Tuba Lessons in Houston, TX

Have you always wanted to learn to play tuba? Do you want your child to have specialized lessons to prepare them for advanced tuba studies? Dr. Berlin teaches tuba 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 tuba and a Sousaphone?

A Sousaphone is a type of tuba that has been designed to wrap around the body of the player to make it easier to perform while standing and/or marching. Many pop tuba players prefer to play on Sousaphones!  

Dr. Berlin Began Teaching Low Brass in 1988!

To the parent of children interested in the tuba, I suggest you start them by age ten.  This will ensure that tuba 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 tuba!

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 tuba 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 Tuba Repertoire

College

Depending on the goals of the student, orchestral 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

  • Complete Vocalises for Tuba (Bordogni/Jacobs)
  • The Breathing Book (Vining)
  • Seventy Studies (Blazhevich/King)

Solo Repertoire

  • Sonata No. 1 (Marcello/Little)
  • Sonata for Tuba (Boda)
  • Suite (Haddad)
  • Drei Bagatellen (Hummel)
  • Andante and Rondo (Capuzzi/Catelinet)
  • Six Sonatas (Galliard/Everett)
  • Concerto No. 1 (Lebedev)

Orchestral Excerpts

  • Hungarian March (Berlioz)
  • Symphonic Metamorphosis (Hindemith)
  • Prelude to Act III of Lohengrin (Wagner)
  • Die Meistersinger Overture (Wagner)
  • Romeo and Juliet (Berlioz)
  • Overture to Nabucco (Verdi)

Sophomore Year

Methods

  • Sixty Etudes (Kopprasch/Young)
  • Low Register Studies (Jacobs)
  • Complete Vocalises for Tuba (Bordogni/Jacobs)
  • Style Studies (Sheridan)

Solo Repertoire

  • Six Studies in English Folksong (Vaughn-Williams)
  • Concertantes Allegro (Lebedev)
  • Tuba Suite (Jacob)
  • Sonata in G minor (Telemann/Everett)
  • Sonata (Hartley)
  • Suite for Solo Tuba (Hartley)
  • Fantasia (Curnow)
  • Sonata No. 6 (Handel/Morris)

Orchestral Excerpts

  • Symphonie Fantastique (Berlioz)
  • Symphony No. 7 (Bruckner)
  • Symphony No. 5 (Shostakovich)
  • Till Eulenspiegel (Strauss)
  • Symphony No. 1 (Mahler)
  • Symphony No. 5 (Prokofiev)

Junior Year

Methods

  • Complete Vocalises for Tuba (Bordogni/Jacobs)
  • 34 Studies (Brandt/Jacobs)
  • Low Etudes for Tuba (Snedecor)

Solo Repertoire

  • Fantasy (Arnold)
  • Sonata (Eccles/Fernand)
  • Variations “The Cobbler’s Bench” (Frackenpohl)
  • Sonata (Hindemith)
  • Concertino (Koetsier)
  • Sonatina (Koetsier)
  • Serenade No. 12 (Persichetti)
  • Sonata (Wilder)
  • Sonata (Cheetham)

Orchestral Excerpts

  • Symphony No. 5 (Mahler)
  • Petrouchka (Stravinsky)
  • An American in Paris (Gershwin)
  • Ein Heldenleben (Strauss)
  • Symphony No. 2 (Brahms)
  • Symphony No. 6 (Tchaikovsky)

Senior Year

Methods

  • Complete Vocalises for Tuba (Bordogni/Jacobs)
  • Cello Suites (Bach/Becker)
  • Forty Advanced Studies (Tyrell)

Solo Repertoire

  • Concertino (Bozza)
  • Concerto (Ewazen)
  • Concerto (Gregson)
  • Capriccio (Penderecki)
  • Capriccio (Penderecki)
  • Concerto (Plau)
  • Three Miniatures (Plog)
  • Two Songs (Spillman)
  • Etre ou ne pas Etre (Tomasi)
  • Concerto No. 1 (Strauss)
  • Concerto (Vaughan Williams)

Orchestral Excerpts

  • Fountains of Rome (Respighi)
  • Sensemaya (Revueltas)
  • Symphony No. 2 (Sibelius)
  • Symphony No. 8 (Bruckner)
  • “Jupiter” from The Planets (Holst)
  • Also Sprach Zarathustra (Strauss)

Lifetime Learner (Non-Academic) Tuba Track

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

Elementary

Level A

  • Bell, William J.: The Spartan (in Tuba Solos, 2 BEL)
  • Bigelow, Albert: Winter Carousel, The Canadian Brass Book of Easy Tuba Solos HAL,  any one selection
  • Eccles, John: Minuet (arr. R. Christian Dishinger, in Classic Festival Solos, [1] WAR)
  • Fote, Richard: Tubadour KEN
  • Mendelssohn, Felix: On Wings of Song (arr. Acton Ostling and Weber, in Classic Festival Solos, 2 WAR)
  • Ostling, Acton: Aurora (in Classic Festival Solos WAR)
  • Ostling, Acton: Gallant Captain (in Tuba Solos, 2 BEL)
  • Peter, C.: The Jolly Coppersmith (arr. William Bell, in Solo Sounds for Tuba, 1: levels 1-3 WAR) Tuba Solos, 1 BEL, any one selection
  • Walters, Harold L., arr.: Down in the Valley RUB
  • Weber, Fred: The Elephant Dance (in Solo Sounds for Tuba, 1: levels 1-3 WAR)

Level B

Lyrical Repertoire

  • Ame, Thomas: Air, from Camus (in Solo Sounds for Tuba 1: levels 1-3 WAR)
  • Brahms, Johannes: Sonntag, op. 4 7 [Sunday] (arr. Donald C. Little, in Classic Festival Solos, 2 WAR)
  • Gounod, Charles: Valentine Song (arr. William]. Bell, in Tuba Solos, 2 WAR)
  • Handel, George Frideric: Sarabande (arr. Robert Barr) LUD
  • Handel, George Frideric: Wher’er You Walk (arr. Ken Swanson, in Classic Festival Solos WAR)
  • Purcell, Henry: Song, from Timon of Athens (arr. Donald C. Little, in Classic Festival Solos, 2 WAR)

Technical Repertoire

  • Bames,James: Work Song (in Classic Festival Solos, [1] WAR; Tuba Solos, 2 WAR)
  • Gounod, Charles: March of a Marionette (arr. Harold L. Walters) BEL
  • Grieg, Edvard: In the Hall of the Mountain King (arr. Fred Weber, in Solo Sounds for Tuba, 1: levels 3-5 WAR)
  • Handel, George Frideric: Bourree (arr. Ken Swanson, in Tuba Solos, 2 BEL)
  • Knight, Joseph: Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep (arr. Acton Ostling and Fred Weber, in Classic Festival Solos, 2 WAR)
  • Warren, David: Mantis Dance LUD

Level C

Lyrical Repertoire

  • Traditional: Londonderry Air (arr. Forrest L. Butchel) KJO
  • Benson, Warren: Arioso PIE
  • Bordogni, Marco: Bordogni Medley (arr. Richard W. Bowles, in Classic Festival Solos WAR; Solo Sounds for Tuba, 1: levels 1-3 WAR)
  • Bowles, Richard W.: Changing Scene (in Solo Sounds for Tuba, 1: levels 1-3 WAR)
  • Handel, George Frideric: Two Short Pieces (arr. Himie Voxman, in Concert and Contest Collection RUB)
  • Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Aria, from La Clemenza di Tito (arr. Donald C. Little, in Classic Festival Solos, 2 WAR)
  • Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: O Isis and Osiris, from The Magic Flute (arr. Herbert Wekselblatt, in Solos for the Tuba Player SCH)
  • Scarlatti, Alessandro: Aria (arr. Clifford Barnes) JSP
  • Schumann, Robert: Sailor’s Song (arr. Donald C. Little, in Solo Sounds for Tuba, 1: levels 1-3 WAR)

Technical Repertoire

  • Bach, Johann Sebastian: Gavotte (arr. Ken Swanson, in Tuba Solos, 2 BEL)
  • Corelli, Arcangelo: Sarabanda and Gavotta (arr. Himie Voxman, in Concert and Contest Collection RUB)
  • Handel, George Frideric: Honor and Arms (arr. William]. Bell, in Solo Sounds for Tuba, 1: levels 3-5 WAR)
  • Handel, George Frideric: Sound an Alarm (arr. Clifford Barnes) JSP
  • Handel, George Frideric: Thrice Happy the Monarch (arr. R. Winston Morris) DOB
  • Maniet, Rene: Premier solo de concours (arr. Himie Voxman, in Concert and Contest Collection RUB)
  • Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: • Menuetto (arr. Ken Swanson, in Solo Sounds for Tuba WAR)
  • Schubert, Franz: Moment musicale (arr. Ken Swanson, in Tuba Solos, 2 BEL)

Intermediate

Level D

Transcribed Works

  • Bach, Johann Sebastian: Two Bourrees, from Suite for Solo Cello no. 3 (arr. Herbert Wekselblatt, in Solos for the Tuba Player SCH)
  • Berlioz, Hector: Air Gai (arr. Himie Voxman, in Concert and Contest Collection RUB)
  • Handel, George Frideric: Aria, from Judas Maccabeus (arr. C. Hall) BDT
  • Handel, George Frideric: Larghetto and Allegro (arr. Donald C. Little, in Classic Festival Solos WAR)
  • Marcello, Benedetto: Largo and Presto (arr. Donald C. Little, in Solo Sounds for Tuba, 1: levels 3-5 WAR)
  • Purcell, Henry: Arise Ye Subterranean Winds (arr. Allen Ostrander) EMU
  • Telemann, Georg Philipp: Prelude and Allegretto (arr. L.W. Chidester) SOU
  • Vivaldi, Antonio: Allegro, from Sonata No. 3 (arr. Ken Swanson, in Solo Sounds for Tuba, 1: levels 3-5 WAR)

Original Works for Tuba

  • Belden, George R.: Neutron Stars (in Classic Festival Solos, 2 WAR)
  • Bilik, Jerry: Introduction and Dance RBC
  • Cohen, Sol B.: Romance and Scherzo (in Classic Festival Solos, 2 WAR)
  • Jacob, Gordon: Bagatelles for Tuba EME
  • Johnston, Richard: Three Pieces for Tuba and Piano CMC
  • Masso, George: Suite for Louise KEN
  • Nelhybel, Vaclav: Suite for Tuba and Piano GMP

Level E

Transcribed Works

  • Alary, G.: Morceau de concours, op. 57 (arr. Himie Voxman, in Concert and Contest Collection RUB)
  • Bach, Johann Sebastian: Air and Bourree (arr. William]. Bell) FIS; SCH
  • Beethoven, Ludwig van (arr. William]. Bell): Variations on the theme of Judas Maccabeus by G.F. Handel FIS
  • Galliard, John Ernest: Sonata no. 6 (arr. Wesley Jacobs) ENC
  • Goltermann, Georg Edvard: Concerto no. 4, op. 65 (arr. William]. Bell) FIS
  • Handel, George Frideric: Adagio and Allegro (arr. Himie Voxman, in Concert and Contest Collection RUB)
  • Marcello, Benedetto: Sonata in F major, op. 1, no. 1 (transc. Donald C. Little and Richard B. Nelson) SOU
  • Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Suite No. 2 (arr. Arthur Frackenpohl) HAL
  • Stamitz, Karl: Rondo alla scherzo, from Clarinet Concerto in E flat major (arr. Herbert Wekselblatt, in Solos for the Tuba Player SCH)

Original Works for Tuba

  • Bernstein, Leonard: Waltz for Mippi III (in Solos for the Tuba Player SCH)
  • Dowling, Robert: His Majesty the Tuba (in Solo Sounds for Tuba, 1: levels 3-5 WAR)
  • Frackenpohl, Arthur: Variations for Tuba and Piano (The Cobbler’s Bench) SHA
  • Hartley, Walter Sinclair: Sonatina FEM
  • Holmes, G.E.: Emmett’s Lullaby RUB
  • Jacob, Gordon: Six Little Tuba Pieces EME
  • Raum, Elizabeth: T for Tuba VIR
  • Troje-Miller, N.: Sonata Classica BEL
  • Vaughan, Rodger: Concertpiece no. I FEM

Advanced

Level F

Transcribed Works

  • Blazhevich, Vladislav: Concert Sketch no. 5 (transc. Jason Atkinson) ENC
  • Gabrielli, Domenico: Ricercar (arr. R. Winston Morris) SHA
  • Marcello, Benedetto: Sonata in C major, op. 1, no. 5 (transc. Donald C. Little and Richard B. Nelson) SOU
  • Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Romance and Rondo (arr. Herbert Wekselblatt, in Solos for the Tuba Player SCH)
  • Vaughan Williams, Ralph: Six Studies in English Folk Song (arr. Michael Wagner) GAX
  • Vivaldi, Antonio: Concerto in A Minor (arr. Allen Ostrander) EMU

Original Works for Tuba

  • Benscriscutto, Frank: Concertino for Tuba and Piano SHA
  • Beversdorf, Thomas: Sonata for Bass Tuba and Piano SOU
  • Haddad, Don: Suite for Tuba SHA
  • Hartley, Walter Sinclair: Suite for Unaccompanied Tuba EVO
  • Kulesha, Gary: Humoreske in F, Two Little Leprechauns, and Burlesque for Tuba and Piano SON
  • Schmidt, William: Serenade for Tuba and Piano WES; INT
  • Schoonenbeek, Kees: Suite Concertante HSK
  • Tcherepnin, Alexander: Andante, op. 64 BLF
  • Vaughan, Rodger: Suite for Tuba BOO

Level G

Transcribed Repertoire

  • Bach, Johann Sebastian: Sonata no. 2 for Tuba and Piano (arr. Wesley Jacobs) ENC
  • Galliard, John Ernest: Sonata no. 5 in D minor (arr. Wesley Jacobs) ENC
  • Lebedev, Aleksei Konstantinovich: Concerto in One Movement (arr. Allen Ostrander) EMU
  • Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Concerto no. 4 in E flat major (for French horn) (arr. James Graham, in Concert Music for Tuba TEP)
  • Schumann, Robert: Drei Romanzen (arr. Floyd Cooley) TCL
  • Shostakovich, Dmitri: Adagio, from The Limpid Stream, op. 39 (arr. Roger Bobo) ENC
  • Strauss, Richard: Concerto, op. 11 (for French horn) (arr. James Graham, in Concert Music for Tuba TEP)
  • Vivaldi, Antonio: Sonata no. 2 (arr. Floyd Cooley) TCL Original Repertoire for Tuba
  • Broughton, Bruce: Sonata (Concerto) for Tuba and Piano MAS
  • Koetsier, Jan: Sonatina for Tuba and Piano, op. 57 DON
  • Kulesha, Gary: Sonata CMC
  • Muczynski, Robert: Impromptus for Solo Tuba, op. 32 SCH
  • Newton, Rodney: Capriccio for Tuba and Piano RSH
  • Rae, Allan: Serenade CMC
  • Swann, Donald: Two Moods for Tuba CML
  • Takacs, Jeno: Sonata Capricciosa, op. 81 DOB
  • Weinzweig, John: Divertimento no. 8 for Tuba and Orchestra CMC
  • Wilder, Alec: Sonata MEN

Level H

Concertos

  • Bames,James: Tuba Concerto SOU
  • Ewazen, Eric: Tuba Concerto SOU
  • Fleming, Robert: Concerto for Tuba CMC
  • Gregson, Edward: Tuba Concerto NOV
  • Heiden, Bernard: Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra SOU
  • Jager, Robert: Concerto for Bass Tuba and Symphony Orchestra BEL
  • Koetsier, Jan: Concertino, op. 77 BIM
  • Kulesha, Gary: Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra [piano-four hands accompaniment] CMC
  • Raum, Elizabeth: The Legend of Heimdall CMC
  • Raum, Elizabeth: Pershing Concerto TEP
  • Vaughan Williams, Ralph: Concerto for Bass Tuba OUP
  • Williams, John: Concerto for Tuba R&H

Sonatas

  • Bardwell, William: Sonata for Tuba and Piano LED/KIN
  • East, Harold: Sonatina for Tuba and Piano RIC
  • Glass, Jennifer: Sonatina for Tuba and Piano EME
  • Hindemith, Paul: Sonate fur Basstuba und Klavier EAM
  • Hummel, Bertold: Sonatine fur Basstuba und Klavier HOF
  • McIntyre, David L.: Sonata for Tuba and Piano CMC
  • Morawetz, Oskar: Sonata for Tuba AEN
  • Salzedo, Leonard: Sonata for Tuba and Piano, op. 93 CHS
  • Stevens, Halsey: Sonatina for Tuba and Piano SOU

Accompanied and Unaccompanied Concert Pieces

  • Badian, Maya: Mosaiques Sonores CMC; BAD
  • Fodi, John: Four Bagatelles, op. 58 CMC
  • Kraft, William: Encounters II MCA; BIM
  • Penderecki, Krzysztof: Capriccio EAM
  • Persichetti, Vincent: Parable XXII for Solo Tuba, op. 14 7 EVO
  • Persichetti, Vincent: Serenade no. 12 for Solo Tuba EVO
  • Plog, Anthony: Three Miniatures BIM
  • Schudel, Thomas: Line Drawings CMC; CZC
  • Wilder, Alec: Suite no. 1 for Tuba and Piano (“Effie Suite”) MRG