Mr. Tuba

Friends and Colleagues

451 “While learning an instrument, a musician benefits from hearing an ideal sound in his imagination, which he tries to achieve in reality. My ideal sound is Harvey’s, from all the lovely things I’ve heard him play.” Bill Crow, freelance bass musician “Leon Barzin used to call him the king of tuba players and say there was nobody like him. From the very beginning Harvey was respected as the greatest tuba player in the world. He played with such style and freedom. It was not just that he played the instrument well but he was such a good musician. He would knock off Fritz Kreisler, much to everybody’s astonishment.” Hugo Fiorato, conductor of the New York City Ballet Orchestra, former member of the WQXR String Quartet “He brought class to the low brass.” Clark Terry, New York freelance jazz trumpet “Harvey was very kind and friendly to me when I joined the New York City Ballet Orchestra. I was only twenty-one. He was generous in his conversation and made me feel like I belonged (something I have tried to emulate in my professional behavior). I always think of Harvey Phillips as a wonderful shining example of what an inspiring musician should be.” Orin O’Brien, double bassist, New York Philharmonic FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES 452 Friends and Colleagues “He plays his instrument better than anyone else in the world. Phillips ’s sound is unique. His tuba suggests a graceful trombone, or a horn minus its nasal qualities, or a baritone saxophone of the most velvet persuasion. His technique is astonishing. His arpeggios are glassy and clean, the alarming intervals he sometimes has to play are deft and exact, and his staccato passages are cream.” Whitney Balliett, The New Yorker magazine “Rehearsals and recording sessions were rescheduled by conductors if Harvey was not available. He was that much in demand.” Herb Wekselblatt, tubist, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra “When Harvey said he would take me places, I thought maybe we’d go to Kentucky, or even Illinois. Then we went all over the world. Every opportunity I’ve had has come directly from Harvey.” Steve Harlos, piano faculty, North Texas State University “I first met Harvey in 1963 when he came to the University of Wisconsin to perform with the New York Brass Quintet . Harvey was the best tuba player I’d ever heard. Little did I know then that I am still waiting to hear anyone better!” Eugene Anderson, composer, tubist “There are very few musicians and human beings whom I admire as much as Harvey. Very few musicians have given as selflessly to their profession as Harvey Phillips; very few have committed themselves so deeply to enhancing the cultural environment in which we toil, and very few have dedicated themselves so completely to training the young, helping colleagues and uplifting audiences. “He is not only a brilliant performer but, more than that, has taken the tuba out of the underdog category of instruments and has shown the world that the tuba can be an eloquent spokesman for all manner of musical artistic expression. He has been a driving force and initiator in dozens of organizations and projects, all of which are dedicated to improving our cultural climate and our profession. While most musicians think primarily about what they can get out of their profession , Harvey most of the time is thinking of what he can give to it.” Gunther Schuller, composer and conductor 453 Friends and Colleagues “So here I am, Harvey, a maturing jazz artist with pencil in hand, contemplating yet another piece for Tuba. Now, I wonder , who could have put such an idea in my head?” Roger Kellaway, jazz pianist, composer of more than twenty-five film scores “Some people did not know what was motivating Harvey. I can tell you from endless hours of observation that Harvey was never motivated by ego. His goals were way too sophisticated to be designed to elevate one person’s self-esteem. His objective was to do everything he possibly could to create opportunities for the tuba and the tubist and to advance the image of the tuba in the eyes of the music world and the audience at large. It would have been simple for someone of Harvey’s intellect and dedication to have focused on his own career. Harvey had a borderline obsession to improve the lot of his fellow tubists. “When Harvey found...