Are there any American tubists in German orchestras?

[tubanews]

I know in the 70s this was a (smallish) thing.

Are there any Americans currently playing in German orchestras? Just curious.

[tubanh84]

David Glidden just retired from the Hr Symphony (Frankfurt).

They have a ton of videos on YouTube. He mostly plays a Rudy Bb 5/4 and sounds incredible.

[Jim Williams]

Tom Walsh played in the Munich Phil until his untimely passing around 2017 or so.
He also played in a brass group called "Blechschaden" from the orchestra--the name is
kind of a pun in german Blech=brass, Schaden=damage, and "Blechschaden" is like what
we call "property damage" in car insurance.

[Doc]

David Glidden just retired from the Hr Symphony (Frankfurt).

They have a ton of videos on YouTube. He mostly plays a Rudy Bb 5/4 and sounds incredible.

That is SUPERB playing. The entire orchestra is great, but he plays the lacquer off of that Rudy.
The Bruckner 7 with Eschenbach is off the hook.

[tubanh84]

David Glidden just retired from the Hr Symphony (Frankfurt).

They have a ton of videos on YouTube. He mostly plays a Rudy Bb 5/4 and sounds incredible.

That is SUPERB playing. The entire orchestra is great, but he plays the lacquer off of that Rudy.
The Bruckner 7 with Eschenbach is off the hook.

They have a Mahler 6 recording up, so you get to hear him solo on the Rudy. The clarity he achieves on that big horn is really impressive.

[Doc]

David Glidden just retired from the Hr Symphony (Frankfurt).

They have a ton of videos on YouTube. He mostly plays a Rudy Bb 5/4 and sounds incredible.

That is SUPERB playing. The entire orchestra is great, but he plays the lacquer off of that Rudy.
The Bruckner 7 with Eschenbach is off the hook.

They have a Mahler 6 recording up, so you get to hear him solo on the Rudy. The clarity he achieves on that big horn is really impressive.

Thanks. I check it out later today! I've only gotten through a few of their recordings so far, and they are all great so far.

[Robert Tucci]

Going back to the early Sixties there were and still are U.S. American and Canadian tubas here in Central Europe.

To my knowledge, Cherry Beauregard and your truly were the first. Cherry was a member of the Bavarian State Orchestra (Bavarian State Opera) in 1963-64. At the same time, 1962-66, I was a member of the Vienna State Opera Orchestra (Vienna Philharmonic).

Roger Bobo was a member of the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam for a while, followed by Don Blakeslee of Philadelphia
Mel Culbertson was an early bird here, first with the Residence Orchestra in Den Haag, later with the Paris Radio-Symphony Orchestra before relocating to a teaching position. Ronald Pisarkiewich knocked on my door in Vienna in 1970: I refered him to the conductor of the Bergen, Norway orchestra. He worked a short time there, then migrated through orchestras in Frankfurt and Hamburg before settling down in Vienna.

Tom Walsh came to Munich in 1978, I have a photo of him with his airline ticket still in his shirt pocket. Tom, a fine gentleman, a great tubist and a good family man, played for a short time in Darmstadt, then became tubist of the Munich Philharmonic. He passed away in 2016, having suffered from diabetes.

Frank Fiol moved from Solo Euphonium of the U.S. Navy Band to tuba, became tubist of the Staatsorchester in Kassel followed by one year at the MuPhil before joining the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra in Amsterdam.
Richard Nahatzky also knocked on the door, in Munich. He followed Frank Fiol in Kassel, later went to the Saarland Radio Symphony Orchestra, then to the RSO in Berlin.

David LeClair also came to Munich, worked at the second opera house here (Staatstheater am Gaertnerplatz) on tuba, double bass, electric bass and bass trombone before becoming a member of the Basel Opera House Orchestra and teacher at the music conservatory there, for 34 years until his retirement earlier this year. Add George Monch to the list, also arrived in Munich, later a member of the Basel Symphony Orchestra, about to retire soon.

Mark Evans came to Munich, followed Tom Walsh in Darmstadt then went to the Deutsche Oper in Berlin. One of the best-prepared and strongest tuba players ever to land here.

Rob Herdmann, a Canadian, was tubist in Linz for many years, well-liked by his students. He suffered a terrible fate; murdured on a street late at night in Linz. The case was never settled.
Tim Reilly, from Californai, was here, radio orchestra in Turin, Italy.

Bert Nordblum is still with the orchestra in Karlsruhe, teaches as well / also about to retire. David Moen from Chicago plays in Oviedo, Spain, and Karl Schimke in St. Gallen, since 1996. John Sass is a fine musician, in the light-music field.

The list could go on: at one time or another there were seventeen (17) American tubists here. As the case may be, most of those who came here in the Seventies have passed away. Without exception, these musicians made significant contributions to the world of the tuba here in Europe. Some of this was rough-going. My support for young aspiring musicians was not always viewed in an approved manner. For me, any young person was worthy of support, regardless of nationality.

Bob Tucci

[bort2.0]

^ Bob, it's wonderful to see you here!

[Doc]

^ Bob, it's wonderful to see you here!

Indeed. THE LEGEND is in die Haus!

[Doc]

They have a Mahler 6 recording up, so you get to hear him solo on the Rudy. The clarity he achieves on that big horn is really impressive.

I listened to it today... :shock:

[tubanews]

Ya know it's wierd when I wrote this post (which is just a silly question out of date because the times have changed so much),
the person I had in the back of my mind was Bob Tucci. And now here he is in the flesh with some history. This is why we are here.

Thank you Bob for everything you have done for the tuba world and the tubists in it.

[nglidde]

David Glidden just retired from the Hr Symphony (Frankfurt).

They have a ton of videos on YouTube. He mostly plays a Rudy Bb 5/4 and sounds incredible.

He actually ended up playing until last week, officially retiring 28 September 2021. Here is a link to his final concert, as well as a hearty goodbye from the audience (starting at 1:14:00)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSmXaZcA3D8&t=1s

-Nathaniel (David's son)

[Doc]

David Glidden just retired from the Hr Symphony (Frankfurt).

They have a ton of videos on YouTube. He mostly plays a Rudy Bb 5/4 and sounds incredible.

He actually ended up playing until last week, officially retiring 28 September 2021. Here is a link to his final concert, as well as a hearty goodbye from the audience (starting at 1:14:00)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSmXaZcA3D8&t=1s

-Nathaniel (David's son)

Thank you for sharing. This recording, like the others, offers incredible playing. I think I can speak for everyone here when I say we all wish him a joy-filled retirement, and we are grateful for his contributions to music and to the tuba!