Rowland Adds Sound Effects, Singing, Tongue-Slapping To Tuba Concert

VALDOSTA — When it came time to select the music for an upcoming performance, Dr. Daniel Jay Rowland leaned heavily toward pieces that he enjoys, that he thought others would enjoy, and that show people what the tuba is capable of doing.

“So many people are still under the assumption that the back row lives in an ‘oom-pah’ world, but there is so much more” said the adjunct professor of euphonium and tuba at Valdosta State University and principal tuba with Sinfonia Gulf Coast, Destin, Fla.

At 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 18, Rowland will perform a few of his favorites for a South Georgia / North Florida audience, starting with Jorge Salgueiro’s “cONCERTO fOR tUBA” and continuing with William Kraft’s “Encounters II for Solo Tuba” and Anthony Plog’s “Tuba Sonata.” Maila Springfield, who teaches accompanying piano to majors at VSU, will join him onstage.

“The audience can expect an exciting recital showing them aspects of the tuba they may have never dreamed of, including an extended range — extremely high and extremely low — fast and technical playing, traditional and lyrical playing, and a multitude of extended techniques, including sound effects, singing, tongue-slapping, and multiphonics — singing and playing at the same time,” said Rowland, who also teaches low brass at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts and private lessons for First Coast Community Music School, both in Jacksonville, Fla., where he lives.

Rowland is in his second semester teaching at VSU. Like many teachers, he said that nothing makes him happier than his students’ successes.

“I love sharing what I’ve learned and experienced in my musical life with my students,” he said. “Seeing a smile on a student’s face after he’s achieved a musical goal, no matter how small, is one of the best feelings in the world. I also think of my students as my colleagues, and I thoroughly enjoy the simple pleasure of sharing a passion with them.”

Rowland discovered the tuba as a seventh-grade band student and has been playing the instrument for roughly 15 years. He was drawn to low instruments and initially contemplated playing the bass clarinet, as well as the tuba. However, he was told he would have to play clarinet before bass clarinet.

“I didn’t want to do that,” he said. “The rest is history, as they say. I primarily play tuba, but I dabble in euphonium and bass trombone, and I used to play a lot of bass guitar.”

Thursday’s performance is free and open to the public and will be held in Whitehead Auditorium, on the first floor of the Fine Arts Building, located at the intersection of Brookwood Drive and Oak Street.

Contact Dr. Daniel Jay Rowland at rowland.danny@gmail.com or visit www.tubadaniel.com to learn more.