Gene Pokorny: Best Orchestral Tuba Player?

[Mark]

First you want an illegal copy of sheet music,

Does any please have a copy of the John Williams tuba Concerto they could email to me?

and now you want an illegal copy of a recording?

[sc_curtis]

Don't know what you have changed your original post from, but I think there are too many excellent players out there to make this statement.

Pokorny is very good on very many things, but probably isn't the best on EVERYTHING.

Just my $.02 worth I guess...

[Mark]

Don't know what you have changed your original post from, but I think there are too many excellent players out there to make this statement.

Pokorny is very good on very many things, but probably isn't the best on EVERYTHING.

Just my $.02 worth I guess...

He wanted to know where he could download the CD for free.

[windshieldbug]

Last edited by tubaman06 on Sun Apr 02, 2006 2:33 pm; edited 1 time in total

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[Steve Inman]

I dont think anyone is better than Gene Pokorny in orchestral tuba playing

I'm actually just a bit more knowledgable in the world of acoustic guitar players than I am in the world of tuba players, and I've never worried very much about either. I've got a few tuba CDs and I'm aware of a few amazing tubists, but I'm confident there are others -- several.

In the world of acoustic guitar, I've always been a big Phil Keaggy fan. Laboring for decades in the rather obscure genre of contemporary Christian music, Phil has an amazingly broad AND amazingly deep skillset in so many styles. It was rather gratifying to see him reach 2nd place in the annual Guitar Player reader's poll about a decade back -- 2nd place to someone I had previously never heard of -- "Adrian Legg".

So, of course, I went out and bought a couple of Adrian Legg CDs. Here's another amazing acoustic guitarist. Then when I visited Australia on a business trip, I discovered Tommy Emmanuel -- absolutely incredible on both electric and acoustic -- very similar to Phil Keaggy, but (no IMO) a wee bit better.

Back to tuba players. I have no doubt Mr. Pokorny is amazing. But IMO, once your name shows up in the top 100 players world-wide (tuba, guitar, bag pipes, etc.), you must be quite good and the question of "who is best" becomes merely a moot point, according to the denotative definition of "moot".

Cheers,

[LoyalTubist]

I studied with Gene when he was still a student at the University of Redlands (he transferred to the University of Southern California the following year). He was my first private teacher. One of the things I learned from him is that everyone is weak in one area.



To be honest, I don't like dwelling on the weaknesses of people--we could be here for years!



You know, as far as I am concerned, the best orchestral tubist is the one who can give everything a fair conductor demands. It doesn't necessarily depend on virtuosity.



My favorite orchestral tubist was my last teacher, the late Ev Gilmore. He wasn't necessarily the best, but he did what was expected.

[Dylan King]

Gene did win auditions in St. Louis, Chicago, and Los Angeles. I have heard that the CSO begged him to come back after his one year stint in L.A. and that they offered him $$$ to do it. I also heard that he missed the brass section there and missed playing to sold-out crowds.

One can't really judge, but Gene seems to be a master at auditions and tuba sound to me.

[TubaRay]

I dont think anyone is better than Gene Pokorny in orchestral tuba playing

Although there certainly are other really outstanding orchestral tuba players, it would be difficult to argue against Gene Pokorny. Many fine tuba players will never come close to his ability.

[Stefan Kac]

Funny, I was just thinking the other day...Tuba Tracks is the only solo tuba CD I own that I listen to on any kind of regular basis. I have several by other big names that are known as soloists, but I always go back to this one, I think because of his sound and the repertoire he came up with.

[Lew]

It's almost impossible to name the single best player today. There are so many great tuba musicians playing today. Gene is certainly one of the best I have heard, and seems like a real gentleman. Listening to his playing at the USABTEC a couple of years ago was just one more reminder that I need to get back into the practice room, although no matter how much time I spend there I will never approach his virtuosity. I could say the same thing about Oystein Baadsvik, Alan Baer, Jim Self, Pat Sheridan, Dan Perantoni, Sam Pilafian ...

[windshieldbug]

The only real way to determine who the Best Orchestral Tuba Player is to see which one of them has been awarded the title.

Does that mean the auditionees are screened?

("Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain... ")

[Jarrod]

Obviously, it is hard to say anyone is the "best" at anything, other than Michael Jordan.

That being said, Gene was in Dallas a couple of summers ago for the Blast of Brass (a high school music festival), and the things he could do on the tuba were pretty amazing. He played a full recital, as well as some solo playing with the faculty brass choir. Without a doubt, he is a complete musician, and can function in the solo and orchestral realms with as much ease as anyone.

MOST importantly, everyone involved that week was blown away by his selflessness, humble attitude, and eagerness to help out each and every student. He went above and beyond what he was hired to do for that week. I think we could all learn something; musically, professionally, and personally, from Mr. Pokorny.

[tuba114]

yes,

[MartyNeilan]

Big Willie is the best orchestral player ever

Other great tubists have tried to fill his pants, but just can't do it.

[LoyalTubist]

I have to agree with Bloke on this one. This whole idea sounds so much like a personality contest, like the Oscars for movies. We may have our favorites here and that's OK.

[LoyalTubist]

When I saw Walter Sear, 31 years ago at the First National Tuba-Euphonium Symposium-Workshop at the University of Illinois, he was selling Cerveny tubas with his name on them as well as blue turtleneck shirts with tubas painted on the front, plus his name. I hear he is in the recording business now.