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So what's been going on this weekend in Michigan? Any word on finalists, winners, etc? Thanks!

Falcone finalists are:

Euphonium Artist
Christopher Buckley
Phillip Eberly
Jessica Powell

Tuba Artist
Beth McDonald
David McLemore
Beth Weise

Euphonium Student
Cassie Black
Kevin Phillips
Daniel Zimmicky

Tuba Student
Lindsey Hoh
Ibanda Ruhumbika
Travis Sanders

Finals are tomorrow (Monday) afternoon (student) and evening (artist)

Congratz Ibanda your one crazy tuba player!

Student results are in:

Euphonium student -
1st place - Cassie Black
2nd place - Kevin Phillips
3rd place - Dan Zimmicky

Tuba student -
1st place - Ibanda Ruhumbika
2nd place - Lyndsey Hoh
3rd place - Travis Sanders

Congratulations!

Well done Beth!

As Steve Irwin would have said, "You little beauty!". What a fantastic run you've had lately! If you can find a way to bottle whatever the secret is, I'll buy a case of it!

Congratulations to Beth - a great player and a wonderful person. May your skills continue to shine strongly.

All the best to you.

Roger Lewis

Go Ibanda, you da man! Keep workin hard buddy. Congrats to Ibanda and teacher Heather, and to Beth and all other participants and teachers. Bravo!

I would also like to congratulate Beth. I was bowled over by her playing when I heard her a couple years ago and can only imagine what she is capable of accomplishing now!

When I was younger and dumber, I had some 'misconceptions' about female tuba players, all of which Beth quickly obliterated with her first note. Thank you Beth, for showing me it is all right to lose to a girl.

I was in the recital hall for this years Falcone Artist level final performances. While the Euphonium performances had many similarities (due to all playing Willson euphs, BB1 MPC's, and studying under the same teacher) the tuba performances were remarkable for their differences.

Beth McDonald played last by luck of the draw. Within the first minute and one-half of the slow (2nd) movement of the Concertino, I was sure she would win just on the basis of her musicality. In my opinion, Beth clearly not only played magnificently at a technical level (which ALL of the artist performers did) but she also had "the SOUND". She has a magnificent resonant tone, almost "euphonium-like" at times with great control of her vibrato and phrasing. That she also could maintain her sound without diminuation across the most technical parts of the 1st movement and be "in command" above the Wind Ensemble accompianment was remarkable. (Note that the 1st and 2nd movements were played in reverse order)

The Euphonium performances were all wonderful. Since I am not a great fan of the typical sound of the UNT/Bowman Willson 2900/BB1 combination (sorry - an old-school Besson eupher like me) I was less impressed with these performances, though my ear was telling me the Faustbuch was fiendishly difficult and a more demanding piece (perhaps) than the tuba number.

Doug "in awe of all of the contestants and finalists" Ruby

P.S. of all of the euphonium finalists, I liked Jessica Powell's sound the best. It was much warmer (to my ear).

Jessica's sound is beautiful and sweet. Those other guys need to switch to Bessons. They just need a nice burr on their sound.

Hey Beth,

Well done champion!

All best from Down Under girl!

Kiwi tuba and myself send our foremost congrats!



DS

Euphman,

I actually enjoy hearing really opinion from Druby. Do you ever notice how there has never been a "negative" review in these parts or even heaven forbid the ITEA journal?

Now, as far as defending your studio, I wouldn't waste your time. Your studio's success clearly speaks for itself.

d

EuphManRob,

You may have noticed that I specifically called out Jessica Powell's sound as most pleasing to me. Most of the time, when I listen to a recording or live performance of someone playing a Willson/BB1 combination, I can tell by just listening. I picked this up blind folded listening to Mr. Eberly and Mr. Buckley. I had to ask Jessica what kind of horn she played since I actually thought it might be a Besson. To my ear (this is entirely subjective) the sound of a Willson will not be as warm or lyrical as the model of what I personally prefer (I am a Steven Mead/Besson or Dave Werden/Sterling fan and personally play an old Sovereign with a Wick 4AL).

Jessica's tone was the exception to the rule for Willson horns (to my ear). Her tone is extremely warm in comparison with Mr. Buckley's or Mr. Eberly's. Notwithstaning, I certainly can understand how the rankings were made based on the final performances that I heard on Monday evening. All of the finalists deserve great merit. IMO, if Jessica could have played with the physical strength and technical facility of Mr. Eberly, I think the results would have been different.

For what it is worth, having recently listened to all of the performances of the various euphonium winners between 1986 and 2000, I prefer the sound of Angie Hunter (winner of the first festival in 1986) over any I have heard in between (including Adam Frey who won in 1996).

Doug Ruby

P.S. I am a 47 year veteran of the horn and the "model" for me as I was growing up was not Dr. Bowman, but Leonard Falcone himself. Dr. Falcone would not be considered to have a great tone by modern standards since he was of a different era (as perhaps am I). He also played a Conn horn (as I did in the '60's).

knuxie wrote:I'm sure all back in the Churchill band are swelling with pride.
Ken F.

And well they should be! She is a truly outstanding player, and a truly outstanding young lady.

I think it's very important to have a great sound model to emulate as a young player, especially when that sound is coming from your teacher whom you hear every week. I've had the opportunity to hear Brian live many times, and his sound has certainly been very influencial in the development of our instrument. However, I would be extremely bored if I went to a recital with a variety of literature, and heard that same sound for 45 minutes. I think we as euphoniumists are often the most guilty of this. I think we too often try to play with a beautiful, warm sound all the time, which is frankly boring. Interestingly, this is usually the first criticism that is thrown at me when I take a lesson from a non-euphoniumist. We are all individuals, including students, and I believe that one of the strengths and testaments to Brian's teaching is that his most successful students, many of whom I've been fortunate enough to hear live, DON'T all sound like him. He makes them sound like them, only better versions of them. Therefore, I think the whole idea/arguement that there is a "Bowman" sound that is either more or less superior to another sound limits our musical potential.

Martin

p.s. wish I could have heard the competition, congrats to Buckley, ugly though he may be....

Hi Ken!

I guess I wasn't clear, here's what I was trying to say (sorry if long-winded)

My point, to try to be clearer, is that playing with one sound all the time, no matter how beautiful, is limiting. There was an article by Roger Bobo that said something to this effect about how euphonium players always play warm and smooth, which he considered essentially to be boring. I was at first a bit offended by this, but after a year or so of consideration, listening, and taking lessons with some very fine artists (both euphonium players and non euphonium players) and re-examining my own playing, I am more in agreement. For example, I don't think a great pianist would ever sound the same playing a piece by Mozart and a Rachmaninoff concerto. However, I think that we (myself definately included) as euphonium players are often guilty of this.

In reference to what you said about having his students "defend" him, I can't see at all where he's been insulted and needs to be defended. Saying that you don't prefer a person's sound our his/her student's sound is not necessarily a sign of disrespect. If anything, I was intending to pay a compliment to the great students of his that I have heard, who DON'T all sound the same.

i'm surprised no one quickly came to buckley's defense. what an attractive young man.

"POH-TAH-TOS"

for the record, i thought your joke was funnier. although, the saints winning the super bowl doesn't sound so crazy anymore, does it?

i'm pretty sure this is fo' real (or legitimate, however you decide to say it)