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Congrats to tubist Ibanda Ruhumbika who, along with oboist Timothy Gocklin, was a winner in the first ever Marine Band Concerto Competition! This competition was designed to highlight outstanding high school musicians from the USA. Ibanda performed the Wilhelm Concertino for the final round of the competition.

Both winners will perform their concertos with the Marine Band at the MENC convention in Milwaukee later in the year.

Let me second that. Ibanda is a great high school tuba player and an even greater young man. For those who have the chance to meet and hear this fellow, don't walk. Run.

I got the biggest charge over the last two days talking with, and listening to Ibanda. Meeting his family (a large group of fantastic people) was equally exciting. I can only hope that I can raise my 2 anklebiters as well as Ibanda's parents raised him.

For those of you (us) old grumps that have been fed up with the general actions of today's youth - you MUST meet this guy. You will change your tune. I have.

Ibanda for President in '30.

Ibanda = awesome.

Good work dude!!!! Well deserved congratulations from me and all of us here in the studio at UGA!

Ibanda strikes again! Congratulations man, you deserve it. And ditto everything Cameron said above, he's a good tuba player AND a good guy. Ruhumbika/Zerkel '30!

Congratulations to Ibanda!

I met him very briefly while he was out here for the recording of his performance on From The Top; not only did he play the heck out of Adagio and Allegro, but he was an extremely nice, approachable guy. Who apparently isn't afraid to deal with long tacets in rehearsal by stepping out to get his section breakfast. Great to hear that he's still going nowhere but up!

That's an interesting pair of instruments to get selected, considering the instruments you usually hear of being featured in competitions like these. Congratulations!

Ibanda can win anything... Congratulations dude you deserve it.