Gail Robertson, Euphonium | Stacy Baker, Tuba | SymbiosisDuo

Gail Robertson, Euphonium

DR. GAIL ROBERTSON serves as Assistant Professor of Tuba and Euphonium/Jazz at the University of Central Arkansas where she is tubist in the Pinnacle Brass and teaches the Jazz Ensemble II. She earned her BA degree from the University of Central Florida and a MM in Euphonium Performance from Indiana University while serving as graduate assistant to Harvey Phillips. She postponed her doctoral studies at the University of Maryland with Dr. Brian Bowman to perform with the "Tubafours" at Walt Disney World, Orlando where she served as musical supervisor/chief arranger and produced a highly acclaimed CD, "Tubas Under the Boardwalk." She has recently completed her DMA as a University Distinguished Fellow at Michigan State University studying with Phil Sinder, Ava Ordman, and Ricardo Lorenz. She has taught on the faculties of Eastern Michigan University, the University of Central Florida, Bethune-Cookman University, the University of Florida, and remains active as a teacher, adjudicator, composer, arranger and free-lance artist, both nationally and internationally.

Robertson was recently elected Vice President/President Elect of the International Tuba and Euphonium Association (ITEA) and she will begin her six-year term on July 1, 2017. She is currently the Chair/Chief Editor of the International Tuba and Euphonium Press, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Leonard Falcone Tuba and Euphonium Festival, the ITEA, and the International Women's Brass Conference (IWBC). She has served as President of the IWBC and as a conference host in 2010 and 2006. She has also served as Euphonium and Membership Coordinator of the ITEA and was the featured artist on the cover of the ITEA Journal (Fall 2010). Two of her original works have also been featured Gems in the ITEA Journal (Jazz Encounter No. 1 in Fall 2010, and Allegro et Andantango in Spring 2014).

In 2015, Robertson served as the Euphonium Clinician for the American Band College in Ashland, Oregon. She was awarded the 2014 Clifford Bevan Award for Excellence in Research for her research manuscript, "Restoring the Euphonium's Legacy as Cello of the Wind Band." Her original work for brass quintet, Tower Guard Tribute, was awarded honorable mention by the 2014 International Alliance for Women in Music's Patsy Lu competition. In May 2009, she recorded a new CD with Dr. Stacy Baker, Alex Thio, and Dr. Deb Eastwood, called "SymbiosisDuo." SYMBIOSISDUO released their second CD, "Playground," in February 2015. Several of the works recorded by the duo were newly commissioned works written especially for the duo, including Composers: Franz Cibulka, Jim Self, James Grant, Christopher Marshall, Brian Balmages, Chris Sharp, Kimberly Archer, T.O. Sterrett, and Phillip Bimstein. In 2007, Roberston received Tau Beta Sigma's highest honor, the “Outstanding Service to Music Award." She has also been a clinician for the MIDWEST Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, the Florida Music Educators Association, the Michigan Music Conference, and numerous ITEA, IWBC, and United States Army Tuba and Euphonium Conferences. Recently, In December 2016, she was District 6 jazz clinician/artist for Harrison School District. Robertson has acted as euphonium clinician for the American Band College (Ashland, OR) and Dixie Band Camp (Conway, AR).

Robertson served together with Dr. Stacy Baker as Co-Instrumental Advisor and Co-Curriculum Designer for the Pro-Series Elite Practice Systems for Tuba and Euphonium providing all exercises, instruction, and quartet arrangements as well as performing as on-screen talent alongside some of their students for the revolutionary pedagogical series of 10 DVDs for tuba and 10 DVDs for euphonium. The project was fully funded and released by American Product Group, LLC (2013), along with similar series for each of the wind instruments. She has published articles, reviews, and compositions for the online magazine, Bandworld, and the International Tuba Euphonium Association, ITEA Journal.

Robertson has toured the US, Europe, China, and Japan with Keith Brion's "New Sousa Band," the Brass Band of Battle Creek, the Monarch Brass, the Athena Brass Band, and the Brass Band of Central Florida. She has also performed as a featured soloist at Carnegie Hall with Jay Gephart (Director) and Purdue University's Wind Ensemble, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Ann Arbor Symphony, the River City Brass Band, Jack Daniel's Silver Cornet Band, Euphoniums Unlimited, Symphonia, the Orlando based "Horns and Pipes" Brass and Percussion Ensemble, and SYMBIOSISDUO. In April 2016, Robertson was tenor tubist for the Sarasota Orchestra/Sarasota Ballet performance of Balanchine's "Stars and Stripes." Her published works and arrangements are available through GAR MUSIC, Euphonium.com, and Tuba-Euphonium Press. As a Willson Euphonium Artist, Robertson's euphonium of choice is a Willson 2950TA with a bronze Warburton/Gail Robertson mouthpiece.

Stacy Baker, Tuba

DR. STACY BAKER earned the academic rank of Professor of Music-Tuba /Euphonium and has been honored as the 2016-2017 Distinguished Creative Productions Award recipient and the 2014-2015 Distinguished Teacher at Morehead State University in Morehead, Kentucky, where she has taught since 1996. Originally from Harsen’s Island, Michigan, she received both her MM and BM degrees from the University of Michigan where she graduated summa cum laude as a James B. Angell Scholar. She holds a DMA in Performance and Literature with highest honors from the University of Illinois. She enjoys an active performing career appearing as featured artist at International Tuba/Euphonium Conferences (ITEC); regional Tuba/Euphonium Conferences (SERTEC/MWRTEC); International Women’s Brass Conferences (IWBC); U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” Tuba/Euphonium Conferences; International Euphonium Tuba Festivals; and conferences hosted by the Kentucky, Florida, and Michigan Music Educator’s Associations. Baker has toured and recorded throughout the United States, Europe, and China as soloist, and as a founding member of SYMBIOSISDUO, the RSVB and JUNCTION tuba/euphonium quartets, the IWBC’s Monarch Brass, the Athena Brass Band, Lexington Brass Band, and MSU’s Horizon Brass quintet.

Baker formed the professional tuba euphonium duo, SYMBIOSISDUO, with Dr. Gail Robertson in 2007 to increase awareness of the tuba/euphonium duo as a performance medium and to promote and disseminate new works for this unique combination of instruments. The duo chose the name “SYMBIOSISDUO” from the concert duet of that name written for them by composer Chris Sharp. In the program notes for the work he writes: “Symbiosis is defined as, ‘A relationship of mutual benefit or dependence . . . The technical and range-requirements for each solo instrument are comparable, suggesting a ‘separate but equal’ relationship.” This is an innovative and challenging approach to duet writing for tuba and euphonium producing ‘the symbiosis effect’ as the tuba is not relegated to an accompanying role, but is equal in all aspects of music with the other voice in the duo, the euphonium. Her duo’s debut album, “SymbiosisDuo”, was selected as finalist for the 2010 Roger Bobo Award for Recording Excellence in Chamber Music by the International Tuba/Euphonium Association (ITEA). The duo’s second album, Playground was released in February 2015. Both albums were funded through Morehead State University Creative Production Grants.

Baker served together with Dr. Gail Robertson as co-instrumental advisor and co-curriculum designer for the Pro-Series Elite Practice Systems for Tuba and Euphonium, providing all exercises, instruction, and quartet arrangements as well as performing as on-screen talent alongside some of their students for the revolutionary pedagogical series of 10 DVDs for tuba and 10 DVD’s for euphonium. The project was fully funded and released by American Product Group, LLC, in 2013 along with similar series for each of the wind instruments.

In 2016, Baker released Fanfare and Flourish: Celebrating Women Composers as a member of the RSVB Tuba/Euphonium Quartet on the Potenza Music label with Robertson, Dr. Deanna Swoboda, and Staff Sergeant (Army) Lauren Veronie-Curran.

Baker has also performed as principal tubist with the Warren Symphony and the Allen Park Symphony, and as substitute tubist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Illinois Symphony, the Champaign/Urbana Symphony, the Danville Symphony, the Owensboro Symphony, and the Lexington Philharmonic. Baker served as co-editor of the International Women’s Brass Conference Newsletter from 2000-2003 and has served on the IWBC Board of Directors. Her teachers include Jeff Funderburk, Wes Jacobs, Tommy Johnson, Fritz Kaenzig, and Mark Moore

SYMBIOSISDUO

SYMBIOSISDUO formed in 2007 to increase awareness of the tuba/euphonium duo as a performance medium and to promote and disseminate new works for this unique combination of instruments. Baker and Robertson chose the name “SYMBIOSISDUO” from the concert duet of that name written for them by composer Chris Sharp. In the program notes for the work he writes: “Symbiosis is defined as, ‘A relationship of mutual benefit or dependence’ . . . The technical and range-requirements for each solo instrument are comparable, suggesting a ‘separate but equal’ relationship.”

This is an innovative and challenging approach to duet writing for tuba and euphonium producing “the symbiosis effect” as the tuba is not relegated to an accompanying role, but is equal in all aspects of music with the other voice in the duo, the euphonium. For more information about SYMBIOSISDUO, visit their website: symbiosisduo.com

On Sunday, Baker and Robinson perform Twin Lake Reflections, a piece written for them for this occasion by composer Eric Knechtges. DR. ERIC KNECHTGES holds a DM degree from The Indiana University Jacobs School of Music; a MM from Bowling Green State University; and a BM (Education) from Michigan State University. His works have been performed by ensembles and artists throughout the United States. He is currently Associate Professor, Music Program Head, and Coordinator of Theory and Composition at Northern Kentucky University.