The tuba has been played since the mid-19th century, in the midst of the Romantic period of Western Classical music. Along with classical music, the instrument appears in a variety of jazz styles as well film and circus music. Most professional tubists are tied to ensembles such as symphony orchestras and bands—including brass, concert and Jazz bands—or academic institutions. A smaller minority spend their careers as solo or chamber musicians.
Among the instrument's notable classical performers are William Bell, John Fletcher, Arnold Jacobs and Harvey Phillips. Noted Jazz players include Don Butterfield, Howard Johnson and Michel Godard. Accomplished soloist and chamber musicians include James Gourlay, Øystein Baadsvik, Velvet Brown and August Schieldrop. Tubists who played primarily for f...
Main article image
Audio a.svg
Line art drawing of the A note
Bill Muter at Riviera Maya Jazz Festival.jpg
Bill Muter at the Riviera Maya Jazz Festival in 2018 with Drew Tucker and the New Standard
Chuck Daellenbach 2014.jpg
Chuck Daellenbach in 2014
Clifford Bevan.jpg
Clifford Bevan, c. 2000
GClef.svg
G clef; one of Musical score components
Hot 8 Bennie Pete Old Algiers Riverfest.jpg
Hot 8 Brass Band's Bennie Pete on sousaphone at Old Algiers Riverfest, New Orleans
James Gourlay.jpg
COL Thomas Palmatier with James Gourlay
Photo by SSG Hrant Parsamian
Josef Kinzel Der Tubaspieler 1892.jpg
Loz tuba.png
Bob Stewart playing Tuba at Pianos in NYC with Eli Yamin
Mansur Scott Harlem Quartet feat Howard Johnson - INNtöne Jazzfestival 2013 02.jpg
Mansur Scott (voc, perc), Howard Johnson (bar, tub, fl), Oliver Kent (p), Wolfram Derschmidt (b), Ma...
Marcus-Rojas.jpg
Marcus Rojas performing with Steven Bernsteein and Kresten Osgood (2007)
Michel Godard-5766.jpg
Der Tubist Michel Godard beim TFF Rudolstadt 2014
Michel Massot BJF 1.jpg
Michel Massot au sein de la formation Massot/Horba/Florizoone, lors du concert donné au Brosella Fol...
Min Leibrook.jpg
The tubist and double bassist Min Leibrook in 1924. Cropped from a larger image of his full band.
Saxo Boca1.JPG
Theon Cross at Ljubljana, May 2015.jpg
Theon Cross performing live on Druga godba festival in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
ThomasLeleu.jpg
Thomas Leleu, "the young world star of the tuba"
Tubadsvik.jpg
baadsvik
Walter English.png
The Tuba player Walter English posing with his instrument, date unknown
Walter Hilgers 2013.jpg
Walter Hilgers