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After 34 years with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, I am retiring after this season. The Principal Tuba position is full-time for a 41 week season, in a 65 piece orchestra with an excellent brass section and a very good, tuba-friendly hall. Canadian auditions are scheduled for February 13, 2016. For further information contact

Michael Thomson
Orchestra Personnel Manager
Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra
2nd Floor, 205 - 8th Avenue SE
Calgary, AB T2G 0K9
Cell: 403.992.5082
Ph: 403.571.0269
Fx: 403.294.7424
mthomson@calgaryphil.com" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank
http://www.calgaryphil.com" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

Michael Eastep

Congratulations Mike!
Mark

Congratulations on your well deserved retirement Michael! It was a pleasure to meet you and hear you in Calgary!

Calgary is a very nice city and makes a great base stations for some of the most spectacular excursions in the world. I envy you and your replacement.

Congrats Mike! Big shoes to fill for your successor.

It was a great pleasure to meet you and perform with you on a few occasions when I was living in that part of the country.

Any more thoughts about coming out east?

Bob

Big news indeed. Mike is leaving quite a legacy: hundreds of wonderful performances, many fine students, various musical projects outside the CPO, and many admirers. His tuba sound is a lesson in itself. I have sought Mike's opinions and advice over the years, he has a lucid view of the musical world and a wealth of knowledge. Seeing the bigger musical picture is one of Mike's qualities - he has never been "tubacentric". I miss the socking big American sound he used to get out of his old hybrid Holton/Conn/York (?), but he sounds pretty much the same on anything he picks up, that is, GREAT. Congratulations Mike.

34 years! Wow time passes so fast. You absolutely meritted this retirement.

I will always be thankful for all the opportunities you gave me. You influence still pays off every day I play.

I hope to meet somewhere and sometime in your retirement for a cheer.

Sylvain

Congratulations, Mike! Enjoy your retirement.

Mark

I would be glad to provide further information about the city and the orchestra for anyone who is interested.

Michael Eastep

Is there any chance it'll be an international audition?

There is a reasonable chance, but with a number of fine players in Canada, there is an equally good chance that the hiring will be done on that level. It's certainly not pre-determined.

Michael

kathott wrote:Big news indeed. Mike is leaving quite a legacy: hundreds of wonderful performances, many fine students, various musical projects outside the CPO, and many admirers. His tuba sound is a lesson in itself. I have sought Mike's opinions and advice over the years, he has a lucid view of the musical world and a wealth of knowledge. Seeing the bigger musical picture is one of Mike's qualities - he has never been "tubacentric". I miss the socking big American sound he used to get out of his old hybrid Holton/Conn/York (?), but he sounds pretty much the same on anything he picks up, that is, GREAT. Congratulations Mike.

Actually, it was a Holton with a 22" York bell, courtesy of Richard Barth, who always did like big American tubas. I liked to call it a "Yorkton." There were no Conn parts, as far as I know. Where is it now? Somewhere in Virginia I heard.
MBE

Congratulations to Tom McCaslin, who finished on top with an excellent audition and will play an upcoming concert with the orchestra as part of the evaluation process. The rep. is Neilsen 4.

mbe

Congratulations to Tom! Not surprising that he finished first yesterday. Such a great player.
Congratulations also to FIVE of my current or former students for going to the semi-finals.
Sasha Johnson

mbeastep wrote:
Actually, it was a Holton with a 22" York bell, courtesy of Richard Barth, who always did like big American tubas. I liked to call it a "Yorkton." There were no Conn parts, as far as I know. Where is it now? Somewhere in Virginia I heard.
MBE

Here?
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=70402" target="_blank" target="_blank

Re: Thank you Lee Stofer for my 345

Postby mbeastep » Sun Feb 14, 2016 9:53 pm
Thank you for the before and after pictures. Yes, this was Dick Barth's horn which he used for at least some of a recording of the Metropolitan Brass Quintet of Cleveland in the late 70s or early 80s before switching bells and selling it to me in 1983. I subsequently used it as my main instrument in the Calgary Philharmonic until 2000. I had added a main slide device to address the flatness of bottom line G. This has now been removed, and I wonder whether Lee's modifications addressed that problem. I was always conscious that the 4rth valve G never centered as well as I would have liked, so it's interesting to hear about it being treated by moving a brace. As to the bell, having started life on a York 3-valve BBb, I always loved the York bell on the Holton. When I consulted the late Bob Rusk, he suggested cutting the bell to 19", but I could never bring myself to do it.

Did you consider adding a 5th valve?

I'm glad to know that the instrument continues to evolve. I think it's beautiful, too.

Michael Eastep
About to be retired from
Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Congrats Tom!! Canada will be better for having you back in it!! Thrilled for you, my friend!!

Congratulations Tom! That's great news.