TBJ167: Charles Villarrubia
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On This Episode of The Brass Junkies:
How he has revamped the brass chamber music program at University of Texas at Austin
Why regularly performing for your colleagues encourages accountability and independent artistic decisions
The value of playing in a chamber group with different instruments
Why he teaches students things like how to give comments to others and conflict resolution
How impressed Charles was about the resilience of his students during COVID
The value of working slowly to achieve a greater end
Quilting together a career
His experience at Boston University in the 80s and how it affected his life
What it was like to have regular coachings and performance classes for Empire Brass
How important Sam Pilafian was to him then and now
The first time he heard Empire Brass perform and how it changed his life
Why in some ways it’s never been more exciting to be a musician
The dangers of outsourcing your own definition of success
Bio:
Charles Villarrubia serves as Associate Professor of Tuba/Euphonium and Brass Chamber Music at The University of Texas at Austin. Mr. Villarrubia is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana and a founding member of Rhythm & Brass. He received his Bachelors degree in music performance at Louisiana State University and a Masters degree in music performance from Boston University. He has been a member of the Dallas Brass, the Waterloo Festival Orchestra and the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra.
In 1984 he was awarded first prize in the T.U.B.A. orchestral competition, becoming the first individual to win that award. In addition, Mr. Villarrubia frequently performs with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops Orchestras and has recorded with the latter of those ensembles.
A staunch advocate of student involvement in chamber music, Mr. Villarrubia has authored a chamber music method book called Team Play With Rhythm & Brass – a guide to making chamber music. The book gives the student and educator a blueprint on how to start and maintain a successful chamber ensemble.
He has also written articles on the subject and been a guest lecturer at the Mid-West Band and Orchestra Clinic and the Music Educators National Convention. Charles has premiered no fewer than five new works for the tuba, several of which he commissioned.
Mr. Villarrubia has appeared on four continents as a guest clinician and performer for the Yamaha Corporation and has recorded on the Telarc, Angel EMI, d’note, Koch, Bear Claw, and Azadmusico labels. He has been a faculty member at Boston University, Boston Conservatory, New England Conservatory, Longy School of Music, Interlochen Center for he Arts and currently spends his summers teaching at the Brevard Music Center.
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With Thanks
The brass program at The Mary Pappert School of Music at Duquesne University
Parker Mouthpieces (including the Andrew Hitz and Lance LaDuke models.)
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Expertly produced by Will Houchin with love, care, and enthusiasm.
