Walter Sear Honored-Go Ray N! King 2341


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Posted by Rob Perelli-Minetti on April 02, 2001 at 07:45:46:

I was at the tribute yesterday, Ray did a lovely job of MC'ing the presentation to Walter and reading tributes from such tuba luminaries as Harvey Phillips.

The SUNY Purchase brass quintet played Walter Sears' Quintet #2 -- a very nice job for an interesting work I'd not heard before. Don Butterfield's comment was he couldn't wait to get a copy for his own quintet.

The featured performers for the tribute to Walter were the Graham Ashton Brass Ensemble -- Marcus Rojas is the tuba player. They played magnificently! The ensmble premiered two works: one by Jim Pugh and another by Anthony Newman, called "From the Major Arcana"

Marcus and Steve Johns (his first? teacher) played one of Walter Sears' tuba duets.

Howard Johnson actually presented the plaque to Walter, but not before he'd brought out his Mahillon and did a demonstration of why he thought it was the perfect horn for him. Howard gave Walter tremendous credit for helping him and had very kind words for Walter.

I didn't know Walter personally before yesteday, but had a wonderful conversation with him and Art Hovey in front of the UMI/Dillon display after Art and I had played the new King 2341. Art liked the horn very much (but wanted a longer fourth valve slide). I have an "old model (now) 2341, and was quite impressed. The response is quicker, the bottom is not stuffy and the horn sits better. The intonation (always a strength on the Kings) remains good and the tone is a little richer. I asked Steve Dillon about a 5th valve, and he said there was some serious talk about using the same system on it as on the Conn 52/56J, putting the fifth valve in as an option after the main tuning slide. I want one.


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