Some Brief Memories of Harvey Phillips

The brass world lost a great Wednesday morning with the passing of tubist Harvey Phillips at age 80. I had limited direct contact with Phillips over the years but certainly the early contacts in particular made an impact on me.

Many schools have guest artists come in as soloist and clinicians. In my case, my undergraduate school Emporia State University had Phillips in as a soloist and clinician in the middle of my undergrad years, during 1982-83 right after my first embouchure change in the period when I was getting really serious about the horn. He performed the Vaughn Williams concerto with our band and gave a master class. I remember both events well; like I was just there not long ago but actually it was nearly 30 years ago.

Also not long after that, probably the next year, the Matteson-Phillips Tubajazz Consort was in for a concert series performance on campus as a part of a community concert series. Not only do I still recall that concert clearly but also I still have the record I bought after the performance.

In a sense my personal early memories are more about being inspired than anything specific I recall, but inspiration of the right sort at the right time is certainly an important part of what got us going on our horns. He was among the first big name brass players that I had seen give a master class and performed with which is also a part of why I remember it well.

A few years later I would also mention that I played Wagner tuba at a Tuba Christmas event in Kansas! I recently pulled out the music from that as well, another contact with some of the impact Phillips had on our musical world. I have often thought of playing Wagner Tuba again at another Tuba Christmas event.

There is more online in remembrance of Phillips and it will only grow in the coming days. In particular the blog being developed at the IU School of Music in tribute to Phillips looks like it will be a wonderful resource. Phillips was a real great of our brass community who will be missed.

UPDATE: Also be sure to read his obituary in The New York Times.