Anyone have TMEA etude history

The bulk of the musical talk
Post Reply
tubalamb
pro musician
pro musician
Posts: 115
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 12:52 am
Location: Eastern Connecticut

Post by tubalamb »

I don't know the exact numbers, but I do remember from both high school (early 90s) and teaching while in Houston that the TMEA tuba etudes alternated between the Blazhevich and Kopprasch books. It wouldn't be a waste of time to learn both books. Good Luck!
Steve Lamb
U.S. Coast Guard Band
Rhode Island Philharmonic
User avatar
TexTuba
5 valves
5 valves
Posts: 1424
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2005 5:01 pm

Post by TexTuba »

:tuba:
Last edited by TexTuba on Tue May 13, 2008 7:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Tom
5 valves
5 valves
Posts: 1579
Joined: Sat Mar 20, 2004 11:01 am

Post by Tom »

Learn the Blazevich Etudes (both volumes) and Kopprasch.

There are 70 Blazevich Etudes and 60 Kopprasch etudes.

Not a daunting task to obtain 3 books and learn them all, in my opinion.

If what you are trying to figure out is if there is some kind of pattern to the etudes selected, no...there isn't. Different folks (experts/pros on the particular instrument) are tasked with selecting the etudes each year, with the understanding that they not select etudes used recently.

Check the TMEA website each fall for the current etudes and the performance guide that goes with them.

That said...

More important than tempo, in my experience with TMEA, was exact rhythm, playing the right notes ("key signatures"), and sounding "good." I remember many tubists much more concerned with tempo that played much to quickly to be able execute the rhythms, etc. In fact I (admittedly) fell into that trap myself at one time. There is no room for interpretation with the rhythms...it's right or it's wrong...and the judges will notice.
Tom
5 valves
5 valves
Posts: 1579
Joined: Sat Mar 20, 2004 11:01 am

Post by Tom »

tubashaman wrote:They often repeat etudes im told, so thats why I would like a list for teaching purposes
Let's think about that for a second...

Between Blazevich and Kopprasch (the source of the TMEA etudes) there are 130 different etudes that could be selected.

Each year 3 different etudes are selected for use in the all-state audition process.

If we figure that a student is in high school for 4 years and is involved in the TMEA system, they will see 12 different etudes over the course of their high school career.

That means that the chances of a student encountering one of those 12 etudes a second time over the course of 4 years (when there are 130 to pick from) is pretty slim. However, given that the number of Blazevich and Kopprasch from which to pick from is finite, yes, over time etudes will have to be selected for the second, third, fourth, fifth, (and so on...) occasion. It's just more than likely that the kid that worked it up the first time will be long gone by the time it shows up again.

As a student, there is a very, very small chance that you'll see one of those 12 etudes more than once during the time in which you are eligible to participate in TMEA, thus I fail to see any advantage the student might have.

The teacher knowing that such-and-such number etude from such-and-such book has been selected for the umpteenth time (remember 3 of 130 get picked each year, so this will take a while) does not help your students actually play it any better. Teach each etude like it might be the one they pick and your students will have nothing to worry about.
User avatar
Todd S. Malicoate
6 valves
6 valves
Posts: 2378
Joined: Sat Mar 20, 2004 11:12 pm
Location: Tulsa, OK

Post by Todd S. Malicoate »

tubashaman wrote:They often repeat etudes im told
Funny...earlier in this thread you were told by a very reliable source that...
Tom (a very reliable source) wrote:Different folks (experts/pros on the particular instrument) are tasked with selecting the etudes each year, with the understanding that they not select etudes used recently.
Do you even read the answers to your questions?
User avatar
Todd S. Malicoate
6 valves
6 valves
Posts: 2378
Joined: Sat Mar 20, 2004 11:12 pm
Location: Tulsa, OK

Post by Todd S. Malicoate »

You want a list...no problem. Do the research yourself. Contact TMEA and request the etudes they have selected for the last 30 years...they might help you.

None of the good people here have such a list because, as they have told you, it is of no value.
Stephen Shoop
bugler
bugler
Posts: 234
Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2004 12:23 pm

TMEA Etude History

Post by Stephen Shoop »

Information about the etudes are published each year in the August issue of the Southwestern Musician combined with the Texas Music Educator magazine. Just about any university library in Texas has past issue going back many, many years (before the All-State process-- over 50 years).
Post Reply