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How was the Army Tuba Conference? Impressions? Favorites?
Mark

This was my first time there and I brought the wife along. She liked it enough that we stayed later than I originally planned, and she is willing to go back again. The best part was putting names to faces. Surprising Jim McIntyre and J.c. Sherman in the lobby before Dr. Bowman's talk was worth the 6+ hour drive. Watching Dr. Bowman turn pages for the accompanist right after his talk was a great example of the type of event this is.

The elephant room was not nearly as loud as I imagined it would be. I only stopped at the Wessex, Adams, and M&M booths to look at horns. My wife enjoyed looking at horns more than I did.....in fact, if I purchased something in bright silver plate, I don't think I'd get any opposition. Only played a couple of euphoniums while I was there. I wasn't planning on purchasing anything, so I didn't want to waste a lot of time. I spent most of my time there (which wasn't much) talking to bloke and meeting Mrs. bloke.

The event was extremely well run (I would expect no less from the military). The only negative for the trip was my lack of navigational skills, combined with the world's worse GPS logic in my wife's Hyundai Sonata. I spent a half hour driving around in circles missing exits until I finally pulled over and made the wife drive until we got to Breezewood, PA.

For some reason it seemed like the Elephant Room wasn't as loud as usual. Maybe because I was in a corner, or maybe I've lost some hearing... Most of the playing was coming from the other end of the room, so I guess I was just lucky.

I missed all of the concerts; never even got over to Brucker Hall this time.

Doug Elliott wrote:I missed all of the concerts; never even got over to Brucker Hall this time.

You say that like that's a negative thing.

Of course, I'd much rather be in the Elephant Room for 8-1/2 hours straight...

Doug Elliott wrote:I missed all of the concerts; never even got over to Brucker Hall this time.

Every time I go, someone asks me how to get to "Bruckner Hall."

Oh, tuba players...

Take a look at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsGWKnghY6U" target="_blank

about 1:30 into this video clip. You have the amazing Pat Sheridan wowing everyone including my wife who is not easily impressed.

I'm not complaining but from my point of view this was the year of the euphonium - I managed to miss all the Pat Sheridan events, but I saw a lot of Brian Bowman, Ben Pierce, and Dmondrae Thurman (I missed Saito's (euph) performances). The inter-service euphonium choir was amazing - very enjoyable.

Wow. Same flawless playing (and the same high/low/superfast schtick as usual). The man knows how to work a crowd, that's for sure! Very cool that they post all of these videos!

Sheridan is pretty much indescribable. And one of the best teachers/pedagogues around -- not to mention being a world-class wise-guy. Both his "Gentle Practice" workshop and the concert performance were great.

I had not heard Saito play previously (either digitally or in person), but was very impressed with his sound and playing in the concert with Bowman. I also really liked the piece he played there -- which, to me, seemed to be a more pleasant and interesting MUSICAL piece than a lot of the euphonium "show off" pieces that are played at this kind of event.

Marty Erickson was simply fantastic, and Freddie Mendoza was great as well.

Tom Eshelman wrote:The inter-service euphonium choir was amazing - very enjoyable.

Agreed.

Less crowded may be worse for exhibitors, but for tuba lookie-loos it was excellent.

I even brought the boss Saturday.

I have a Wessex Jr BB now and thought my next tuba would be larger.

Turns out, it may be even smaller!!

The Wessex Tornister was a highlight for me as well as plenty of others.

It played better than expected, although the forth valve also played as stuffy as expected.

I'll be sure and see more recitals next year.

Did they have any of the new Miraphones there?

How were the tubas that Lee Stofer brought? (Sounded like a great lineup!)

This year I got to go around the display room and play some. Here is my PERSONAL list on the tubas that I played and liked from around the room going counter clockwise from outside to inside.

Lee Stoffer had a Rudy CC that ended up getting sold

Buffet Group had a silver MRP-CC that went to Dillon Music. The best of those I have yet to play. It may be already sold. The 2250NP was great and the original Meinl Weston 45 F tuba might have played as well as my MW 46 that is/was the best of those F tubas I have yet to play. That was a surprise.

Miraphone's new F481 Elektra F tuba might be the most perfectly in-tune F tuba on the market. Miraphone dealers can take your order. Also, the gold brass CC188-5V-GB was acclaimed by many as the best 188 in the room. One lucky guy bought the first in the USA gold brass 5 valve BB187-5V-GB tuba that was on display only the first day.

Dillon Music had a B&S 6P in silver that was sold. I liked that gold brass GR-55 that was a 5/4 horn with just a .748" bore. I of course loved the production Eastman EBC-632 CC tuba. More on that at the Eastman booth. That used Alexander 163 in gold brass has such a pretty sound. The Meinl Weston 2182W-S F tubas were something else.

Baltimore Brass has a newer Alexander that I liked. Just a few notes and heads were turned saying "Wow, what is that?"

Wessex's Lucern 5 rotor BBb seemed real solid and secure to play.

John Packer JP379B Sterling BBb was a nice compact tuba with a good feel to it.

Getzen has a very nice example of the 3050-S CC tuba and the smaller F tuba seemed really nice.

Eastman had the first production EBC-632 CC tubas there. I am VERY please that the production tubas play like the prototype I made for them. These are what the Conn 56J should have been all along. The prototype Eastman 4 rotor BBb tuba that is a copy of the B&S GR-51-L was a very nice surprise. I'll have to get some of those on order. Their EBB-534 copy of the King 2341 is just too good to be true.

Those were the nice surprises for me as an individual

The Eastmans did appear to have considerably better fit and finish than other Chinese cousins.

I did not get an idea of just how much that costs.

I played the three (3/4 size) and four piston (2341 size) BB examples and was impressed.

I'm not a concert/CC player so I didn't spend time on those models.

Nothing, even in the lower end of the market, appeared to be just an unplayable POS.

bloke wrote:Wisemann (900)

Any new opinions on those? (not just you, Joe, anybody) Hype or real deal?

Driving in Arlington sucks, dining usually does, too.

Last time I went, I stopped at Subway on the way there, bought a sub, and then ate in my car later in the day. Not the most fun thing in the world, but better than leaving base, driving, eating at...?, and then having my car searched again! Plus, it's cold enough outside, no cooler necessary!

Too bad it's on a military base (and next to a cemetery [and in the middle of winter]). Otherwise it would be perfect for tailgating.

Great event. I think about things like these when I pay my taxes.

No one puts on a better, more tasteful funeral than Arlington.

My in-laws are buried there.

I could see Bruckner Hall from the gate to the cemetery, but had to drive around to get in.

35 minutes later, with no traffic, I finally got there.

The roads in Arlington simply don't lead where they should go!!

Eastman appears less likely than others to discount or even give prices on line.

However, is this is any indication, I'll stick with Wessex!!

http://beacockmusic.com/shop/band/BCM00 ... udent-tuba" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

The current Jr BB is 995.00 + 150 US shipping and is very similar to the ebb231 linked above.

(The Wessex web site still shows their former King Clone)

I can't bring myself to pay 300% more for something 120% or even 150% "better!!"

The Jupiter edition;

http://www.wwbw.com/Jupiter-378-Series- ... 41410.wwbw" target="_blank

snorlax wrote: *Tubaryan, sorry I missed you. I looked for the TubeNet ID sticker.

I didn't wear it. I didn't want to look like a total geek in front of the wife (except when talking to bloke...at that point I didn't care). I'll spend more time next year actually trying to find Tubenettizens.

snorlax wrote: CONCERTS:
*Demondrae Thurman's performance was technically and emotionally fulfilling.
*Many of the pieces I heard left me rather cold, though the performances were remarkable, but I am a self-confessed musical cretin. Many of those pieces would have little life outside the recital hall and little audience outside of other performers.

I had that exact same conversation with my wife. Her favorite 2 things of the week were Dr. Bowman and the Euphonium Choir

snorlax wrote: MISCELLANY:
*Had a couple of near-death experiences driving in Arlington...what a crappy town to drive in...Don't get me wrong, but I took some delight in reading and hearing others' stories of vehicular disasters...glad to know I wasn't the only one dazed and confused in Arlington.

Glad I could be of service.