The Derby City Tuba Quartet came into existence in May 1999. It is the fruition of a dream held by the members. To provide quality chamber music, while also entertaining and educating the public to the possibilities of tubas and euphoniums.
The DCTQ has performed in such locations as: Warder Park, the University of Louisville, Bellarmine College, Jeffersonville Indiana, and many other local venues.
The Derby City Tuba Quartet is comprised of two tubas, Quentin Sharpenstein ( BME,69; MM,95) and Robert Coulter, and two euphoniums, Robert Smothers (BME, '96) and David Centers (BME, '96). The DCTQ was formed in May of 1999 with the one of its driving forces to promote the art of the tuba-euphonium quartet in the Louisville Metro area.
The DCTQ has its roots in the Commonwealth Brass Band (CBB), a local British style brass bandunder the direction of J. Jerome Amend and Associate conductor John Jones (both brass faculty members at the U of L School of Music). The group made its debut at the CBB annual concert at Warder Park in Jeffersonville, Indiana during the summer of 1999 and has built a loyal following since. The DCTQ was also well received at another CBB concert at Bellarmine College, when the brass bands music folders where lost and the Quartet "saved the day" by performing an impromptu concert until the music folders were found.
On April 14 2000, the quartet performed the Ramsoe Brass Quartet arranged by Gary Buttery in competition with other brass ensembles before a live audience. The adjudicator was Ltc. David H. Deitrich, commander of the United States Military Academy Band at West Point, NY. The quartet nearly missed the competition when their music was lost in the mail. However, the officials decided to allow the late score delivery and let the group compete. The following day, at the closing ceremonies of NABBA 2000, the DCTQ was named the winner of the small ensemble competition and received a small monetary award. The weekly rehearsals had paid off with the group’s first national award.
On April 13, 2001, the DCTQ traveled to Washington D.C. to compete again in the NABBA festival. They performed movements 1&2 of Three Milongas by Enrique Crespo. Our judge was world renown tuba soloist Pat Sheridan. While the group felt we preformed extremely well, Mr Sheridan prefered the programs of other groups more.
April 12, 2002. Sharonville, OH. The DCTQ hits the road again to play in the NABBA festival. We took the surprising move of performing movements 2&3 of Three Milongas by Enrique Crespo. The same work we performed at the last NABBA competition. Our judge was world renown composer/conductor Jim Curnow. We are pleased to say after much hard work, the DCTQ was awarded first place with a score of 96/100.
If you want to add your comments, send e-mail to:
roberticoulter@hotmail.com
Thanks for coming by.
Last update: 4/14/2002
(C)Robert Coulter 2002