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Hi everyone,

I'm looking to perform a solo with the Southern Oregon University Wind Ensemble in the Fall and I need help finding tuba solos with wind band accompaniment. I must say I am quite ignorant to the world of band music. The only tuba solo with band accompaniment that I am aware of is the Gregson Concerto which was performed at our college a year ago. I want to mix things up and play something that the Rogue Valley has never heard before. Does anyone have any suggestions, youtube links, etc. Willing to help a fellow tuba player plunge into the world of tuba solos!

oh.. and before anyone says anything, I know I could just arrange any tuba solo with band accompaniment. I guess the reason I ask is that I am quite busy at this point in my life and would prefer one that already has band accompaniment. If I must resort to arranging.. well then i guess I'll have to take that road, but we'll see what you all have to say before I make that decision.

Thanks

Troy

My personal favorite that I have played in the band for would be Capriccio by Rodney Newton (Only one letter off surprisingly) which already has a band part I think. I have seen people do it on an F tuba and a CC tuba so if that has any influence on your choice, just think about it.

Hope this helps,
Eagle

If you are seeking something fun and light.... I can direct you to a few of the old tuba with band solos. Not new but old enough that only a few will know them:

"Elephantine Polka"
"Solo Pomposo"
"The Octopus and the Mermaid"

I think all are public domain. Email me if you can't find them.

Hi Troy,

One of my favorites is "The Trouble with the Tuba is" (William Relton) This is more of a melodic solo tuba part & not so "20th century rhythmic" sounding like most of the commonly performed ones. The introduction has sort of a Gershwin sound to it followed by a big-band bounce rhythm, the 2nd part is sort of a slow jazz-blues beat, the final part is a really animated cadenza almost comedic sounding a lot of fun!
SheetMusicPlus has it along with a sample:
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/The ... s/18551336" target="_blank

Craig

This will sound a bit quaint as a title, but is a fairly easy piece for both solo tuba and band.
"When Yuba Plays The Rumba On The Tuba" (well, I said it was quaint!)
Bill Bell did this with the Dayton Municipal Band back in 1966, playing it on his 4 valve Eb sousaphone.
The composer is Herman Hupfeld, and I have the solo part with piano acc. by Douglas McLean.
The band accompaniment is permanently out of print, but if you go to the Chatfield Music Lending Library
and so a search for "Hupfeld" you will find two arrangements there for loan.
One was done in 1936 by William Teague, and the library has 35 parts for that, the other one was
done by William Schoenfeld in 1956, and they have a cond.score and 27 parts for that.

I still have Bill Bell's autograph from back in 1966 on my copy of Swann's "Two Moods For Tuba". He was
a truly superb player. He did the piece in a laid back swing style and it is easy listening for an audience.

Hi Troy,

I'm a freelance composer at the University of Oregon and I play euphonium and tuba. If you are interested I could write you something for tuba with wind band or whatever you would like.

Here is my website: http://amullen1988.wordpress.com/" target="_blank

Adam Mullen

Take a look at the Robert Jager Concerto for tuba. This is a full three movement concerto with band that is not well known. The top of the range if I recall is an F above the staff down to somewhere in the low FF or EE and features a nice little cadenza. I was fortunate enough to play it three times back in the mid 80's. It works very well on BBb tuba or F tuba as I performed it on both. You can get away with it on CC but there is one trill that does not work well and I think its is more of a knuckle buster on the CC tuba.

Also, you may consider any of the Herbert L Clarke Trumpet solos, just get them written for euphonium and play them down an octave. These are really fun to play and are very audience friendly.

Good Luck and let us know what you choose as well as congrats on being able to solo with a band.

Tom

Troy wrote:Hi everyone,

I'm looking to perform a solo with the Southern Oregon University Wind Ensemble in the Fall and I need help finding tuba solos with wind band accompaniment. I must say I am quite ignorant to the world of band music. The only tuba solo with band accompaniment that I am aware of is the Gregson Concerto which was performed at our college a year ago. I want to mix things up and play something that the Rogue Valley has never heard before. Does anyone have any suggestions, youtube links, etc. Willing to help a fellow tuba player plunge into the world of tuba solos!

oh.. and before anyone says anything, I know I could just arrange any tuba solo with band accompaniment. I guess the reason I ask is that I am quite busy at this point in my life and would prefer one that already has band accompaniment. If I must resort to arranging.. well then i guess I'll have to take that road, but we'll see what you all have to say before I make that decision.

Thanks

Troy

You could check out my un-premiered tuba concerto: http://www.brookepierson.com/concerto-for-tuba" target="_blank if it is your cup of tea.

I second the broughton. Score and parts for it are very affordable.

Shoborken wrote:Hi Troy,

I'm a freelance composer at the University of Oregon and I play euphonium and tuba. If you are interested I could write you something for tuba with wind band or whatever you would like.

Here is my website: http://amullen1988.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" target="_blank

Adam Mullen

Unfortunately I can't afford to commission a piece at this time. Otherwise, I would love to work with you on such a project. I appreciate the offer however.

Barbara York did a band version of her Concerto. I think it requires bass sax, contrabass clarinet, string bass--at one time she said she did not want tuba in the band due to color and pitch conflicts, but I think it's in there after all. Great piece--Don Harry premiered the band version.

daytontuba wrote:This will sound a bit quaint as a title, but is a fairly easy piece for both solo tuba and band.
"When Yuba Plays The Rumba On The Tuba" (well, I said it was quaint!)
Bill Bell did this with the Dayton Municipal Band back in 1966, playing it on his 4 valve Eb sousaphone.
The composer is Herman Hupfeld, and I have the solo part with piano acc. by Douglas McLean.
The band accompaniment is permanently out of print, but if you go to the Chatfield Music Lending Library
and so a search for "Hupfeld" you will find two arrangements there for loan.
One was done in 1936 by William Teague, and the library has 35 parts for that, the other one was
done by William Schoenfeld in 1956, and they have a cond.score and 27 parts for that.

For this piece, I think my community band has the entire score. Durham Community Concert Band. I've got the band webpage in my weblink, but here it is for good measure: http://www.durhamband.org
We did this piece almost a year ago so I know that someone can help with the music if you contact the band. My dad (retired from the US Army Band) played the Tuba solo. Unfortunately, we didn't record that performance so it's not in our YouTube channel.

pierso20 wrote:
You could check out my un-premiered tuba concerto: http://www.brookepierson.com/concerto-for-tuba" target="_blank" target="_blank if it is your cup of tea.

This would be fun to premiere, I'd love to do it, but don't have the opportunity at this time. It would be a great opportunity for you and your ensemble! Additionally, if you don't feel this is your cup of tea, among the other great choices mentioned, you could do the Phillip Sparke Tuba Concerto for wind ensemble. Its quite fun.

The Victor Davies "Concerto for Tubameister" is supposed to have a band accompaniment available now. Tough piece, but worth the effort for player and (gasp!) audience alike.

Other works I've done with Band (off the top of my addlepated head...):

Morceau de Concert by Saint Seans
Bride of the Waves, H.L. Clarke
Shores of the Mighty Pacific (not my favorite), H.L. Clark
Blue Bells of Scotland, Pryor
Morceau Symphonique, Guilmant
Vaughn Williams Concerto

I know there're others... And don't forget Strauss I

J.c.S.

Ben wrote:
This would be fun to premiere, I'd love to do it, but don't have the opportunity at this time. It would be a great opportunity for you and your ensemble! Additionally, if you don't feel this is your cup of tea, among the other great choices mentioned, you could do the Phillip Sparke Tuba Concerto for wind ensemble. Its quite fun.

I'm a big Phillip Sparke fan and he writes great music. It would be more different than your typical Gregson or the like.

Just recorded a Simpler work, but accessible, and with a cool second movement...

Divertimento for Tuba and Band (David Bobrowitz)

http://www.daehnpublications.com/" target="_blank

I recently performed the new Libby Larsen piece "Ursa," which was part of the Falcone list a couple years ago. Very good piece, I wish I had been able to do it with Wind Ensemble instead of just piano. Two movements, first movement sounding almost Debussy-esque, the second movement more uptempo with some interesting funk, jazz, and rock elements in it. Fun piece for the performer and the audience.

Troy,

Just noticed this posting. I was at SOU in the late 70's and graduated in 1981. Jim O'Dell (now at Boston Conservatory) played either the Don Haddad Suite for Tuba or the Frank Bencruiscutto Concertina for Tuba and Band about 1979 with the wind ensemble. Sorry, I can't remember which one we did. Both are a good challenge, not as challenging as some already mentioned, but are not 'cute' pieces.

Do you own the Guide to the Tuba Repertoire? There are about 20 pages listing pieces for Tuba and Band. Which ever one Jim played when I was in school should be in the music library. If you can't find it, I would be happy to talk to Max McKee or Stu Turner (both now retired) to see if we could locate it. I have tuba parts for both, but only the piano accompaniment.

I look forward to finding out what you choose perform.

John Dalen

p.s. Jim also performed a Mozart piece for Eb Waldhorn (?).

ljdalen wrote:Troy,

Just noticed this posting. I was at SOU in the late 70's and graduated in 1981. Jim O'Dell (now at Boston Conservatory) played either the Don Haddad Suite for Tuba or the Frank Bencruiscutto Concertina for Tuba and Band about 1979 with the wind ensemble. Sorry, I can't remember which one we did. Both are a good challenge, not as challenging as some already mentioned, but are not 'cute' pieces.

p.s. Jim also performed a Mozart piece for Eb Waldhorn (?).

John, I think it was the Bencruiscutto piece, and I missed the Mozart piece!

Troy, "darthtuba" did an Eb Mozart piece in his senior recital a couple months ago here in Eugene; it really sounded nice, and might be worth considering.

bearphonium wrote:

ljdalen wrote:Troy,

Just noticed this posting. I was at SOU in the late 70's and graduated in 1981. Jim O'Dell (now at Boston Conservatory) played either the Don Haddad Suite for Tuba or the Frank Bencruiscutto Concertina for Tuba and Band about 1979 with the wind ensemble. Sorry, I can't remember which one we did. Both are a good challenge, not as challenging as some already mentioned, but are not 'cute' pieces.

p.s. Jim also performed a Mozart piece for Eb Waldhorn (?).

John, I think it was the Bencruiscutto piece, and I missed the Mozart piece!

Troy, "darthtuba" did an Eb Mozart piece in his senior recital a couple months ago here in Eugene; it really sounded nice, and might be worth considering.

+1; though I haven't performed them with band, these lay very nicely on tuba.