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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Tubas flock to CdA resort for big bash

Sam Taylor Staff writer

Who needs flutes, percussion or trumpets? Not these big brass players.

More than 70 tuba and euphonium players will give a free concert at noon Sunday on the Coeur d’Alene Resort front lawn as part of the Harvey Phillips Northwest Big Brass Bash – playing everything from Mozart to John Philip Sousa marches and other popular pieces.

The 20th edition of the Brass Bash will feature some big names in tuba circles, including Patrick Sheridan, a musician who has played NBA half-time shows, the Hollywood Bowl and even the White House, said Sam Blumenthal the director of the event.

Blumenthal said the concert event was started in 1987 in Spokane by John Baker, a now-deceased musician who played trombone for the Spokane Symphony. After the first several years of what was then known as “Octuba’s Tubafest” – after the eight-person Octuba group that Baker had created – people began to get “frazzled and burned out,” Blumenthal said. So when he took over some responsibilities for the concert, he decided to move it around.

The inspiration for such an event came from another famous tuba player, Blumenthal said.

“I’m going to make a joke here,” he said, “but it’s all Harvey Phillips’ fault.”

Phillips, a retired professor at Indiana University, began Tuba Christmas 30 years ago, using all-tuba arrangements by composer Alec Wilder.

“He had the whole idea to get the tuba out of the back of the band or orchestra and out front where it belongs,” Blumenthal said.

John Baker started the Northwest event after playing with Phillips at a Sandpoint concert, Blumenthal added.

Since then, tuba groups have sprung up all over. Even young musicians at the University of Idaho have such an event, known as “Tubaween,” which coincides with Halloween each year.

Blumenthal said performers from all over the Northwest will attend Sunday’s event, and others have invited friends from as far away as Nevada and Georgia.

He said it’s a good time to show an audience that tubas are more than just the rhythm section of a polka band.

“People think tuba players are the kind of people who drink beer and eat Wiener schnitzel,” Blumenthal said. “We’re proud that we bring this concert to local communities. Then we go out and drink beer and eat Wiener schnitzel.”