To anyone who has studied under Sam Pilafian.

[tubamarc8891]

Any tips?

[Todd S. Malicoate]

Yes. Practice. A lot.

[tubamarc8891]

Haha I figured

[Todd S. Malicoate]

Actually, I'm quite serious. Face time, face time, face time. I'm sure Mr. Pilafian would agree. Every time I look for a magic answer it just comes right back to spending more time with mouthpiece affixed to a buzzing embouchure. Arban, Bordogni, excerpts, solos, playing along with Abersolds, warm-up routines, ensembles, scales...it just doesn't matter. Get the thing on your face and improve.

[MaryAnn]

I think that most people in the back of their minds when they go to a new teacher, hope against hope to impress that person, even if they don't admit it out loud.

But I have had the opportunity to interact with Sam on a personal level and have also observed him work with other people. He is the most encouraging, supportive teacher you could ever encounter. I don't think I've ever heard him say anything that could be construed as even slightly critical.

MA

[bort]

If you practice as much as you can, and try as hard as you can, if you still fall a little short, that's where your teacher will help you to get the extra mile.

But don't ever try to fake it. He'll be able to tell. You wouldn't just wake up and run a marathon. Same kind of thing for being a top-notch tuba player.

[Michael Bush]

Well, I know nothing about Pilafian except what anyone listening to tuba music knows.

But I think OP has a fair question. Of course, practice is crucial with anyone. But I had a tuba teacher once upon a time who is rather well known now, though he was just an ABD graduate student with his first real job when I studied under him. But I know from reading posts by his more recent students that he's still as semi-OCD in his fifties as he was in his twenties. So you go to your first lesson with him having organized your whole life, preferably, but your tuba-playing life without fail. Everything in its own file folder in a brief case. No photocopies. Written goals, with a journal documenting progress toward them, etc.

I suspect OP is interested in such things that might apply to Pilafian. Every teacher wants you to practice.

[BAtlas]

But don't ever try to fake it. He'll be able to tell.

Just come warmed up, prepared, and ready to play.

[pgym]

I don't think I've ever heard him say anything that could be construed as even slightly critical.

I take it that by that your mean destructively critical.

I would hope that he would at least occasionally offer constructive criticism. (And if I were a parent shelling out for jr or jr ms to study with Sam that he would chew their * out but good for wasting his time and what used to be my money if they regularly showed up for their lesson unprepared.)

[Tubaryan12]

I think that most people in the back of their minds when they go to a new teacher, hope against hope to impress that person, even if they don't admit it out loud.
MA

...and just as important, they may not want to say or do the wrong thing that may upset the person.

[swillafew]

I like the work ethic messages. I have not met Mr. Pilafian myself, but anyone who can play like him has a tremendous work ethic. He will look for the same in you.

As for tips, my music school advisor told us, "none of you play enough piano, even the piano majors", and to this day I have to agree with her.

[pjv]

Practice and playing. Play as much as possable. Perform where ever and whenever you can. Rehearse as much as possible. And when your not doing the above: research. Listen, read, talk and breath music.

So, now you REALLY have an excuse not to do the dishes
-Pat

[MartyNeilan]

I guess I can understand why the question was asked, as long as it was not out of self promotion.
Some teachers have absolutely no sense of humor, others (Don Harry jumps to mind) are absolutely hilarious, and you have to be prepared not to take everything literally on the first pass.
Some will dish out compliments, others will rip everything to shreds.
Some want you to write everything down, others may prefer you bring along a pocket recorder.
One teacher may be ultra conservative, the next one talking about his glory days as a "toker."
Your lesson may be in a large hall, or it could be in a basement where the bell of your tuba almost touches the ceiling.

Also, given the diverse background of the teacher in question here, I could also see where it is appropriate for this lesson - should you bring a stack of excerpts, or instead leadsheets from some "standards"?

[royjohn]

Interesting discussion, but wouldn't it be best to ask Maestro Pilafian what he would like and expect?