Arts and Entertainment

OcTUBAfest continues with the annual 'Tubaween' concert

Credit: Russell Bloom / Penn StateCreative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble proudly presents its annual "Tubaween" concert, at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 23, in the Playhouse Theatre.

The fully costumed ensemble members will be joined by special guest conductor Roger Bobo, retired principal tuba the Los Angeles Philharmonic; dancers from the Penn State School of Theatre, choreographed by A. Kikora Franklin; and special guest Paul Ramon, bass guitarist, keyboardist, and leader of The Plastic Dirty Macs. Admission is free.

The conductor of the Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble is faculty member Velvet Brown.

Program to include

"Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" - Johann Sebastian Bach

"Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral" (from "Lohengrin") - Richard Wagner (conducted by Roger Bobo)

"Beast!" - Greg Danner

"Allerseelen" - Richard Strauss

"Billie Jean" - Michael Jackson (featuring Paul Ramon)

"Thriller" - Michael Jackson

Brass legend, virtuoso soloist, world renowned teacher ... these are just a few phrases associated with Roger Bobo. He is in demand world-wide as a teacher of all brass instruments, adjudicator at major international competitions, and as a conductor.

Roger Bobo currently resides in Japan and teaches at the Musashino School of Music in Tokyo. Prior to his move to Japan, he served on the faculties of the Fiesole School of Music (Florence, Italy), Lausanne Conservatory (Lausanne, Switzerland), and the Royal Northern College of Music (Manchester, England).

Orchestras around the world have invited Bobo to appear as a soloist, conductor and coach for brass sections preparing major symphonic repertoire. His students currently occupy positions in major symphony orchestras and universities, and several have gone on to develop successful solo careers of their own. His own career as an orchestral tubist began in 1956 with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Erich Leinsdorf. He moved to the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam for two years before becoming the tubist of Los Angeles Philharmonic, a position he held for 25 years. He retired from active performance in 2001.

He is the author of “Mastering the Tuba,” published by Editions Bim (CH). For more information regarding his discography and publications, please visit his website at www.rogerbobo.com/.

Paul Ramon is the bass guitarist, keyboardist, and leader of The Plastic Dirty Macs, a band that is featured in Vincent P. Benitez's online Gen Ed course, Music 109: The Music of the Beatles. Over 3,000 Penn State non-music-major students have taken this course.

 

Roger Bobo, tuba Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

Last Updated October 18, 2017