The Marilyn Horne Museum and Exhibit Center Candlelight Concert Series returns on March 7 with an unusual performance by a quartet comprised solely of tubas and euphoniums.
The free concert will take place at 7 p.m. in the Harriett B. Wick Chapel on the campus of Pitt-Bradford.
Tubas and euphoniums are instruments that traditionally take a back seat in instrumental ensembles. First developed in 1835, the tuba is the lowest pitched musical instrument in the brass family and first appeared in the mid-19th century, making it one of the younger siblings in the world of classical instruments. It is most frequently associated with brass bands and is often paired with comical scenes in film and television. The Southern Sound Quartet is on a mission to change the perception of this misunderstood instrument along with its cousin the euphonium.
The Southern Sound Quartet is made up of tuba players Justin Gorodetzky and Juan Alonso, and euphonium players Denver Pascua and Tyler Ricks, all masters and doctoral candidates. The four musicians make up the premier graduate tuba-euphonium quartet at the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester. The group works across a variety of styles from classical to pop. The quartet strives to showcase the versatility of their instruments through public performances and dispel their reputations as simply “oom-pah” accompaniments.
“This is the second of three concerts presented by the museum this year featuring talent from the famed Eastman School,” said museum manager Matthew Hileman. “Although these free concerts are meant to be fun and entertaining, they are also educational. I’m delighted to be offering something out of the ordinary that isn’t part of the usual repertoire of chamber concerts.”
Southern Sound will perform an eclectic program of music by Bach, Puccini, Bartok, Stephen Foster, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and others. The concert begins at 7 p.m. and the chapel doors will open at 6:30. Families are always encouraged to attend these free concerts, which are open to everyone. More information about this concert and the museum’s upcoming programs can be found at marilynhorne.org/calendar.
