Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra by Ron Newman

Philip Sinder, professor of tuba and euphonium at the Michigan State University College of Music, recently presented two performances of the exciting Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra, written by Ron Newman. The premiere performance was held on January 27, 2012, on the MSU campus, with the Michigan State University Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Leon Gregorian. Sinder had an additional opportunity to perform the work on September 30, 2012, in Big Rapids, Michigan, with the Grand Rapids Symphony and conductor John Varineau, as a part of the annual TubaBach festival.

L-R, Leon Gregorian, Ron Newman, Jere Hutcheson, and Philip Sinder

Composer Ron Newman, a member of the faculty at Michigan State University, has written several works featuring the tuba. His compositional approach merges elements of classical and jazz styles in a fresh and unique manner. The tuba concerto is a seventeen-minute work in three distinct movements, with the following titles: 1) "Interactions, with resulting reactions," 2) "Clarity, with a touch of nostalgia," and 3) "Maynard Ferguson played the valve trombone." Set against a liberal dose of percussion effects and grooves, the tubist navigates challenging solo lines and intricate ensemble color voicings throughout the orchestral palette.

The tuba concerto of Ron Newman was written in part to recognize two longtime colleagues at Michigan State University. It is dedicated to composer Jere Hutcheson and celebrates the legacy of conductor Leon Gregorian.