A gay tuba player?

[TubaJerry1]

Just curious... Has anyone met a gay tuba player?

Seeing that the tuba community is so large, odds are, some are gay?

Thoughts?

[bort]

Yes, of course... I've met quite a few. I think the proportion of gay tuba players is no different than the population as a whole. Well, no less at least!

[Guest User]

Seriously? This is a real question?

[TubaJerry1]

Yes, it's a real question. It is here, is it not?

[The Big Ben]

Stats say 1 in 10 are gay. Do the math. There have to be some gay tuba players. If they can count the 64 bars of rests and come in on time, they are fine.

[Biggs]

Yes.

[windshieldbug]

Yes. And if you haven't, you should get out more.

[bisontuba]

It is 2015, are we really asking such questions? What's next, are there any people of color that play the tuba? Are there any Hindus that play tuba? Are there any women who play tuba? Are there any progressives that play tuba? Yikes....
Mark

[TubaJerry1]

Sorry if I wasn't clear.

I am asking if you've MET any, NOT if there ARE any, because it is obvious that there are.

[bort]

Sorry if I wasn't clear.

I am asking if you've MET any, NOT if there ARE any, because it is obvious that there are.

Yes, I have. Not a lot, but certainly more than a few.

[PMeuph]

To answer your question, I have met about 5 gay tuba players, 3 I studied with, the others I just played in bands or saw at a music camp. I'm sure I've met a couple others who probably didn't show it, too.

But, I still don't get the WHY of this question?

As in, why do you need to know, OP?
___

I'm reminded of an interview I once saw with Gorecki. It was real train wreck...First, both the interviewer and interviewee (Gorecki) were speaking their second languages, so there were a few miscommunications. Second, the interviewer's agenda, and questions were much more academic than what Gorecki wanted to talk about. The real train wreck occurred when the question "how do you compose your music?" was asked and Gorecki dismissed it. The interviewer kept pressing and Gorecki basically answered " I don't ask you to describe how do you make love to your wife every night, so why do you keep asking me this" (I paraphrase, but the gist is the same.)Essentially, his point was that there are certain things that a person has the right to keep private if they choose to and we shouldn't press them if they don't want to share...

[TubaJerry1]

To answer your question, I have met about 5 gay tuba players, 3 I studied with, the others I just played in bands or saw at a music camp. I'm sure I've met a couple others who probably didn't show it, too.

But, I still don't get the WHY of this question?

As in, why do you need to know, OP?
___

I'm reminded of an interview I once saw with Gorecki. It was real train wreck...First, both the interviewer and interviewee (Gorecki) were speaking their second languages, so there were a few miscommunications. Second, the interviewer's agenda, and questions were much more academic than what Gorecki wanted to talk about. The real train wreck occurred when the question "how do you compose your music?" was asked and Gorecki dismissed it. The interviewer kept pressing and Gorecki basically answered " I don't ask you to describe how do you make love to your wife every night, so why do you keep asking me this" (I paraphrase, but the gist is the same.)Essentially, his point was that there are certain things that a person has the right to keep private if they choose to and we shouldn't press them if they don't want to share...

There is no "why?", really.

I was only curious, that's it. Nothing else was intended by it.

[Three Valves]

I'm confident the Trans-gendered were omitted as an oversight.

And no, I have never met a trans-gendered tuba player.

Or sousaphone player for that matter!!

[MaryAnn]

Well I can't change my sexual orientation, but for sufficient money I suppose I could be persuaded to produce a transgendered former tuba player, which would also by definition produce a gay tuba player because of the change in "equipment." But nobody has that much money.

[BrassoProfundo]

Google gay tuba player, and this thread is the first found. While it seemed to play out 3 years ago, since it turns up so readily on the topic, I thought I'd ad my thoughts.

I'm a gay tuba player. I know myself (more or less). When I was a kid in the 80s, there were verrrry few out (openly) gay tuba players. Now, with tuba being so hip, ditto being gay, there are more and more of both. The general rule of sex researchers is that about 10% of people have primarily same sexual attractions. When I go to NYC's gay pride parade, I invariably see a number of marching bands, each with a number of tuba (sousaphone, to be more precise, although some marching tuba) players -- easily 20-40+ tubists march and play in that parade every year. And, while I suspect there are no sexuality checks to play with those bands, I'm guessing most of those tubists would ID as gay or bi.

I also played with the NYC Lesbian & Gay Big Apple Corps Wind Ensemble in 2009-11, in which we typically had 3-4 LGB tubists, ranging from students to New England Conservatory of Music alumni who've joined the faculty of a local college.

After I'd been away from tuba playing from the mid 80s to 2009, I felt a bit like Rip Van Tuba, astounded by all the changes in the world -- including encountering out, gay tuba players. Nonetheless, googling "gay tuba player", I'm also surprised at how little specific turns up on the subject.

One thought which has recently come to mind: what about gay tuba makers, dealers, repair people, etc? I saw earlier in this thread some one mentions knowing a gay instrument repair person. I've just been recruited to play in NYC's Queer Urban Orchestra, a community, nonprofit 501c3 arts organization. This is a huge pleasure, and a challenge, as I have no tuba of my own at the moment, and, having just started up a new financial planning and insurance practice, am shy of spending unbudgeted funds on a tuba until mid 2019. So, I've been playing a 3/4 size middle school horn, which has been quite an interesting challenge. I've been wondering about simply putting out a call for tuba donations to the orchestra -- the value of a tuba donated to a 501c3 is a tax write off. But, before making such a request, I've posted a question in the Feedback forum wondering whether such a post is even permissible on TubeNet, and if so where. Part of my reticence has to do with putting out a call for a tuba donation -- something I haven't yet seen on this site, where issues of buying, selling, making markets on tubas is something of a delicate subject. Part of my reticence is a lingering sense that even in this day and age, being too openly gay a tuba player is still seen as somewhat edgy and provocative in some quarters, and since TubeNet draws from everywhere, possibly even here on TubeNet as well.

[iiipopes]

At the risk of expanding the thread for the reasons stated, it is regrettable that a discussion like this even has to exist in 2018, much less extend to a second page. Really?

[jbaylies]

This thread has been reinstated from the "cornfield", along with two others.

LGBTQIA Composers for Tuba
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=91582

Chicago Pride 2012
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=50636

Even in 2020, LGBTQIA+ representation is unfortunately still incredibly valuable.

In high school I thought I was straight, then in college I realized I'm bi, and honestly at this point I wouldn't be surprised if I also turned out to be trans. I used to think "who need labels? not me! I am who I am and I love who I love." But recently I've started to feel that labels would actually help. So for now I'm going with Queer. If there was less push-back against people seeking representation then maybe it wouldn't be taking me so dang long to come to terms with who I am.

[WoodSheddin]

Well I can't change my sexual orientation, but for sufficient money I suppose I could be persuaded to produce a transgendered former tuba player, which would also by definition produce a gay tuba player because of the change in "equipment." But nobody has that much money.

What the **** kind of statement is this? For ****'s sake.

[roweenie]

I believe that those of us who don't get to participate in community bands (and - thus - tend to work solo, nearly all the time) don't know much about the personal sides of too many other tuba players.

Back when I was an active freelancer, I had a phone book with literally dozens of tuba players that I would call regularly to sub for me on gigs. Since it was exceedingly rare to have two tuba players on the same gig, to this day, 35+ years later, most of them I've still yet to meet in person.

Of the ones I have met (even the ones who I'd consider a friend, which there are several - "a stranger is a friend I haven't yet met"), I still keep things professional and don't ask them about their personal lives. It's their business, just as my private life is to mine.

[Rick Denney]

I believe that those of us who don't get to participate in community bands (and - thus - tend to work solo, nearly all the time) don't know much about the personal sides of too many other tuba players.

Trust me, it’s true for community band tuba players, too. If they don’t say (and why would they?) I don’t assume, or even care.

Rick “just there to play music” Denney