Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, Doug was actually speaking to us from Chicago, where he was playing bass trumpet with The Lyric Opera. He explains how he manages to schedule both ...
Jan 09, 2018•1 hr 17 min
In this special Listener's Choice episode, Andrew & Lance talk about the ins and outs of auditioning for college as a brass player. This is the second time we've tried this format. Let us know what you think! In terms of structure, we decided to tackle the: 10 Top Brass College Audition Questions Researching schools and teachers What repertoire to prepare? Should you take a lesson with the teacher? # of schools to apply to? Is it okay to send a tape or video? What should you wear/how should ...
Jan 02, 2018•57 min
TBJ74: Amplituba and Mercury Orkestar Tubist Bill Pritchard on Getting Started with Electronics, Teaching at Five Different Colleges and Overcoming Adversity Bill Pritchard is one of the busiest tuba players in Atlanta and is a leading figure in the movement to incorporate electronics with brass playing. Some of the topics we cover include: The challenges of giving Skype lessons His use of technology in lessons What to do if the chaps are at the cleaners (don't ask) The simplest setup to start m...
Dec 19, 2017•1 hr 7 min
TBJ73: Trombonist Weston Sprott on Performing with the Metropolitan Opera, the Diversity Issues Facing the Industry and Running Into One of His Heroes on the Streets of New York Weston Sprott is the Acting Principal Trombone of the Metropolitan Opera and has appeared with major orchestras all over the world. In this episode, we cover: His gig What the best subs have in common Coming up in TX Teaching Best student characteristics- “They do what I tell them to do” The acidic, dry and awesome John ...
Dec 05, 2017•1 hr 1 min
Trombonist Michael Clayville from Alarm Will Sound and Visiting Professor at Lawrence Conservatory Michael Clayville is a musician who is passionate about drawing audiences deeply into the art of sound. His abilities as a trombone soloist, chamber musician, and improviser have taken him to prestigious venues around the world including Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Hall, the Barbican (London) and the Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ (Amsterdam) and have led to him working with some of the most prominent class...
Nov 21, 2017•57 min
Jonathan Dorn has played tuba for everyone from Leon Redbone to The Philadelphia Orchestra and got to hang out with John Belushi in the 70s, 'nuff said. He shares incredible (and hilarious stories) from over 50 years in the business. Some of the crazy things he shares in this interview: How he got started on the tuba as a kid and worked his way through the ranks in Philly What it was like taking lessons with the legendary Abe Torchinsky Playing 16 shows (16!) a week with Ringling Brothers Circus...
Nov 07, 2017•57 min
