Daniel Johnson 12/4/2007 9:21:44 AM  E-Mail music, founded the North Carolina Tuba Consortium earlier this year. Together with colleagues from UNC-Greensboro, Western Carolina University, and Winston-Salem State University, he presented the consortium's first conference session to a packed house at the state music educators convention in Winston-Salem. The presentation, titled "High Aspirations for Low Brass," provided practical resources for school band directors to develop low brass chamber ensembles. As the presenters explained, a requisite part of being in an ensemble is developing an understanding of how all the parts fit together to make the whole. Every well-balanced band needs low brass in order to sound complete. In order to have the band sound "right," there will be parts that, by necessity, move at a slower rhythmic pace than other parts. This is one main reason why low brass students often get bored in middle and high school ensembles. After the typical low brass players begin to shift from playing in unison to more "real" parts, music educators must recognize that spending more time with them is necessary in order to keep them motivated and interested. Low brass ensembles are an easy way to accomplish this, and, with proper preparation, will not take much time or energy on the part of the band director. Such ensembles can include only tubas and euphoniums, or a mix of tubas, euphoniums, and trombones. The North Carolina Tuba Consortium is a collective of collegiate tuba and euphonium professors in North Carolina. It was formed to be a teaching and learning resource for middle and high school band directors. With thirteen (and counting) professional tuba and euphonium teachers spread literally across the state, the consortium intends to help middle and high school band directors with information, teaching techniques, and other ideas for making more music with their low brass players. In the future, the consortium plans to make similar presentations at other NCMEA conferences based on teachers' interest and input. Johnson teaches applied tuba and euphonium studies and courses in music education, music technology, and the Honors Scholars Program. He is a multi-instrumentalist who has performed as principal tubist with the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra, the Long Bay Symphony, and the UNCW Faculty Brass Quintet. Johnson also conducts Tuba Christmas and OctubaFest concerts, annual performances of traditional and original music for tuba-euphonium ensembles. Photo Note: Johnson is pictured second from the right