Harvey Phillips

[ubq]

Rest in peace Mr. Phillips

[Bill Troiano]

I don't usually chime in on these kinds of posts, but I feel compelled to say something, although much of it has been said already. We all know what an icon Harvey was. On a personal note, I will miss him for the good times we shared together, from taking lessons and spending days at his Tubaranch, to hanging with him at Carnegie Hall and at various restaurants in NYC, to having Carol and him as guests in my house, to having him as a guest at our SCMEA Howard Hovey Tuba Day event, playing with him at the Mozart Festival in Vt., and helping him at the NYC Tubachristmas. We spent some great times together. Always the gentleman, funny and full of wit, many don't realize what a generous, giving and great person he was beyond the tuba world. I will miss him.

And for all that he's done for our instruments and the world of music, we will dedicate our Upcoming SCMEA event in his memory.

[Plugo]

Harvey was an and still an ICON. i only met him once. it was in 1992 when i auditioned for the School of music at IU. i spoke to him on several times on the phone before my trip. he was always very supportived and kind. he is propably the most influencial tuba player in our lifestyle. Bill Bell most be very proud of him.

i wish that i had an opportunity to study with him. but i am so grateful to have an opportunity to meet him in person.

[ppalan]

Rest in Peace Mr. Phillips. I had only the briefest encounter with Harvey Phillips. When I was an undergraduate at Temple University, he came to play the Vaughan Williams with our orchestra. In addition he gave a master class. I had the privilege of playing in the orchestra during that concert and attending the master class. He was an inspiring teacher and one of the most "down-to-earth" gentleman I've ever met. (In addition to being an amazing musician) Our world has been forever enriched by his presence and influence. What a TubaChristmas they'll be having in heaven this year!

[J.c. Sherman]

I had the chance to meet Mr. Phillips twice. Once, he applied for the Deanship of Oberlin Conservatory in around 1992/1993. The tubists couldn't have been more excited to meet him! He was funny, kind, incredibly intelligent, and very persuasive. He would've been awesome for the school!

In 2004, a special 30th anniversary Tuba Christmas was held at Cleveland's Severance Hall. It was a Black-tie performance, and I had the immense privilege of being part of the professional octet featured with the group (I still can't figure out how little old me made the cut ; ) Harvey came, and with the likes of Bishop, Marty Erickson, Jim Self, Ron Baron and countless others, we celebrated this mammoth ENERGY of a person. He didn't look particularly well, but he sang "Santa wants a Tuba for Christmas," and was as kind and smart as I had remembered, and the respect from his colleagues from around the nation was marked... and reciprocated!

We owe this man so much. Framed in my home is a photo of that special Tuba Christmas - sitting next to my teacher, with Harvey in front of me. I get giddy every time I look at it. I got to meet the legend. I'm just tickled I had that privilege.

May the hereafter rejoice in a great energy in its midst.

J.c.S. (time to listen to some Wilder…)

[bearphonium]

RIP, Harvey Phillips. Condolences to his family. Thank you for all you did for all us tuba players.

[ZNC Dandy]

I apologize if this has been posted already...but speaking of legends...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxkRbhUeDFM" target="_blank

[graybach]

I first met Dr. Phillips in 1988 at the Nashville Tubachristmas. He was very kind and patient with me (as I was a "green-behind-the-ears 11 year old). He signed my Tubachristmas Carol book and chatted for a few minutes with me and my dad, and made me feel like the most important person in the room. I cannot overstate what an icon he was to me as I had just that fall started playing the tuba. Later, in 2006, I had the pleasure of seeing him at the Tennessee Tech 40th anniversary celebration. He was the guest speaker at the banquet for the alumni. His standing ovation lasted several minutes. The respect every person in that room had for him was heartfelt and electric. We knew that we owed a big part of our playing the tuba to his tireless efforts on behalf of the instrument. Rest in peace, Dr. Phillips, and thank you for your efforts on our behalf. Knowing the history of ITEA tells us that without him, we would not be here today. Praying for the family...

[Tom Coffey]

A friend and I drove 100 miles from Cincinnati in 1975 (we were in high school) to hear Harvey play in Columbus. He played a tremendous recital on his Conn CC, which was small by today's standards. It included Effie and a bunch of other tuba mainstays. A lot of the audience members were in high school, and I remember Air and Bouree and some other contest pieces played with real style and musicality. After he played, Mr. Phillips stayed and talked to to everyone who wanted to meet him. What a tremendously classy man. Years later, I heard him tell about his wife driving the car while he practiced the tuba while riding in the back seat. That's dedication...

[Stephen Shoop]

There is a story about Harvey that currently appears on the Bloomington Herald Times (newspaper) website. The article includes some photos and a video clip of the Tuba Santas playing Jingle Bells. Harvey is playing sleigh bells. It will bring tears to your eyes, I promise.

http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/" target="_blank

[tuba-tobias]

I first "met" Mr. Phillips in the sixties when my father brought home two records with The Burke-Phillips All Star Concert Band. My father played tuba in a community band and the records should inspire junior that had just taken up tubaplaying. And was I inspired. I loved the swingin' and singin' tuba in the Carioca, the piccolo and tuba duet the Elephant and the Fly. But what impressed me most was Harvey's playing in pieces like William Tell, Scheherazade and the Roman Carnival overture. I noticed his accurate and clear rythms and the eveness in the tone quality throughout his entire range, far from what I had heard before. My father got me the tubaparts for some of these pieces and I worked to copy Harvey's playing.

Later I got to meet him in person and learned to know him as a great human being that always seemed to have time for everyone. Of course I told him that I had "studied" with him earlier and we got a good laugh.

Me personally and the entire tuba community owes Harvey Phillips a debt of gratitude!

[brianf]

I have been asked to post the following:
Here is information for Bloomington Indiana ceremonies for Harvey Phillips

Viewing
Tuesday, October 26 from 2:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Allen Funeral Home
4155 S Old State Road 37, Bloomington IN
Phone: (812) 336-4270

Memorial Service
Wednesday, October 27
Viewing 12:30 – 1:00
Service 1:00
First United Methodist Church
219 E 4th St, Bloomington

Burial
Clear Creek Cemetery
9604 S Bay Pointe Circle
Bloomington, IN 47401

[ken k]

from my first of many tuba xmas concerts, Washington DC, 1979




RIP, Mr. Phillips

ken k

[Alex C]

Besides being an artist of the highest caliber, Harvey Phillips confirmed that the greatest among us give more than they take. Mr. Phillips gave unrestrained encouragement to young tubists every time I saw him. He gave tubists music through his many commissions and by his inspiration to composers and arrangers over three or four decades. His tenure in the New York Brass Quintet set in stone, the instrumentation for the modern quintet. More than any other single person, he is responsible for the growth in university positions for tuba instructors in this country. He earned his props in every genre of performance and broke ground for the virtuosos that followed in his footsteps. And this only scratches the surface of what he did for our instrument and for us.

How did one man get so much done in only one lifetime?

[iiipopes]

Wow. I was not going to post, thinking I had nothing to add, but I must confess my ignorance. When I looked up a little more biography, I did not know he was born in Aurora, MO, just a few miles down US 60 Hwy west of where I live near Springfield, and went to undergrad for a year or two at Mizzou, where I did my grad work, before going on to greater things. Here's the link to the small town website:
http://www.aurora-cityhall.org/index.php" target="_blank
and the condensed bio:
http://www.musicianguide.com/biographie ... llips.html" target="_blank

[cle_tuba]

He rested a great tuba player! God rest his soul!

[kontrabass]

Three or four years ago I had the unbelievable good fortune to work part-time at the TubaRanch helping Harvey edit his autobiography for the entire second year of graduate studies at Indiana,. Unfortunately the project was never finished (as far as I know). But as you can imagine, spending so much time with Harvey was an incredible inspiration; I became a better person simply by osmosis. He was truly a one in a million human being.

I typed up a tribute and recollection of my experiences with Harvey but it clocked in over 2000 words, a bit long to post here. It's on my blog if anyone cares to read it (click the link in my signature).

[toobagrowl]

Never met or knew him personally but I knew he did a LOT for the whole tuba community. Like others have said, Harvey was and is up there with Arnold Jacobs, Bill Bell and Tommy Johnson as "fathers" of modern tuba playing and repertoire. R.I.P. Mr. Phillips

[Eric B]

Harvey Phillips and Philip Farkas were guest artists at the Phillips University Band Camp in Edin, OK in 1988. Dr. Phillips conducted a masterclass of the Oklahoma All-State Audition materials. There were about 20 tubists in the room. Each of us played a cut of one of the Tyrell etudes. I had been working on them all summer, so I was better prepared than the others. His encouraging words were pivotal in my decision to major in music. I was so mesmerized by this man. Following the masterclass, we joined the band rehearsal in progress. Our conductor, Trevor Ford, exclaimed, "Who left the door open? It's getting HOT in hear!" That brought me "out of the clouds". I was the guilty party. I did audition an IU, but opted to study closer to home at the University of Arkansas. Harvey Phillips will be missed, but his legacy and influence endures. I will always remember that vibrant tone of his tuba.

[brianf]

Unfortunately the project was never finished (as far as I know)

I was at the TubaRanch three weeks ago and Carol told me that Harvey's Autobiography is completed and has been sent to the publisher.