Yes, there are some very good sousaphone players in some of the Banda groups.

bloke wrote: Sun Aug 09, 2026 5:31 pm I was tickled to see a BS&T tune added to the rep. Lots of people play Chicago tunes, but fewer bands cover BS&T tunes.

Go Down Gamblin'

bloke wrote: Fri Aug 07, 2026 11:50 am

Mark wrote: Fri Aug 07, 2026 11:38 amA Mighty Fortress

I could imagine it being done. People are really accustomed to those femate...and (to keep it recognizable) the fermate would probably need to be addressed - somehow - in duple meter.

Maybe in a stop-time blues style...

A Mighty Fortress

I think Lee Stofer used to sell these mutes. I don't know if he still does.

Rather than comparing oneself to the locals, patting oneself on the back for being selected at the college's concerto competition, or even beginning to view oneself as exceeding the playing prowess of their regular studio teacher, serious audition candidates should be emulating and attempting to ...

Mark wrote: Mon Jul 06, 2026 4:54 pmStar-Spangled Spectacular on July 2nd. I'm in there on stage left next to the string bass.

My wife took this photo.

Star-Spangled Spectacular on July 2nd. I'm in there on stage left next to the string bass.

bloke wrote: Fri Jun 19, 2026 9:28 pm I have finally played through all 120 of the Rochut/Bordogni vocalises. (I had skipped past some of them, and have now gone back and played all of them).

Last weekend I decided to play through all of the Bai Lin Lip Flexibilities. Yes, I did finally recover.

tclements wrote: Sun Jun 14, 2026 11:51 am At the first TUBA bash at Indiana in 1973, I remember he and Bob Tucci and Dan Perantoni playing "Ludus,"

Several years ago I heard Gene Pokorny, Chris Olka and Keating Johnson play Ludus. I was about five rows back from the stage and the floor shook. Wow.

Today, inspired by this thread, I took my Miraphone 191 into a closet just big enough to hold me and the tuba. I played pedal Bb and worked my way down to pedal Eb. No problem playing those notes in a small space.

Bai Lin - Lip Flexibility Studies

Mark wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2026 1:47 pm I take walks with my dogs near a golf course ...

BTW, the golf course is on one side of the path and this is on the other. Photo was taken yesterday.

bloke wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2026 7:43 am plastic bags filled with helium strapped to them

I take walks with my dogs near a golf course and I see players with remote controlled golf bags that follow them around the course.

What about a playing stand with a robot base?

I played with Richard Frazier in a group here in Chicago back in the 1980’s. If I recall he left the area to join the Oregon Symphony? What is he up to these days? Good guy.


I haven't seen Richard in forty years. Here is a recent interview Mike Grose did with him: https://www.youtube.com/watch ...

Hey Mike,


Mark--Interesting to know you bought your Mirafone from Bill also.


And I took lessons from Richard Frazier.


I bought my 186 BBb in 1966 (with some assistance). Then, the tuba was $650.00, and the hard case was $90 .


I just bought a new Miraphone case from Thomann to replace one ...

Rick Denney wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2026 1:44 am What high school did you attend?

Spring Woods High School in Spring Branch.

Here you go:

Miraphone.jpg

I bought this new, with a gig bag, from Bill Rose. I think this was the year after I was in the Texas All-State Band with Rose's son, also a tuba player. I sold it a few years later.

The serial number is on the receipt. If any one has this horn, I'd like to know about ...

You can also get shank adapters.

Google "planning music for your wedding". There is a lot of advice out there for planning wedding music and as a musician you should understand the subject from the perspective of the happy couple. There is a lot of spots in weddings where there is a specific kind of music that may be required (e.g ...