Are you studying privately? This would be a very good question for your teacher.
Also, it might help the rest of us to know what piece you want to switch off of.
Having said that, there is something to be said for sticking with a piece that doesn't seem to suit you at first. One of the things we have to do as musicians is to bring a coherent, credible performance of the composer's intent, whether his ideas are our "cup of tea" or not. Again, these decisions are best made in conjunction with a private teacher.
"The only problem with that tuba is, it does everything you tell it to!" - Robert LeBlanc
The piece I want to switch off of is the Walter Ross Tuba concerto..
I won't be shuting the book on it for good, just for now. I am working up a piece for my senior concerto. As far as I know I will be the only one doing a concerto next school year.
I want it to be a piece I enjoy, something that suites me more than the W.R.
Principal Tubist- Finger Lakes Symphony Orchestra
Dalyan Apollo CC tuba-Conn Helleberg 120S
Soon (I am working on the parts tonight) the Barbara York Concerto will have Concert Band accompaniment. There is a sound sample on the Cimarron Music Press site with piano: http://www.cimarronmusic.com/ The sample is of the late John Griffiths performing at ITEC in 2006 with Barbara York accompanying on the piano.
I know I am biased, but it is a quite a nice chart. Tuneful, playable, audience friendly and quite beautiful at times.
Both the Orchestral and Piano accompaniment are currently available from the site.
For anyone who participated in the York Commissiong Project: http://www.cimarronmusic.com/BarbaraYork/, look for the Suite in a couple of weeks! We also hope to have actual sound files of the Euph. Sonata in the near future.
It's a bit of an old standby, but the Curnow Concertino is a nice chart to do with a band for several reasons...
1. The solo part isn't hopeless. It poses a good challenge for a pre-professional such as yourself without being impossible.
2. The band parts don't suck. While it isn't the most inspiring stuff that the band will play, it beats boom-chick-chick.
3. It's the right length. The audience won't get bored hearing it, and the conductor and band won't get sick of rehearsing it.
4. The band accompaniment is available and somewhat affordable. Not sure about some of the other charts mentioned here, but I know that a set of Gregson parts runs in excess of $150. Curnow is $94.
Now I am also wondering the avaliability of renting the parts.. because this is the first tuba concerto my school has ever done that my band director knows of. And (hopefully isn't) but might be the last for a while. And buying a $100+ score might not be able to happen.
I am also looking for more classical sounding pieces. The W.R. is a contemporary style piece, and I am trying to step away from that for my senior solo...
Principal Tubist- Finger Lakes Symphony Orchestra
Dalyan Apollo CC tuba-Conn Helleberg 120S
I talked with my private teacher more about it yesterday. And he suggested a few pieces, only one with the band accomp. though. I actually like it and am trying it out for a week.
concertino for tuba and band by Frank Bencriscutto.
Principal Tubist- Finger Lakes Symphony Orchestra
Dalyan Apollo CC tuba-Conn Helleberg 120S
Richardrichard9 wrote:I talked with my private teacher more about it yesterday. And he suggested a few pieces, only one with the band accomp. though. I actually like it and am trying it out for a week.
concertino for tuba and band by Frank Bencriscutto.