Ohio University students and faculty will continue a nationwide tradition this month with the playing of low brass instruments in the eighteenth annual Octubafest concert series.
Indiana University tuba professor Harvey Phillips started the tradition of honoring the tuba in October 1974. When tuba and euphonium professor Jason Smith came to OU in 1999, he brought the tradition with him.
“In the month of October, we just try to schedule some concerts featuring the tuba and the different roles the tuba has,” Smith said. “Pretty much every tuba professor feels a certain degree of obligation to do an Octubafest.”
The first performance of the series featured a guest performer who played the euphonium, a brass instrument similar to a tuba. On Wednesday, the second concert will take place and feature Smith performing on the tuba and sousaphone, playing both solo and alongside the Athens County Dixie Stompers. The Dixie Stompers is a group that focuses on performing early New Orleans jazz music.
Smith said he hopes people who come to the concerts will walk away with a new perspective on the tuba and its purpose.
“(Phillips) wanted people to (realize) this isn’t just an instrument in the back row that’s heavy,” he said. “There’s more to it than that. It’ll probably surprise you what you’re going to hear.”
The third Octubafest concert, which will take place Oct. 16, will feature the faculty brass quintet OHIOBrass. C. Scott Smith, associate professor of horn and theory, is one of the founding members of the quintet and said the group has participated in Octubafest almost every year since it began.
“I think it’s very unique,” C. Scott said. “Jason has really made it a tradition to the school.”
This year, OHIOBrass will be playing Brazilian pieces introduced to the group by group’s newest member, Lucas Borges, an assistant professor of trombone who is from Brazil.
“We’re going to do up to five ... Brazilian pieces based on Brazilian dances,” C. Scott said. “They’re very challenging works, very unique sounding and very entertaining.”
The final Octubafest Concert will feature an ensemble of undergraduate students performing on low brass instruments.
John Rodesh, a senior studying music education, will be playing the euphonium in the concert.
“The cool thing about this type of event is (that) people don’t think about the tuba and euphonium playing this type of music,” he said. “(The) type of ensemble allows tuba and euphonium players to play more virtuous and more difficult repertoire than we might play in a regular band or orchestra."
Rodesh has played in the Octubafest performance each year since his freshman year. This year, he will be conducting a piece in addition to performing.
“Each instrument family has their own little history and tradition … and Octubafest is the time we celebrate that,” he said. “(Conducting) has given me a great opportunity to be a teacher and learner on the other side the performance.”
