Posted by Jason Ladd on March 26, 2002 at 11:10:33:
In Reply to: about those "best ever" players posted by Dan M on March 25, 2002 at 23:48:31:
Sam Pilafian (b.1949) grew up in Miami, Florida and studied with Constance Weldon at the University of Miami. He was the first tuba player in fifty years to win the concerto competition at the Interlochen Summer Music Camp, where he studied with Rex Connor. He was discovered in the early 1970s by Leonard Bernstein, at the Tanglewood Institute. Bernstein used Pilafian along with Rolf Smedvig to perform the premiere of his Mass. This partnership between Pilafian and Smedvig led to the development of the Empire Brass (1972-94). The group played throughout the world in Pilafian’s twenty-one years with the ensemble. He taught at Boston University (1974-94) and then became the tuba professor at Arizona State University (1994-). In 1990, Pilafian started a jazz ensemble called Travelin’ Light. The group also features Frank Vignola on guitar. They have released three albums together. Pilafian is also featured on recordings of Eugene Anderson’s Tuba Concerto No. 1 and A Brassy Night at the Opera, which is a recording with brass soloists Thomas Bacon and David Hickman, accompanied by orchestra. His students include Velvet Brown (Bowling Green University), Kenneth Amis (Empire Brass), and Charles Villarubia (Rhythm and Brass).
Warren Deck (b.1954) is currently the tubist in the New York Philharmonic (1979-) and tuba teacher at the Julliard School (1988-). He attended the University of Michigan (1972-75) and studied tuba with Abe Torchinsky. Mr. Deck was a brass instrument repairman for Giardinelli’s, a music store in New York City after college. He won the Houston Symphony position (1977-79) and taught at Rice University (1977-79). His interest in brass repair has led him to designing tubas for Meinl-Weston. Many players use his designed instruments including Ed Diefes (Syracuse Symphony), Don Harry (Buffalo Philharmonic), Gary Ofenloch (Utah Symphony), and Matt Good (Dallas Symphony). Some of his students include Scott Mendoker (Rutgers University) and Michael Bunn (Kennedy Center Orchestra).
Chester Schmitz is the tubist in the Boston Symphony (1966-) and teaches tuba at the New England Conservatory and Boston University. He attended the University of Iowa (1963) and became a member of the United States Army Band (1963-66). During his tenure with the United States Army Band he was invited to become principal tubist of the Minneapolis Symphony but had to turn it down due to his obligations to the army. He became the first member of the Boston Pops Orchestra to appear as a soloist in a televised performance by playing Tubby the Tuba with Julia Child narrating and Arthur Fiedler conducting in 1970. A recording was made of this performance. For the hundredth-year anniversary of the Boston Pops John Williams composed a concerto for Schmitz. The piece was premiered on May 8, 1985 with the composer conducting. Schmitz has also designed mouthpieces for tuba with the help of David Monette.
David Kirk is currently the tubist in the Houston Symphony and The Shepard School of Music. He studied at Julliard with Don Harry.