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My son (a.k.a. TinyTubist97) is an extremely dedicated tuba player and currently takes private lessons from Scott Robertson in Birmingham, AL who has been just terrific. He suggested that he try to take lessons from as many great teachers as he can and so recently had a lesson with Andrew Miller (Alabama Symphony) which was also just wonderful.

Any suggestions for other teachers within driving distance that you could suggest would be good for a single lesson or two? I'm thinking Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida... and then we'll vacation in the northeast this summer so Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, New Jersey, West Virginia, D.C. are all likely options, too. Not that they'd all agree to give him a lesson but it's worth a try.

Thanks all.

Sande MacMorran at UT-Knoxville is just great for getting young players on the right path, with no bad habits. He also has quite a bit of experience as a conductor, so he has a more holistic take on music than some tuba-centric players.

http://www.music.utk.edu/faculty/macmorran.html

--T. J.

tubistsmom wrote: Any suggestions for other teachers within driving distance that you could suggest would be good for a single lesson or two? I'm thinking Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida...

Kevin Sanders- Memphis Metro
Demondrae Thurman- Alabama
Rachel Matz- Florida
Jay Hunsberger- Florida
Jeremy Crawford- Doctoral Grad Candidate at Alabama (good guy, great teacher)
Paul Ebbers- Florida
David Zerkel- Georgia

All very good.

A little farther, but shameless promotion of my home state. In two days, in Arkansas, you can take from:

Kevin Sanders- An old Arkie and the Memphis metro is the gateway to the Arkansas River Delta

Ed Owen- Principal Tubist Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and teacher at Arkansas State University

Christian Carichner- Teacher at University of Central Arkansas, Brass Caption Head at Phantom Regiment, prominent
Breathing Gym Instructor

Jamie Lipton- Teacher at Henderson State University, Highly Decorated Euphonium Player, background in Northwestern and North Texas

Rose and Todd Cranson- Brewers and Tuba Players, husband and wife team in Hot Springs, both with a diverse musical background

Ben Pierce- Tuba Teacher at University of Arkansas-Fayetteville, the preeminent tuba competition award winner, recording artist

LJV wrote:Dave Zerkel at UGA in Athens, Ga. and Dennis AsKew at UNG in Greensboro, NC would be near the top of my list.

+1 for Zerkel.

Here are a few from the Northeast:
Philadelphia, PA
Carol Jantsch
Jay Krush

Baltimore, MD
David Fedderly


Pete Palan

I am not sure on your son's age, but you may want to try other instruments as well. The more perspectives the better, but Bloke's second paragraph is very important. What works for someone, may not work for others. Use what you can and discard the rest or just keep for a later date.

Good luck!

bloke wrote:I would hope that your son is reflective and introspective enough to sort out some comments, philosophies, and techniques which may (at first) seem to conflict, sort them out, and justify/embrace those which he might judge as best for him. ...
bloke "Good for you, and for your son."

Great point. He has become quite a student of other tuba players, their styles, philosophies, techniques, etc. He seems to do a good job at figuring out techniques that work best for him so far given his lung capacity, size, experience level (and of course, with his teacher's guidance). I guess it's a benefit of his age and energy that he just soaks up every bit of advice and can recall it with little effort. His self-motivated 25-30 hours/week of practice doesn't hurt either.

BVD Press wrote:I am not sure on your son's age, but you may want to try other instruments as well. The more perspectives the better, but Bloke's second paragraph is very important. What works for someone, may not work for others. Use what you can and discard the rest or just keep for a later date.
Good luck!

Another great point. He just turned 15 and also plays bass trombone in the school jazz band, experimented with euphonium, just transitioned from a Bb King 2341 to a CC Getzen G-50. But, the lower, the better.

Thanks all! I appreciate your responses and am grateful for the congeniality you've shown my son on these boards. I was once fearful his green/novice questions or comments could possibly be poorly worded, misjudged or misinterpreted on here but it seems the TubeNet family is first-class.

bloke wrote:If tolerating a few borderline-acceptable comments/pictures, self-deprecating jokes, and teasing of each other when we seem to climb on our high horses is "1st class" (after all, we're "tuba players"), he has found a blue-ribbon website.

See again we need a Like button!

tubistsmom wrote: His self-motivated 25-30 hours/week of practice doesn't hurt either.

Wish I had this much time to practice!

russiantuba wrote:If you want some really good accomplished teachers in Ohio and Western Pennsylvania

Jim Akins
Craig Knox
James Gourlay
Ron Bishop
Brian Kiser
Tim Northcut
Tucker Jolly
Jason Smith
Tim Olt
Gary Tirey
Ben Miles
David Saltzman
Yasuhito Sugiyama

James Gourlay is in Ohio?

BVD Press wrote:

russiantuba wrote:If you want some really good accomplished teachers in Ohio and Western Pennsylvania

Jim Akins
Craig Knox
James Gourlay
Ron Bishop
Brian Kiser
Tim Northcut
Tucker Jolly
Jason Smith
Tim Olt
Gary Tirey
Ben Miles
David Saltzman
Yasuhito Sugiyama

James Gourlay is in Ohio?

Pittsburgh Metro, I'm pretty sure. Which was covered in the area James mentioned.

tubistsmom wrote:Any suggestions for other teachers within driving distance that you could suggest would be good for a single lesson or two? I'm thinking Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee...

It seems that, if he can take his tongue out of his cheek long enough (which he does when it's really time to get down to business), there's a certain bloke in Tennessee who almost always has carefully considered words to the wise for tuba players. We know that he expresses himself well musically and verbally. He also listens very keenly. While I've never observed him giving a formal lesson, my impression is that he subscribes to the old adage:

"God gave us two ears and one mouth; use them proportionately."

Steve Marcus wrote:It seems that, if he can take his tongue out of his cheek long enough (which he does when it's really time to get down to business), there's a certain bloke in Tennessee who almost always has carefully considered words to the wise for tuba players."

He has taught my son, Austin several individual lessons over the years and has been a great teacher for him.

Misterguru wrote:
See again we need a Like button!

ShoelessWes wrote:[

Pittsburgh Metro, I'm pretty sure. Which was covered in the area James mentioned.

I really need to check in more...holy cow!

Two more great teachers that would be worth having a lesson with is Sean Greene in knoxville and Winston Morris. These guys are awsome teachers as well as great people.And also a +1 for Sande Macmorriun.

bloke wrote:I would hope that your son is reflective and introspective enough to sort out some comments, philosophies, and techniques which may (at first) seem to conflict, sort them out, and justify/embrace those which he might judge as best for him.

+100