1st Annual Seattle Tuba/Euphonium Conference

[sloan]

I'll be there (is there a prize for "furthest distance travelled"?) I'll be at the Hampton Inn downtown, and may be able to offer transportation to those staying nearby. Preference given to someone who can loan me a BBb (or even an Eb) for the open reading session! Inquire within.

[Donn]

The only hotel I know adjacent to the UW campus is pretty expensive - sorry.

"Watertown" is fairly close and appears to be a nice place (from the street, anyway), $179 / $199. That's pretty expensive from my point of view, but I'm dimly aware of a class of better funded travellers ... but I forget, I'm talking to tuba players. Well, there's a somewhat cheaper and probably OK place down the street, University Inn. That isn't an exhaustive list ... you could also look at "Deca", etc.

I have carried a tuba on the bus plenty of times, though never with a hard case. The worst was a sousaphone in a bag - bag designed to hold the sousaphone intact, so it's something like 5 feet long and incredibly cumbersome. Once I was asked to pay extra fare, for a large tuba in a soft case. Otherwise no problems, but this has normally been at off-peak times. Some routes in the UW area normally run over-full in the morning and early evening, and if I were a driver with people standing in the aisle, I wouldn't be delighted to take on a big tuba. The dreaded snow is gone, and by early January one would hope the buses will be running on schedule. Good service to the UW from downtown and elsewhere, though sadly not so good from Aurora Ave N where some real fleabag hotels can be found.

[P8822]

Bump for Chris and this event!

I wish I could be there! This looks event fantastic. Great line up of players and excellent masterclasses.

Regarding hotels, you might try priceline or hotwire for lower rates. I have used those websites with much success for both rental cars and hotels. I can't recommend the airfare usage. The fares are cheaper, but they will have you flying redeyes and/or in the middle of the night. If that doesn't matter to you, then you can also save a few bucks using their airfare booking too.

I hope this event will continue for many years to come.

Paul Weikle

[sloan]

Bump for Chris and this event!

I wish I could be there! This looks event fantastic. Great line up of players and excellent masterclasses.

Regarding hotels, you might try priceline or hotwire for lower rates. I have used those websites with much success for both rental cars and hotels. I can't recommend the airfare usage. The fares are cheaper, but they will have you flying redeyes and/or in the middle of the night. If that doesn't matter to you, then you can also save a few bucks using their airfare booking too.

I hope this event will continue for many years to come.

Paul Weikle

Hampton Inn is not too expensive ($109/night) - but it's far from "walking distance". It's probably an easy bus ride, but I haven't checked the routes (I'll have a car).

Deca is more expensive - but also much more convenient. I've stayed in that BUILDING before and was favorably impressed, but haven't been there under the current management. There's a B&B called "Chambered Nautilus" (I think that's right) that's a good hike, but walkable - maybe even with a gig bag on your back if you are young and strong (sorry, I don't remember the rates). I lived about a mile from campus for 6 years (20 years ago...) but a lot has changed. The basics are the same, though: very close to campus means a premium price; downtown requires a bus ride or car and ranges from reasonable to VERY expensive (but also a great place to stay if you've never been to Seattle before); really cheap hotels are up Aurora - you need a car to commute.

Red-eye flights are my favorites when returning from the West Coast - you get a full day at the site at the end of the trip and you don't have to book a hotel room for that night! I'll be flying back on a flight that leaves Sea-Tac at 11:05pm Sunday night. It *is* necessary to learn how to sleep on the plane - but I've never had any problem with that.

[Ferguson]

I've been packing tubas tonight. We're going to send a bunch of instruments up to Seattle for the conference. I was able to squeeze a few more into the shipment. Here's the list (since edited):

Miraphone 191 BBb
Miraphone 188 CC gold brass
Miraphone 1291 CC
Miraphone 1292 CC
Miraphone 281 Firebird F 5V
Miraphone 281 Firebird F 6V gold brass
Miraphone 1281 Petruschka piston F
Miraphone 383 Star Light Eb
Miraphone M5050 euphonium
Miraphone 4V Bb bass trumpet
Miraphone 67 BBb contrabass trombone, used
Josef Lidl 702 3/4 CC
Gronitz PCM CC
Gronitz PF125 F
Yamaha YBB641 BBb
Yamaha YFB822S F
York 3067 euphonium
Haag F cimbasso
Kanstul 1088 Bb bass trumpet
Kanstul 975 euphonium
New Marcus Bonna euphonium case, Glenn Cronkhite and MTS cases, assorted mouthpieces, lubes, stands, books, and CDs

I hope many of you can stop by and try a few horns. Don't forget to ask for your free bottle opener.

Best,

Steve Ferguson

[Chris Olka]

Hey guys, Happy New Year!! I am doing a masterclass on Sunday morning of the conference and am going to play a few legato etudes down 2 octaves. I am looking for a couple volunteers that are NOT my students to come up and play an etude each. Maybe need 3 people. If someone is interested and would like to volunteer drop me an email. Please use your discretion on this. I.E. don't volunteer if you are having problems playing them as written. I will email or fax music to those who need it. Also, please don't be offended if you volunteer and don't get picked. It is first come first serve for the list and I have a few emails out already.
I hope everyone is having a more enjoyable New Years than I am so far.....just got finished with 4 hour practice session....going to have a beer and go shopping with the Mrs. now......maybe gonna have more than 1 beer....2 beers...3 beers? Anyway, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!
Chris Olka
cheers623@aol.com" target="_blank
http://www.seatec.org" target="_blank

[Chris Olka]

Not sure if my previous post is showing up or not....see the last post above. Maybe started having beers too soon.....
Chris Olka

[bububassboner]

New Marcus Bonna euphonium case, Glenn Cronkhite and MTS cases, assorted mouthpieces, lubes, stands, books, and CDs

I hope many of you can stop by and try a few horns. Don't forget to ask for your free bottle opener.

Best,

Steve Ferguson

Hey I wanted to see what all of the "extras" (what mouthpieces is what I'm interested in) you are bringing. I was planning to make an order for a few things but if you are bringing these things up than I'll get them from you.
Thanks

[bububassboner]

New Marcus Bonna euphonium case, Glenn Cronkhite and MTS cases, assorted mouthpieces, lubes, stands, books, and CDs

I hope many of you can stop by and try a few horns. Don't forget to ask for your free bottle opener.

Best,

Steve Ferguson

Hey I wanted to see what all of the "extras" (what mouthpieces is what I'm interested in) you are bringing. I was planning to make an order for a few things but if you are bringing these things up than I'll get them from you.
Thanks

[Mark]

Bump for Seattle Tuba-Euphonium Conference.

[Ferguson]

Hey I wanted to see what all of the "extras" (what mouthpieces is what I'm interested in) you are bringing. I was planning to make an order for a few things but if you are bringing these things up than I'll get them from you.
Thanks

Some of most everything that we carry for tuba, too many to list.

Best,

Ferguson

[Matt G]

bump for chris

[sloan]

Rising at 4 to get on a plane at 6:40. See you there.

[Chris Olka]

Ok guys and gals,
just got done rehearsing with the quartet all day yesterday and receiving a HUGE shipment of tubas for Ferguson music at the university! I am really looking forward to this and hope to see you all there. I think it is going to be a great weekend. Remember, this is free so drag all of your non-tuba-euph types out and get them in the seats for some great concerts, masterclasses and the like.

Very best regards and see you there!
Chris Olka

[The Big Ben]

Listen, do you hear it? The sound of wailing?

The freeways between Seattle and Portland are underwater and closed until Monday. The sounds you hear are the sobs of the University of Oregon Tuba Studio stranded on the south side of the roadblocks. Any chance Ferguson Music will make a stop in Oregon on their way home?

Look at the map closely. Go East at Portland along the Columbia River and cut up to Highway 97 and Goldendale. Follow 97 to Yakima and Ellensburg and catch I-90 Westbound. You're golden from there. This is a significantly longer travel distance but, remember, you guys are college students and are allowed to do things the rest of us would find a little silly. Don't be weenies. Go hardcore or stay home!

Check here: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/" target="_blank

BTW: I am only going to be able to be there on Sunday. I will be playing in the mass tuba band thing scheduled. I will be the bald guy playing a King 2340 with a funky looking upright bell. If members of the U of O Tuba Studio come up to me and say, "Are you The Big Ben?", I will answer in the affirmative and take those of age 21 out for beer afterwards.


Jeff "Be there or be square" Benedict

[sloan]

Well done!

This was an excellent "First Annual...". Chatting with Gail and playing her arrangements at the open reading session was worth the trip (side trips to Ivar's [under the I-5 bridge] and Anthony's [at the airport - surprisingly good] didn't hurt).

The trick now is to make it to the "5th Annual...".

For me, it was well worth the minor cracks acquired by my Yamaha 621 case. "Gorilla Tape" should get me home - I'm weighing options on how to patch the damage more permanently. I got recommendations for both fiberglass resin and expansive urethane. I rejected out of hand the suggestion that "if I were doing it, I would first remove the entire inner structure...and make it look 'new'". I'm tending towards making the patch(es) as prominent as possible, perhaps labelling them with the airline and flight number that did the damage. Gail told me that the re-inforcement on her (well traveled) case was "that rubberized stuff you dip your tools in". Sounds interesting.

Must prepare the case for the flight(s) to TUSABTEC! The good news is that the flight confirmed my opinion that the Yamaha case is well designed - except for the ovbious weakness in the outer shell where it flares around the bell. The only thing I did over and above "around town" travel was to reverse the springs to push the valve stems into the valves and out of the way. The "bubble" on the side of the case looks particularly vulnerable.

We'll have another data point on how well this deters the Delta gorillas in another 12 hours...

Bottom line: Chris Olka and the Seattle crew put on a good show which is worthy of support (and definitely worth repeating). But...can't you hold it in June, July, or August, when you can see the mountain?

And now...the redeye.

Suggestion for future TEC's - sell "bumper stickers" (made of duct-tape quality material) with the event name/place/date suitable for repairing minor damage to cases - a layer or two of duct tape seems like an improvement to most cases.
In the meantime...spread the word to your trombone friends - there's an opening with the ASO in BHM (second trombone).

[bearphonium]

As one who missed this due to the lack of through roadways from the south I am looking forward to this event next year.
Ally"who is really glad the day off got denied so she wasn't stuck too"House

[bububassboner]

Ok, so I know a lot of you are waiting to hear about the different horn so I'll make a few comments about them all.

BBb tubas:

Yamaha 641: What can I say? It was your standard 641 BBb. Pitch seemed good. Not taxing to play. A decent horn.

Miraphone 191: What a beast. Huge low end yet the highs came out just as well. Pitch was very solid and if I was looking for a BBb this would be on the short list.

CC Tubas:

Miraphone 1291/1292: Both of these were very good horns. Great low end but I wish it were a little more nimble. I did perfer the one with the smaller pipe (the new yorker).

Miraphone 188 goldbrass: This was a great horn. I always thought the yellow brass horns were a little too rough sounding but the goldbrass fixes that. A very solid horn. I perfered this to the 1291/1292.

Lidl CC: Good playing horn. I thought it was a small F when I saw it. For someone that plays for fun and wants a small horn this could be it.

Gronitz PCM CC: Very very easy to play. Had a very lively sound. The thumb valve was hard for me to reach but I have small hands. I did notice some pitch problems but they were fixable with some slide pulling.

Eb Tuba:

Starlight: I wasn't impressed by this horn. Had a good sound but was the hardest bass tuba to play at the booth. Low end was better than some F tubas (PT anything) but the F tubas owned this horn down low.

F Tubas:

Yamaha 822S F tuba: This was a good example of the Yamaha. Pitch was easy to control. Not the most lively sound ever but if your looking for a CC tuba sound in your F this was your horn.

Gronitz PF125: Very easy to play. Much better color than the Yamaha. I did notice some pitch problems on this horn. But a few different fingerings and you'll be fine.

Miraphone 1281 Petruschka piston F: I wasn't as impressed as I was hoping for. This horn seemed to me like a heavier, duller version of the Firebird. So if you wish for a bigger sounding version of the Firebird and don't mind losing some color this will be the horn for you. Steve said he is ordering a silver version and is hoping it will make it a little lighter feeling. Low end was great and pitch was solid.

Miraphone Miraphone 281 Firebird F 5V Yellow Brass: A very light sounding F tuba. This horn was for me the easiest to play. However, I thought the sound had something missing to it. Very good Horn.

Miraphone Miraphone 281 Firebird F 6V gold brass: Amazing horn.Great from top to bottom. After trying a few goldbrass Miraphones I think they should all be goldbrass. This was for me the best horn there. So good I brought it home.