The 25th Annual OU “Octubafest” kicked off on Wednesday in the Glidden Hall recital hall. Octubafest is a series of recitals during October organized by OU tuba professor, Jason Smith. Though the tuba is the main focus of the recitals, the euphonium, mellophone, trombone, and piano are also featured.
Octubafest was started by Harvey Phillips, the “father of the tuba,” as Smith called him. “He defined the instrument in this country,” he said. He popularized the tuba solo and chamber ensemble, which had previously been thought of as an instrument that belonged in the background of an ensemble. The first Octubafest was at Indiana University in 1974.
There are now hundreds of Octubafests at universities across the country and many other performances meant to promote the tuba and other brass instruments, like Tubachristmas.
OU has held Octubafests since 1999 when Smith started the tradition. Some colleges do more than four recitals a month, but Smith prefers to not overwork the students. The students don’t play in the first Octubafest recital to give them time to rehearse.
Tubas are rarely played in solos because their range is so low.
Lucas Borges, associate professor of the trombone, was accompanied by Hanna Chung on the piano. Smith and Borges don’t often share recitals, but combining their respective recitals worked out best for their schedules this Octubafest. This is the first Octubafest that Chung has performed.
Borges and Chung performed Memories for trombone by Keiko Takashima, which Borges said he was excited to play. They also played Concertino for Trombone and Orchestra, Op. 4, by Ferdinand David. Borges said there’s a lot of pressure to play that piece right because it’s very precise.
Smith performed, with Chung, Sonata in A Minor by Benetto Marcello. Smith beautifully played Reflections from the Mississippi by Michael Daugherty originally written for Tuba Wind Symphony. The tuba alternates between the highs and lows, like it’s answering itself and the answers gradually get lower. The music fades out, then makes a triumphant return,
Smith also performed “Orientale” from Cantos de Espana by Isaac Albeniz, which is a transcription of a piano piece. Rumanian Dance No. 2 by Dumitru Ionel, a Romanian composer. Smith described it as “a fast, technical show-off type piece,” and the piano sets a fast tempo, like a fight scene, with the tuba building in intensity.
Smith, Borges and Chung performed Cat Affairs by Anna Baadsvik, a Norwegian composer married to Øystein Baadsvik, who is one of the world’s most famous tuba players, according to Smith.
Quite a few spectators were students who will be performing in later Octubafest recitals. Part of the intention of Octubafest at OU is to feature the students, giving them practice and exposure.
The music students were very supportive of Octubafest. Whenever the professors walked onto the stage, the audience erupted in applause.
Elijah Jenkins, a graduate student, said the concerts, “expose people to the potential of the tuba as a solo instrument and what the tuba can do.”
At the next concert coming up, Ohio Brass, the faculty brass quintet will be performing. Max McNutt, Caeley Hovaneac on trumpets, Scott Smith on French horn, and Lucas Borges and Jason Smith will be returning to play the trombone and tuba. After that, the students will be playing in small chambers and solo performances.
The last event for Octubafest will be a lecture recital called “Recruiting Euphonium Players Through Band Excerpts,” from associate professor Lloyd Bone from Glenville State University. Octubafest gives people the opportunity to experience music they don’t hear often.
