New Hire: Fernando Deddos

Fernando Deddos has been named the Professor of Euphonium and Tuba at the Federal University of Rio Grande de Norte State in northeast Brazil. This marks the first time a euphonium specialist has obtained a full-time teaching position in Brazil. Deddos began teaching at the Federal University of Rio Grande in March. His duties in this position include teaching tuba and euphonium, coaching popular and classical music ensembles, and participating in research and performance groups. Deddos is a composer and euphonium musician from Brazil. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Conducting and Composition from Paraná State School of Music and Fine Arts (Brazil), a Master of Music degree in Performance from Duquesne University (Lance LaDuke), and a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Georgia (David Zerkel). He is the artistic director of the Southern Brazilian Tuba-Euphonium Conference and composed works that were premiered and recorded in Europe, the United States, Japan, and South America. Besides his several chamber and popular music projects as a euphoniumist and pianist, Deddos recorded the very first euphonium album in Brazil (ITEA Roger Bobo Award) and has earned two Harvey Phillips Awards (solo and chamber category).

New Hire: Tom McCaslin, Calgary Philharmonic

Mr. Tom McCaslin has accepted the position of Principal Tuba in the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. He is currently Associate Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at East Carolina University. As an orchestral musician he has performed with the Minnesota Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the North Carolina Symphony, the New Mexico Symphony, and the Lahti Symphony among others. In 2003 Tom became the first tubist to return three summers to the prestigious Tanglewood Music Center, the summer training center for the Boston Symphony, and in 2006 was acting principal Tuba in the Auckland Philharmonia (New Zealand). In 2013 Tom joined the Eastern Music Festival (EMF) as Principal Tubist and teaching faculty. Tom holds a Licentiate in Music Performance from McGill University and a Master’s degree in Music Performance at Arizona State University. Tom’s principal teachers include John Griffiths, Fritz Kaenzig, Roger Bobo, Dennis Miller, and Samuel Pilafian. Tom McCaslin is a Yamaha Performing Artist and plays exclusively on Yamaha instruments.

Dr. Neal Corwell Retires from the "Pershing's Own" U.S. Army Band

After over 22 years of military service, Dr. Neal Corwell recently retired from "Pershing's Own," The U.S. Army Band in Washington, D.C. He first won a position with the band in 1981 during his senior year as an undergraduate student at Frostburg State College. Then, after a more than 12-year break-in-service, Corwell again won a euphonium position with the organization in 2002. During the 1980s he was a frequent and popular soloist with the Concert Band, and during his second stint with the band he became section leader of the Ceremonial Band. Before the ink was dry on his retirement papers, Dr. Corwell hit the road to make appearances at universities in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Rhode Island. Now that retirement has freed up his time, he's looking forward to many more appearances, beloved euphonium in hand, across the country and around the globe. In fact, one his most recent composition projects is Come to the Edge, for which he premiered the band-accompanied version with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Symphonic Band in March. For more information about Corwell, please consult his website: NealCorwell.com

Upcoming Event: Dublin Brass Week

Dublin Brass Week offers an intensive yet varied schedule of events in which players can perform and learn in multiple settings. These range from traditional masterclasses, individual lessons, concerts, and ensembles to more specialized classes such as audition training, lectures, screened orchestral audition, jazz, and improvisation classes. Additionally, the annual Dublin Brass Week Concerto Competition is held during the festival, offering the winner a solo performance in the DBW Closing Concert and an engagement as soloist with an Irish orchestra in the coming seasons. 

Each year, Dublin Brass Week invites a faculty of leading soloists and internationally renowned teachers to teach, play, and share their knowledge at DBW.  Dublin Brass Week's unique atmosphere provides a positive and encouraging setting for musicians from around the globe to meet, collaborate, and share their passion for brass music. 

Øystein Baadsvik is the tuba faculty member. There are only 4 places in total available on the course this year.

All tuba players will receive the following tuition during the week -

Tuba

• 3 x Masterclasses with Øystein Baadsvik  
• 1 x Masterclass with Peter Gane
• 1 x Screened Audition Class with Jörgen van Rijen
• 2 x Lectures with Kristian Steenstrup
• Ensembles, also performing in concert
• DBW 2016  Concerto Competition
• Tickets to all Faculty Concerts

The course fee for applications received before 1 May is €375 and a course fee of €425 will be payable until the final application deadline on 1 June.

Full information at www.dublinbrassweek.com/dbw-2016 

Also note that hosting with local families in Dublin is offered on a first come first served basis for the duration of the festival for an additional admin fee of €50.

2016 ITEA Inaugural Teaching Award Winner!

The ITEA Board of Directors is pleased to announce that the winner of the inaugural ITEA Teaching Award is David Zerkel, Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at the University of Georgia Hugh Hodgson School of Music.

Prof. Zerkel was one of several members of ITEA nominated for this new award, with supporting letters solicited from current and former students and professional colleagues.   He will be formally recognized in June at the Awards Banquet at ITEC 2016 in Knoxville, Tennessee.

New Hire: Christopher Leslie, West Point Band

Christopher Leslie has won a euphonium position with the West Point Band. He will ship out for basic training in July and start playing with the band in early October. His duties will include performing with the concert and marching bands, the tuba quartet, and other chamber ensembles. Leslie received a Bachelor of Music Education with Distinction from St. Olaf College and a Master of Music in Euphonium Performance from Indiana University. He will finish his D.M.A. at the University of Georgia in the spring of 2016. He has been a featured soloist with the U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own,” the University of Georgia Wind Ensemble, the Indiana University Wind Ensemble, the St. Olaf Orchestra, and the St. Olaf Band and has appeared on Minnesota Public Radio. Leslie has garnered success in regional and national competitions, taking first place in the Leonard Falcone International Euphonium Competition, the ITEC Solo and Mock Band Competitions, and the U.S. Army Band National Collegiate Solo Competition. In addition, he has been a runner-up in the MTNA Brass Solo Competition. He attributes his successes to the guidance and support of his teachers David Zerkel, Daniel Perantoni, David Werden, and Hiram Diaz, and to his father, Ken.

New Hire: Gail Robertson

Dr. Gail Robertson has recently accepted the position of Assistant Professor of Tuba/Euphonium and Jazz at the University of Central Arkansas. She is currently serving in this role as a Visiting Assistant Professor. Her duties - now and in the future - include teaching graduate and undergraduate applied lessons, leading Jazz Ensemble II, teaching the Graduate Pedagogy and Repertoire courses, conducting the UCA Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble, and performing as the tubist with Pinnacle Brass, UCA's faculty brass quintet. Dr. Robertson earned degrees from the University of Central Florida, Indiana University, and most recently Michigan State University, where she completed her D.M.A. as a University Distinguished Fellow. Her research at Michigan State led to the Clifford Bevan Award for Excellence in Research, which she was awarded in 2014. Prior to her doctoral studies, Dr. Robertson performed for 10 years with the “Tubafours” at Walt Disney World. Her other performance activities include the SYMBIOSISDUO with Dr. Stacy Baker, an ensemble which has recorded two CDs. In addition, she has toured the U.S., China, and Japan with Keith Brion’s “New Sousa Band," is a member of the Brass Band of Battle Creek, and has recently performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Robertson is a Willson Euphonium Artist and uses a bronze Warburton/Gail Robertson mouthpiece.