New Hire: Jimmy Hendricks, Georgia Southern University

Jimmy Hendricks is the new Adjunct Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at the Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music at Georgia Southern University. He will begin serving in this role in Fall 2021, and he will be teaching tuba and euphonium lessons as well as a studio class. Jimmy earned a B.M. in Tuba Performance from the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University and an M.M. in Performance at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. In addition, Jimmy has participated in multiple recording sessions, and made it to the finals of the 2016 ITEC Band Excerpt Competition and the semi-finals of the Tuba Quartet Competition. Now, in addition to his new role at Georgia Southern, he teaches privately and is principal tuba with the Savannah Philharmonic.

New Hire: Clay Garrett, Texas Christian University

Clay Garrett has recently been hired as Adjunct Faculty in Tuba and Euphonium at Texas Christian University. He will begin serving in this role in Fall 2021, and he will be teaching applied tuba and euphonium lessons, performing with the faculty brass quintet, directing the tuba and euphonium ensemble, and teaching low brass methods. Clay is an active freelance performer and educator throughout Texas and serves as Principal Tuba of the Victoria Symphony Orchestra (TX). Clay has been a prizewinner, finalist, or semi-finalist at the International Markneukirchen competition, the Lieksa Brass Week competition, the Leonard Falcone-Artist Division competition, and the Concert Artists Guild competition.

New Hire: David Humphreys, Western Kentucky University

David Humphreys is the new Assistant Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at Western Kentucky University. He will begin this role in August 2021, and his duties will include teaching private tuba and euphonium lessons to all graduate and undergraduate tuba and euphonium majors and minors, conducting the WKU Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble, coaching brass chamber music, and performing with the WKU faculty brass quintet. David previously held positions at Texas Wesleyan University and Texas Woman’s University. His degrees are from the University of Oklahoma (B.M.E. and M.M. euphonium), Oklahoma City University (M.M. tuba), and the University of North Texas (D.M.A. tuba, currently A.B.D.). As a performer, David has won multiple regional competitions on both tuba and euphonium, and has performed with the Dallas Brass Band, Frontier Brass Band, Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, Tulsa Symphony, and the Oklahoma City Philharmonic.

New Hire: Austin Crumrine, Southeastern Oklahoma State University

Austin Crumrine is the new Adjunct Instructor of Tuba at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. He will begin serving in this role this fall. His duties will include teaching lessons to tuba majors and non-music majors and directing tuba studio class. Austin is a tubist and bassist currently based in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. He holds a B.M. in Tuba Performance from the University of North Texas, an M.M. from Baylor University, and a D.M.A. from The Ohio State University. Austin maintains a large private lesson studio composed of students from some of the best band programs across the DFW metroplex. He enjoys performing in a wide variety of groups and styles, and frequents universities across the country as a guest artist, teaching masterclasses and performing recitals.

New Hire: Gergely Lukács, Hungarian State Opera House

Gergely Lukács is the new Solo Tubist with the Hungarian State Opera House. He will begin playing with the ensemble in August. His duties are to perform in the operas on whatever instrument is needed, including bass tuba, contrabass tuba, cimbasso, and ophicleide. Gergely was mentored by László Szabó and Roland Szentpáli and earned his MA degree as a tuba player at the Franz Liszt Music Academy, Budapest. He is a prizewinner in several international competitions, including in the United States, New Zealand, South Korea, Croatia, Czech Republic, Romania, Germany, and France. His first solo album, Fifty Shades of Tuba, was released in 2019.

New Hire: Pablo Fernández, Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus and Superior School of Music Forum Musikae in Madrid

Pablo Fernández has recently been hired as the tuba instructor at both the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus, Denmark and the Superior School of Music Forum Musikae in Madrid. He will begin serving in these roles this fall. Pablo is a very active educator and tuba soloist based in Denmark. He works frequently as a visiting professor, giving master classes and recitals throughout Europe. Pablo is the Principal Tuba (currently on leave of absence) of the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra since 1994; Professor of Tuba, Euphonium, Orchestral Repertoire, and Chamber Music at the Superior School of Music of Catalonia (Barcelona, Spain) since 2001; and founding member of the Spanish Tuba Quartet. Pablo is also the President of the Spanish Tuba and Euphonium Association (AETYB) and a Miraphone performing artist.

New Hire: Keith Packman, Texas Woman's University

Keith Packman is the new Adjunct Instructor of Music at Texas Woman's University. He will begin serving in this role during the Fall 2021 semester. His duties will include teaching applied tuba and euphonium lessons in addition to brass pedagogy. In addition to teaching privately throughout Texas for the past ten years, Keith is also a highly active freelance musician and educator in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. He has recently released an album with the Dallas-based professional wind band, the Lone Star Wind Orchestra, and will also be releasing the debut album for a new tuba-euphonium group, Isomer Quartet, later in 2021. Keith has previously been a prize-winner at multiple prestigious competitions, including those hosted by the International Tuba Euphonium Association and the Leonard Falcone International Euphonium and Tuba Festival.