Meeting of the tubas

[TinyTubist97]

I was wondering if there was one huge tuba or brass get together every year. I know that there are many different ones every year but is there that one everyone goes to? When I was in the R/C car hobby there was one event called RCX that all the manufacturers went to and released new products and you can go and try stuff out and there were like 2000 people. Is there that one that everyone goes to? I would really like to be able to go to a place were all the big manufacturers meet and get to try out a BUNCH of different horns and equipment. It'd also be able to be cool to find a bunch of people who share the same passion as me and be able to talk with them and get a bunch of advice. I know you can do it on TubeNet but it's just different in person. Any input would be appreciated!

[Alex C]

If you want to try out a "bunch of horns" it may depend on your location. Foremost in my mind is the Mid-West Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago (Dec.) and the Texas Music Educator's Conference in San Antonio (Feb?). Two manufacturers have told me that they consider TMEC to be a more important show.

Two other good conventions have been mentioned but it depends on your location. If you live in Maine you are probably not going to go to San Antonio. I'm sure you'll get other good suggestions.

Makes me long for the good old days when Roger was at Brasswind...

[TubaRay]

If you want to try out a "bunch of horns" it may depend on your location. Foremost in my mind is the Mid-West Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago (Dec.) and the Texas Music Educator's Conference in San Antonio (Feb?). Two manufacturers have told me that they consider TMEC to be a more important show.

That would be "Texas Music Educators Assoc." and "TMEA." And, it is, indeed, in Feb., in San Antonio.

[Casey Tucker]

TMEA is great as is TBA (Texas Bandmasters Assoc.) and Midwest. Lets also not forget the ITEC regionals and international conferences. The next international is in Linz (sp?), Austria. While it's a little far I'm starting to consider saving my money to go.

-CT

[Rick Denney]

Depending on where it is, the ITEA's International Tuba Euphonium Conference will be pretty big, with representation from all the manufacturers. Lots of college professors, which means lots of students (or advisers of students), and therefore lots of potential buyers. Rarely are these held where I can attend, and they move from year to year. The last one of these I attended was 25 years ago so I'm sure my impressions are outdated. It was a convenient location for a lot of people (Austin, TX) and quite a large conference at that time. The exhibits were about as big as the Army Conference is now.

The U.S. Army Band Tuba Euphonium Conference is held every January at Fort Myer, adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, DC. It is well attended by professors and students, too, in addition to military musicians from all over the place. Many of the tuba and euphonium players from the ceremonial bands of a number of embassies will attend, and the Armed Forces Tuba Euphonium Ensemble, which is gathered at this event every year, will usually display quite a variety of uniforms. It is less academic than ITEC and more congenial given that many of the same people attend year after year. The exhibits are excellent, with many used instruments to buy in addition to convention-circuit demonstrators to look at.

TMEA and other music-educator conferences is aimed at high-school kids and their band directors. The instruments on display tend to be student-grade instruments, though the exhibitors will usually bring one or two of their most interesting projects. The exhibits tend to be manufacturers, with no so many instruments being provided by stores for sale on the floor. The main advantage of TMEA if you are hoping to buy is that it is the last show of the season and often the exhibitors will sell their demonstrators if they have not already been promised. I bought my Yamaha 621 F tuba that way.

Rick "who attends the Army conference every year" Denney

[Tom]

An ITEC conference or the Army Band conference will be loaded up with the most tuba specific equipment. Expect to see Dillon Music, Baltimore Brass, MW/B&S and variety of higher end used horns along with any other lines that the stores represent. Most of the accessory dealers manage to get there, too.

That said, if you can get to TMEA in San Antonio in Feb. to see the exhibits, I doubt you'll be disappointed. Yes it's crowded full of high school kids and band directors, and yes the exhibit halls are loud, but there is much too see and do both at the convention and in San Antonio.

It has been quite a few years since I've been there, but I remember playing Wilson, Gronitz, Hirsbrunner, B&S, Meinl Weston, Yamaha, Conn, Miraphone, and King. Custom Music (pre-ownership change) and the Tuba Exchange were there in force, while other makes were represented by the corporate office. I tried everything from Yorkbrunners to PT-6s to prototype Miraphones (pre-1291 days). I don't know if that kind of stuff still gets brought out to TMEA, but I would suspect it does.

EDIT: I also got to try out a few really good Kalisons from the Tuba Exchange back in the day at TMEA. Good stuff.

There are not as many tuba specific accessory dealers at TMEA as there are at tuba specific events, but it's not bad. There is also quite a bit on display from the sheet music dealers.

[TubaRay]

That said, if you can get to TMEA in San Antonio in Feb. to see the exhibits, I doubt you'll be disappointed. Yes it's crowded full of high school kids and band directors, and yes the exhibit halls are loud, but there is much too see and do both at the convention and in San Antonio.

Both TMEA(Tx. Mus. Educ. Assoc.) & TBA(Tx. Bandmasters Assoc.) are worth your time. The number of music-related booths is staggering. But remember it is not tuba-specific. In fact, tubas are, for the most part, a small part of the overall picture.

If you're lucky while in San Antonio, you might even get to see TubaRay, who pre-registered for the upcoming TBA convention a full hour & 14 min. before the pre-registration deadline.