Symphony's lone tubist has passion for playing

Sat, May 17 2008

— BY RUTH RICE
RRICE@TRIBDEM.COM
Gary Bird adds a lot of oomph to the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra.
Although he is principal tubist for the orchestra, he doesn't play for every concert because music for his instrument of choice wasn't written before 1842, the year the tuba was invented.
"There were some instruments that were similar, but few pieces," Bird said.
"When there's a Mozart festival, the tuba player gets a break."
Bird only needs to practice with the symphony when he has a part in an upcoming concert.
From time to time, he gets to sit out an entire concert, such as when the symphony performs Handel's "Messiah."
When he does play, Bird is outstanding in his field because there is only one tuba player in the orchestra.
Bird will play his last concert with the symphony on May 5, when he will retire after holding his position for 36 years.
He also will retire from his 36-year position of director of music at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
At IUP, Bird's work revolves around teaching students of the tuba and euphonium, which is a smaller baritone horn with a mellower sound.
He also conducts the brass ensemble, plays in the faculty brass quintet and teaches an Introduction to Music course to nonmusic majors.
He has been conductor of the theater department's musicals since 1988 and has worked with IUP jazz bands for 20 years.
"When I was hired, my primary focus was tuba and euphonium," Bird said.
"Then they find out what else you're good at and plug you in."
Bird's schedule is wired for activity.
He typically is assigned up to 20 students in tuba or euphonium and gives each one a private lesson every week in his studio.
Then an ensemble of the same players practices twice a week.
Bird also teaches a brass ensemble once a week and conducts the school's musical almost every night during the spring semester.
He also is a member of a brass quintet.
"You have to schedule things five days a week," Bird said.
Before coming to IUP, the musician taught junior high school for two years in the late 1960s.
A native of Wisconsin, Bird got his start on tuba at Boyceville High School.
"I'm a big guy, and I was a farm kid," Bird said. "It takes a big guy to play the tuba, but I've always had a natural tendency to the lower brass instruments."
He received a bachelor of music education degree from University of Wisconsin-River Falls in 1968, a master of music degree in tuba performance from the University of North Texas in 1971 and a doctorate in music from Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind., in 1992.
Bird also is principal tubist for Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra.
He has been principal tubist for the Fort Worth (Texas) Symphony Orchestra, the North Texas State University Graduate Wind Ensemble and Indiana University (Bloomington) Festival Orchestra.
Bird has performed with the River City Brass Band, the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble and the Mendelssohn Choir and Oratorio Chorus of Pittsburgh.
He is director of music at Zion Lutheran Church in Indiana.
Bird is a founding member of the Colonial Tuba Quartet, a group dedicated to commissioning and performing new works for tuba/euphonium quartets.
With this group, he has performed at conferences in Japan and the United States and has toured in Europe.
In 1987, Bird was named Teacher of the Year by the Pennsylvania Music Teachers Association.
In August 1994, his first book, "Program Notes for the Solo Tuba," was published by Indiana University Press in Bloomington.
He has recorded 15 compact discs as principal tubist of the Keystone Wind Ensemble.
Bird, who will celebrate his 62nd birthday month, will leave the hustle and bustle of campus life and his affiliation with Johnstown Symphony to return to Wisconsin, where he has already purchased a retirement home.
"Our three children are scattered across the country, but my wife and I are both from Wisconsin and have large families there," he said.
When not involved with music, Bird enjoys working with wood while he remodels his 100-year old Indiana house.
His Wisconsin retirement home is newer and not in need of so much work, but the basement is unfinished and Bird already has drawn up plans for it.
"My wife and I love to travel, and we plan to go to Norway this summer," Bird said.
"I'd also like to get involved with restoring cars."
Bird is not about to give up his music. He has done some investigating to make sure there will be opportunities to play for his own pleasure.
"Playing is the most passionate thing I do," he said.

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