unless you're clinically blind, you've noticed that there isn't an overabundance of low brass material. why is this? Jessica's Postulate: the people in charge of writing nifty music are all communist freaks. this seems the most logical explanation to me. there are two ways to deal with this: 1.) write your own friggin music. 2.) be creative with the music already out there--- it's not so bad if you know what to look for.

solo work. i am sorry if the information i am providing seems a little biased in favor of tuba; that's because it is. but keep in mind, anything in bass clef can easily be trasnposed between the instruments. if you are a hideous tc euph, you can still find transcriptions if you dig a little. though it couldn't hurn you to become fluent in bass clef.

the most played tuba solo is by bach, air and bouree. this is not only technically and embouchuically (new word!) challenging, the air movement is so pretty that you'll feel ashamed if you play it with anythng less than the best of tone qualities.

another solo i happen to like, also quite popular, is handel's honor and arms. i tried out for governor's school with it. though not exceptionally hard in any way, it is still a pretty piece and requires some effort to make it sound the way it needs to. this is good for people only semi-advanced, and also for those who, though they CAN play a harder piece, want something comfortable to work on.

i must admit that i am not the best of sources for music literature. so far in my young career i have only once been called upon to produce my own solo to play; normally the auditions i go to already have a piece picked out for me to play. the best source is your friendly neighborhood low brass professor. if you don't know one of those, go to a music dealer for help.

technique work: to just improve yourself in your practice sessions, look for a good technique book. (go here for more info.) a standard is rubank, though more difficult literature is also recommended for more advanced players, ie Tyrell.

small ensemble: working in a small ensemble is really really helpful to anyone. it improves your musical ear and really forces you to listen and demand perfection. however, as a tuba/euph/trombone in the group, don't let those dang trumpets choose music they like. show some authority. remember, the classic quintet needs only one tuba/euph/trombone, but it has to have two trumpets to even begin to match your sound.

pachelbel's canon is a good piece to work with if you are clueless as to what to play with your ensemble. this piece is WAY overplayed but that means that it is available at least. the tuba part is easy, but noticeable and vital. it's good for establishing yourself as more than a several-thousand-dollar metronome. the euph/trombone part is actually kind of neato; if played correctly, your fellow ensemble members will wonder what they ever did without you.

if you want a harder piece of small ensemble music, find an arrangement of glier's russian sailor's dance. and you thought you'd seen hard music. heh heh.

band/orchestra music. this is the hardest caption to write about. the truly unselfish low brassist will be content if the entire musical piece is good, regardless of the dull part that he or she may have. however i am a very selfish person and so i sometimes like to play a piece of music because of its rocking bass line, who cares if has no other musical merit whatsoever. a piece that satisfies both parties (ie me vs. them) is holst's 2nd suite in F for military band. it has that famous opening tuba part, and the euph solo is super important. but i love holst in general, so i also offer his 1st suite; the chaconne movement will make everyone fall in love with the low brass.
or, for you orchestra-lovers, do ravel's arrangement of mussorsky's "pictures on an exhibition." if your orchestral director won't do the whole thing, do at least "great gate of kiev.".. and, if you want yet another orchestral piece, i love respighi's "pines of rome"

let's face it, normally you have to suffer thogh those terrible low brass parts, but try to convince your director to pull out a piece of music that shows off your skill. it's no fair that the trumpets get a fanfare in every piece while you struggle to stay awake with tied whole notes.

band nerds tuba page