Too University with you!

[David]

Well well. I've put it off for a long time. And here i am, I have decided to go to University. But, until I talk to some pros or teachers in person (definately planning to do), I dont know which ones are great for tuba. I've checked out many universities in Canada, but obviously, none of them have any information with the kind of specifics i need. (tuba specifics) Unless i actually research each tuba professor (long and difficult), i wont know.

Id really like to get the word-of-mouth about them. Thats better then any "history of", or reviews of performances they've given ect. Of course I will research them on my own time; this is just the start.

So So So, which tuba profs are tops? Who's heard good things about who? (Just as long as their at some university in Canada somewhere.) Anyone had tuba profs that just knocked your socks off?

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.!

BA BY

[vince]

Hi! Where are you from? If you want to study in Canada, you should consider Lance Nagels (Quebec Symphony) who teach at Laval University and Conservatory. He is a really great teacher! Maybe, you also want to consider going to Domaine Forget next summer for 2 weeks where Lance is teaching with Roger Bobo also. It's a great experience! Dennis Miller in Montreal (Mcgill University) would be a other one to consider.

If you have more questions, feel free to contact me.

Vince

vincent_roy75@hotmail.com

[Chuck(G)]

How about John Griffiths at the Univeristy of Regina:

http://www.uregina.ca/finearts/music/people.html

Or Eugene Dowling at the Univeristy of Victoria:

http://www.finearts.uvic.ca/music/facul ... ling.shtml

[David]

Im from Orillia ontario. (right outside toronto.)

Gah, I should have thought of that! I knew of John Griffiths and Eugene Dowling as performers, but never thought to check to see if they taught as well... Silly me.

I've heard Sal Fratia is great, but I wasnt much impressed

Thanks for all that guys! Definately takes notes as we speak.

[David]

I didnt finish that sentence!

I meant, wasnt that impressed with U of T

[Tubainsauga]

Yeah, Sal is my teacher and he is very good. Mark Tetrault is also a very good teacher and I beleive Alain Trudel is conducting the wind ensemble. Although U of T has a good reputation, I wasn't terribly impressed with it. I will be looking for a good music school in Canada shortly and would appreciate any reccomendations as well.

[David]

Well, since Sal is your teacher, could you ask him for recommendations and post some of them here? That would be a great help!

My experiance of U of T was the same. Everybody says nice things, except most of the people who go there for music. A few of my friends attending Western say they hear alot of whining from those they know who wish they hadnt gone to U of T.

Though I'm not sure about their low brass staff, I've heard only great things about Western. Would definately be worth checking out.

[Tubainsauga]

I've visited Wetern and have heard very good things about them and the faculty seems nice. Karen Bulmer is the teacher there. I worked with her a few years ago and she seemed very good. I have also been recommended that the University of Prince Edward Island has a good program. The teacher is Greg Irvine. Does anyone know him? Is it worth investigating?

[winston]

.

[kontrabass]

As one of the few University of Toronto students here, perhaps I should chime in.
I studied with Sal, now I study with Mark. Both are good teachers.
The school itself has a lot of things going for it - pretty high standards, good faculty, pretty good ensembles, *unbeatable* location and the best library in Canada. McGill or UBC or Western *might* be better schools (depending on what you hear) but I suspect they are about the same. Most of the other schools in Canada are comparable but lose out in areas like faculty, location, and general opportunity which come from being situated in a big city. BUT a specific school might be better for tuba if the tuba teacher is better. I haven't studied with them all so I couldn't tell you who is the best. I know that Nick Atkinson in Ottawa is excellent, although I hear the school is pretty devoid of playing opportunities for brass in general.

As far as the whining goes - no matter what school you go to, people are going to whine that they wish they were somewhere better. That's because every school has problems - politics, lack of funding, expensive tuition, mediocre players (even at the very best schools), mediocre teachers (even at the best schools). You won't escape it if you go to Western or McGill or wherever. The BEST place to go, if you want a purely musical education, is a Conservatory because they tend to have a limited enrollment (and therefore higher standard) and more money (due to higher tuition!). But if you're at a university, you deal with the problems of a university. I do know that quite a few successful players have come out of just about every university in the country, including U of T and Western.

NOW this brings me to the very important point that I've been wanting to make:
The people you hear whining are wasting their air - it should be going into their horns in the practice room. At just about *ANY* school you can take lessons, play in ensembles, hear live music, make connections and PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. As far as your undergraduate degree is concerned, it doesn't make nearly as much difference where you go as WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU GET THERE. So pick a school that 'feels' right to you with a teacher that you get along with, go there, and do what you have to do.

That's all.

Any specific questions, I'd be happy to answer by e-mail. kontrabass64@hotmail.com

[David]

Yeah. I agree with all the points you made. But, I'm looking for information on universities, and "whining" is all I have so far. Though i can definately appreciate getting that kind of chip off your shoulder!

As far as motivation goes, I've no problem. The only reason I'm going to university, is cause no one will look at you without that "piece of paper" and I love people; university has lots of them.

If i could, Id much rather just sit around and teach myself. Bah.

The research continues.....

[funkcicle]

There's also Dennis Miller at McGill, great teacher, great performer, great guy. An amazing studio, too, and in one of the most beautiful cities in north america.

Michael Eastep at U of Calgary(I believe?). The above mentioned John Griffiths..he certainly has a track record for producing top notch students on top of his amazing performance abilities. And there's a nice regional youth orchestra in that area(I think it's called the "Southern Saskatchewan Youth Orchestra").. it's a better gig than most tubists will get in their entire career.

[David]

I will definately take you up on that email offer.

But other people could be reading this thread for the same reason I made it. Looking for info on tuba profs. Maybe we could enlighten them by enlighening me?

Your choise, of course.

Thank you for your time.