Euphonium Lessons in Houston, TX

Have you always wanted to learn to play euphonium? Do you want your child to have specialized lessons to prepare them for advanced euphonium studies? Dr. Berlin teaches euphonium lessons in Houston, Texas blending the ideals of Dr. Shinichi Suzuki’s teaching techniques with Emory Remington and Donald Knaub’s performance techniques.

What’s the difference between a euphonium and a baritone horn?

While there are some subtle differences between the two, the terms are generally interchangeable in common usage.

Dr. Berlin Began Teaching Low Brass in 1988!

To the parent of children interested in the euphonium, I suggest you start them by age ten.  This will ensure that euphonium playing becomes a part of their daily routine from which they will not deviate with competing activities vie for their time later in adolescence. To the older student, I suggest you start today. It is never too late to begin!

Students younger than ten can learn too! I usually start younger students on a compact “pocket” trumpet. All skills learned on the pocket trumpet are transferable to the euphonium!

Misconceptions

Because of the many remarkable videos available of very young Suzuki students performing advanced repertoire, some people mistakenly believe that Suzuki is a “children’s method” not suitable for later beginners or adults.  This is certainly not the case.  Any person, at any age, with an interest in learning an instrument can thrive under the guidance of a certified Suzuki teacher.

Another misconception is that students are taught by rote and that music reading is not emphasized.  This is also not the case. It is for the pre-literate student that written music is not emphasized.  As the student begins to become a literate person in their primary language (e.g. English), they are introduced to reading in a very natural, developmentally appropriate fashion.

Students are trained to play by ear, not by rote.  The difference may seem subtle to the casual readers, but it is substantial.  Listening and mimicking is a natural process of language acquisition. Ear training is also used for older, literate students.

Principles of Study and Guidance

  1. The student should listen to reference recordings every day… to develop musical sensitivity. Rapid progress depends on this listening.
  2. Tonalization, or the production of beautiful tone, should be stressed in the lesson and at home.
  3. Constant attention should be given to correct posture and proper hand positioning.
  4. Parents and teachers should strive to motivate the [student] so [they] will enjoy practicing correctly at home.

(excerpted from Suzuki Guitar School, Vol. 1. Van Nuys, CA: Alfred Music, 2018, 4.)

The adult or self-motivated adolescent student will naturally not require the same level of external motivation as younger students.  Nevertheless, others in the home should support and encourage the music student’s endeavors.

Preparation for College and Beyond!

For the advanced student, my goal is to present you with repertoire and material suitable for the college and professional level.  When students are ready to apply for college, their life-long dedication will cause them to stand out and be noticed for acceptance and scholarship.  Even if the student does not study music in college, they will be equipped and primed for a life-long relationship with music through their euphonium which will never leave them.

The Berlin Method

The only person that really taught “The Suzuki Method” was Dr. Suzuki. There is no “one, true way” to teach an instrument.  Every student is different, and every teacher has their own unique and innovative strengths and strategies for their students. Dr. Berlin’s background, personal study, and scholarship makes his teaching unique in all the world, even with a shared repertoire!

Berlin Euphonium Repertoire

College

Depending on the goals of the student, repertoire may be augmented with tunes from one or more “fake books” such as:

  • Fake Book of the World’s Favorite Songs – Over 735 Songs for Piano, Vocal, Guitar, Electronic Keyboards and all “C” Instruments (4th Edition), Hal Leonard Corp
  • The Ultimate Jazz Fakebook: Over 625 Standards and Jazz Classics, “C” Edition, For Piano, Vocal, Guitar, and all “C” Instruments, Hal Leonard Corp, 1988, Herb Wong (compiler)
  • The Best Fake Book Ever: Over 1000 Songs: “C” Instruments (4th edition), Hal Leonard Corporation
  • This is the Ultimate Fake Book with Over 1200 Songs: Melody, Lyrics, Chords for all “C” Instruments (Fourth Edition), Hal Leonard Corporation

Freshman Year

Methods

  • Arban: Method for Trombone and Euphonium
  • Bordogni (Rochut): Melodious Etudes, Book 1
  • Edwards: Introductory Studies in Tenor & Alto Clef (Before Blazevich)

Solo Repertoire

  • Galliard: 6 Sonatas
  • Capuzzi: Andante and Rondo
  • Bellstedt: Napoli
  • Curnow: Rhapsody
  • Marcello: Sonata in F
  • Guilmant: Morceau Symphonique
  • Clarke: Bride of the Waves
  • Barat: Introduction and Dance
  • Hutchinson: Sonatina

Sophomore Year

Methods

  • Slama: 66 Etudes
  • Arban: Method for Trombone and Euphonium
  • Bordogni (Rochut): Melodious Etudes, Book 2
  • Blazhevich/Fink: Advanced Musical Etudes for Trombone

Solo Repertoire

  • Marcello: Sonata III
  • Weber: Romance
  • Ritter George: Sonata
  • Vaughn-Williams: Six Studies in English Folksong
  • Saint-Saens/Falcone: The Swan
  • Klengel/Falcone: Concertino No. 1 in Bb
  • Jones: Dialogues
  • Israel: Dance Suite
  • Senaille: Allegro Spiritoso
  • Clarke: Carnival of Venice

Junior Year

Methods

  • Arban: Method for Trombone and Euphonium
  • Bordogni (Rochut): Melodious Etudes, Book 3
  • Blazevich: Clef Studies
  • Bach: Cello Suites

Solo Repertoire

  • Castarede: Fantasia Concertante
  • Handel/Fitzgerald: Aria con Variazioni
  • Frachenpohl: Sonata
  • Jacob: Fantasia
  • Barat: Morceau de Concours
  • David: Concertino
  • Rachmaninoff: Vocalise
  • Rossini: Largo al Factotum
  • Hindemith: Sonata for Bassoon
  • Hartley: Sonata Euphonica
  • Brahms/Little: Four Serious Songs
  • Sparke: Fantasy

Senior Year

Methods

  • Arban: Method for Trombone and Euphonium
  • Bordogni (Rochut): Melodious Etudes, (review etudes from all 3 books)
  • Bitsch: 15 Rhythmical Studies
  • Telemann: 12 Fantasies

Solo Repertoire

  • Castarede: Fantasia Concertante
  • Handel/Fitzgerald: Aria con Variazioni
  • Boccolari: Fantasia di Concerto Bourgeois
  • Bowman: Euphonium Music
  • Curnow: Symphonic Variants
  • Gillingham: Blue Lake Fantasies
  • Gillingham: Vintage
  • Horovitz: Concerto Novello
  • Hoshina: Fantasy for Euphonium
  • Hovhaness: Symphony #29
  • Jager: Concerto for Euphonium
  • Sparke: Pantomime
  • Sparke: Concerto
  • Uber: Sonata
  • Nehleybel: Concerto for Euphonium
  • Bourgeouis: Euphoria

Lifetime-Learner (Non-Academic) Euphonium Track

Students will generally learn six to ten pieces from each level. Many of the pieces in the lifetime-learner sequence mirror the RCM Euphonium Syllabus. Also consult the UIL Prescribed Music List for leveled repertoire suggestions!

Lifetime-Learner (Non-Academic) Euphonium Track

Foundational

Level A

Choose from the following anthologies:

  • Ballent, Andrew. Solos Sound Spectacular
  • Watts, Eugene, ed. Canadian Brass Book of Beginning Trombone Solos
  • Gout, Alan. The Really Easy Trombone Book
  • Hare, Nicholas. The Magic Trombone
  • Herfurth, C. Paul. A Tune a Day
  • Kinyon, John, and John O’Reilly. Yamaha Trombone Student

Level B

Contemporary Repertoire

  • Gagnebin, Henri: Sarabande LED
  • Niehaus, Lennie: Fanflairs KEN
  • Niehaus, Lennie: Twilight Nocturne KEN
  • Tanner, Paul: Wagon Roll BEL

18th and 19th Century Repertoire

  • Handel, George Frideric: Sarabande (arr. William Gower) LED
  • Haydn, Franz Joseph: Country Dance (arr. Stouffer) KEN
  • Ravel, Maurice: Pavane (Pavane pour une inf ante defunte) (arr. Harold Walters) RUB

Level C

Contemporary Repertoire

  • Cable, Howard: Point Pelee, from Ontario Pictures NOR
  • Fischer, Ludwig: Here I Sit in the Deep Cellar (arr. Lloyd Conley) KEN
  • Skolnik, Walter: Lullaby for Curly TEN
  • Warren, David: Danish Dance LUD

18th and 19th Century Repertoire

  • Bach, Johann Sebastian: Arioso from Cantata No. 156 (arr. Leonard B. Smith) BEL
  • Bach, Johann Sebastian: Sicilienne, from Sonata for Solo Violin in G minor, BWV 1001 (arr. Phillipe Rougeron) LED
  • Bakaleinikoff, Vladimir: Meditation BEL
  • Wagner, Richard: Walther’s Prize Song (arr. Forrest L. Butchel) KJO

Intermediate

Level D

Contemporary Repertoire

  • Cowell, Henry: Tom Binkey’s Tune MEC
  • McKay, George F.: Concert Solo Sonatine BMC

18th and 19th Century Repertoire

  • Bizet, Georges: Song of the Toreador, from Carmen (arr. Holmes) RUB; CUB
  • Corelli, Arcangelo: Prelude and Minuet (arr. Richard E. Powell) SOU
  • Handel, George Frideric: Jubal’s Lyre (arr. Neal L. Cornell) KEN
  • Handel, George Frideric: Sonatine in E (transc. R. Bernard Fitzgerald) PRE, Adagio and Allegro
  • Schumann, Robert: Traumerei and Romance CUB
  • Wagner, Richard: Walther’s Prize Song (arr. George Masso) KEN

Level E

Baroque and Contemporary Repertoire

  • Cohen, Sol B.: Concert Piece BEL
  • Court, Douglas: Fantasy Jubiloso CUW
  • Haddad, Don: Suite for Baritone SHA
  • Marcello, Benedetto: Sonata in E minor (arr. Keith Brown) INT
  • Vivaldi, Antonio: Sonata no. 1 in B flat major, RV 47 (arr. Allen Ostrander) INT

French Repertoire

  • Alary, Georges: Morceau de concours, op. 57 CUB
  • Gervaise, Claude: Dance Suite (arr. David Werden) CIM

Advanced

Level F

Contemporary Repertoire

  • Clarke, Herbert L.: Sounds from the Hudson (arr. Robert Geisler) SOU
  • Curnow, James: Rhapsody for Euphonium RHS
  • Guilmant, Alexandre: Morceau Symphonique WAR
  • Jacob, Gordon: Fantasia for Euphonium and Piano B&H

18th and 19th Century Repertoire

  • Chopin, Frederic: Minute Waltz, op. 64, no. 1 (arr. David Werden) CIM
  • Elgar, Edward: Salut d’amour (arr. David Werden) CIM
  • Galliard, Johann Ernest: Sonata no. 2 INT
  • Susato, Tylman: Ronde and Salterelle (arr. Denis Winter) CIM

Level G

Contemporary Repertoire

  • Horovitz, Joseph: Euphonium Concerto NOV
  • Jager, Robert E.: Concerto for Euphonium HAL
  • Mantia, Simene: Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms (arr. David Werden) CIM

18th and 19th Century Repertoire

  • Berlioz, Hector: Hungarian March, from The Damnation of Faust (arr. David Werden) CIM
  • Saint-Saens, Camille: Cavatine, op. 144 RAR

Level H

  • Constantinides, Dinos: Fantasy for Solo Euphonium CIM
  • Constantinides, Dinos: Mountains of Epirus CIM
  • Corwell, Neal: Sinfonietta NICOLAI
  • Curnow, James: Symphonic Variants CUW
  • Martin, David: Suite for Euphonium and Piano CMC
  • Sparks, Philip: Pantomime STU