April 05, 2024
Linda Blaser
Tuba expert Max Briggs redefines solo repertoire with scholarly journal article
Teaching associate in music Maxwell Briggs has an article published in the Winter 2024 issue of the International Tuba-Euphonium Association Journal.
“The Standard Repertoire for Solo Tuba” begins on page 66 of this issue.
“The main idea of this article is how to answer a subjective question with objective data,” Briggs said. “In music, what constitutes a standard repertoire is largely a matter of opinion. There are some pieces that are widely agreed upon to be standard, but things become more fuzzy the deeper one dives.”
To understand which pieces were being played, Briggs collected recital programs published in the International Tuba Euphonium Association Journal from 1990 to 2010 and recorded how many times each piece was programmed.
“The resulting data provides an empirical ranking of the standard repertoire for solo tuba,” Briggs said.
ITEA is a non-profit organization comprised of performers, educators, students, and amateurs who promote the advancement of the tuba and euphonium.