Solo Tuba

Unaccompanied

I. Allemande

II. Sarabande

III. Gigue

Tuba solo, 6 Tubas, Piano, Bass and Drum Set

“Testimony” is part of a suite called Witness and Testimony, inspired by the tradition of the black church where interaction with the congregation is encouraged both as Witness and as Testimony.”

• Howard Johnson

Testimony was written in 1991 by Howard Johnson for Gravity. Witness and testimony was first conceived for big band by Johnson and later adapted for Gravity. He often uses this piece for teaching musical concepts at high school and college educational residencies.

Howard Johnson’s jazz tuba ensemble is envisioned as a tuba choir- with tubas in F, E flat, CC, and BB flat- that encourages tuba players to learn to play in the upper register. His charts were originally written for his tuba jazz ensemble, Gravity, formed in 1968 with Howard Johnson as solo lead tuba. The charts can in fact be performed with euphoniums; but he formed his group, made his arrangements and developed this specific instrumentation 50 years ago as a statement about tubas and prefers to hear his arrangements played in this configuration, encouraging tuba players to develop the range required. His most important advice is that whatever instrumentation is used, make it fun and find the best jazz rhythm section!

Tuba Etudes

Can also be used as short recital pieces.

Unaccompanied; tuba part comes with C, B-flat and E-flat parts

Part of the VTEC 2021 solo competition:

Tuba - 15 and under: Medieval Songs mvts. I & II (La Contessa de Dia & Hildegard von Bingen arr. Joanna Ross Hersey) 

I. A CHANTAR - La Comtessa de Dia 

II. A QUAM MIRABILIS - Hildegard von Bingen 

III. O VIRGO AC DIADEMA - Hildegard von Bingen

With piano

This three movement work is a serious challenge for any college or professional performer

From Lawrence Wolfe: I recently was given a wonderful piece of 'composer' advice: 'write what you want to hear.'

I refined that advice slightly to: 'write what you want to hear Mike Roylance play.' Mike does it all, from providing a foundation for the brass section, to incredible pyrotechnics to turning a phrase with beauty and grace. I used a variety of pitch organizing techniques, but they were all a means to create something that would pay tribute to a great musician. I composed the piece starting with the third movement, so as I worked on the first and second movements I knew where I was headed and took the liberty of providing 'hints' of what was to come.

The piece was premiered in Lenox, MA the summer of 2016.

Three Sheets to the Wind for two tubas and drums was commissioned by Portuguese Tuba Virtuoso Sergio Carolino. It is in three short movements each having a “groove” rhythmic basis provided by the drummer. Like much of my music, I like odd meters or the feeling of odd meters. I find them fun to play and to hear. Movement one Three Left Feet, with a tempo marking of Disturbed Rock, has alternating measures of 4/4 and 7/8 giving the feeling of stumbling. Tripin’ is a laid-back New Orleans style bluesy bass line with solo tuba lines over a slow march drum beat. Tuba 1 has an optional improvised jazz solo. Three Fall is a fast and furious movement with many range and technical demands. The four scale notes in the crotales were inspired by the sound my computer makes when sending email.

(The drum parts throughout do not have to be played literally—a good drummer will create a good “feel” with each movement)

Jim Self is a Los Angeles free-lance musician, a veteran of thousands of motion pictures, television shows and records, and tuba soloist on many prominent movies. He is Principal Tubist with the Pasadena and Pacific Symphonies, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and the Los Angeles Opera and Opera Pacific orchestras. His compositions and arrangements include works for solo tuba, brass quintet, and other brass and woodwind chamber music.

More about Jim and his recordings can be found here:

Basset Hound Music – http://www.bassethoundmusic.com 

for unaccompanied Tuba

Will There Be a Time is a work for solo tuba that makes a statement against war. In the opening section, March and Battle, the tuba simulates the low rumble of the approaching tanks and gunshots of the fighting. The frantic cries of those trying to escape are mixed with the sounds of the battle in Fleeing Refugees while the hopelessness of the Aftermath asks the question, Will There Be a Time?

This work was inspired by a news report I heard when a woman, driven from her home by war, was briefly interviewed. She and her neighbour had been friends, having coffee together while they talked about their children, and now, she and her neighbour were forced to be enemies against their will by the warring factions and she couldn't understand why this had to be.