Posted by Mike Solms on September 05, 2002 at 08:04:57:
In Reply to: Doubling on completely different instrmn posted by Brandon Ostrom on September 04, 2002 at 20:23:37:
A number of years back, my orchestra announced a season with very minimal tuba requirements. When I offered a good-natured complaint to the conductor about this, he smiled and said, "Stop whining and learn to play viola." I guess he appealed to my stubborn streak, so I started to take viola lessons.
Now I move over to the viola section on pieces that have no tuba parts. Some of the benefits I've found from this are:
-Getting a chance to play a wider range of music. Last year I sat about ten feet from the soloists when we played Mozart's Concerto for Flute and Harp. It was an amazing experience, wonderful music, and a really fun pice to play.
-Keeping your ear sharp. I think that string playing has improved my intonation on tuba.
-Hearing the orchestra from a different perspective. Sitting up front gives you a different feel for the balances within the orchestra. I like to think this has improved my sense of ensemble playing as an orchestral tubist.
-Getting an appreciation for the level of musicianship that goes on in the string section. A first violinist will have more technical challenges in a Brahms symphony than a tubist will have in a couple of seasons.
-Learning new approaches to phrasing that I can apply to brass playing.