Course Description
MVB2325 — Principal Applied Tuba is the sophomore-level applied music course in tuba for students whose principal instrument is tuba. The course consists of weekly private one-on-one lessons with an applied tuba faculty member, supported by daily individual practice and concurrent participation in an allied ensemble (typically wind ensemble, symphonic band, brass choir, or orchestra). Students develop fundamental tuba technique, range, breath capacity, articulation, tone production, and graded etude/solo repertoire at the sophomore standard, culminating in a faculty jury examination at the end of the semester.
This course is offered at approximately 26 Florida public colleges and universities, including Valencia College, Miami Dade College, Hillsborough Community College, Florida State College at Jacksonville, St. Petersburg College, Daytona State College, Santa Fe College, Palm Beach State College, Florida SouthWestern State College, Pensacola State College, Northwest Florida State College, and Broward College. It articulates to the sophomore applied tuba sequence at FSU, UF, UM Frost, UCF, USF, UWF, FAMU, and other State University System music programs subject to placement audition.
The Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS) encodes information about applied music courses in the digits of the course number. Following the convention documented by Florida State University's College of Music, the first digit indicates academic level (1 = freshman, 2 = sophomore, 3 = junior, 4 = senior), the second digit indicates the applied music placement (2 = secondary, 3 = principal, 4 = performance), the third digit repeats the first, and the fourth digit indicates the specific instrument within the prefix family.
For MVB2325, the prefix MVB denotes Applied Music: Brasses; 2 indicates sophomore level; 3 indicates principal placement; 2 repeats the academic level; and the final 5 places tuba in the brass score order (preceded by trumpet = 1, horn = 2, trombone = 3, baritone horn = 4).
Learning Outcomes
Required Outcomes
Upon successful completion of MVB2325, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate healthy embouchure formation, breathing technique, and air-supported tone production across the full sophomore-level tuba range (typically pedal F or lower through high F or G above middle C).
- Apply large-volume breathing technique appropriate to the demands of the bass voice in brass writing.
- Perform all major scales (two octaves) at varied tempos with appropriate articulation and uniform tone across registers.
- Perform natural and harmonic minor scales, full-range chromatic scales, and major and minor arpeggios at sophomore standard.
- Apply varied articulation at sophomore standard: legato, marcato, staccato; introductory multiple tonguing.
- Prepare and perform contrasting etudes — one lyrical, one technical — from standard sources such as Grigoriev Studies for Tuba, Bordogni 43 Bel Canto Studies, Blazhevich 70 Studies for Tuba, Kopprasch 60 Selected Studies, or Tyrell Advanced Studies for Tuba.
- Prepare and perform a solo from the standard tuba repertoire (e.g., Haddad Suite for Tuba; Lebedev Concerto in One Movement; Persichetti Serenade No. 12; or comparable freshman/sophomore standard work).
- Demonstrate improving sight-reading at a level appropriate for chamber music and intermediate orchestral playing.
- Perform a sophomore-level faculty jury demonstrating prepared scales, etudes, and solo repertoire.
- Continue concurrent participation in an allied ensemble (wind ensemble, symphonic band, brass choir, tuba-euphonium ensemble, or orchestra).
Optional Outcomes
- Demonstrate introductory orchestral excerpt study (Wagner Die Meistersinger Overture; Berlioz Hungarian March; Strauss Don Quixote; Mahler symphonies).
- Engage in tuba-euphonium ensemble repertoire (a Florida-rich performance format with strong programs at FSU and UF).
- Develop F tuba and CC tuba awareness (different instrument keys for different repertoire contexts).
- Develop jazz/commercial style tuba playing (where institutional jazz studies emphasis exists).
- Engage in brass quintet or other brass chamber music.
Major Topics
Required Topics
- Embouchure and Tone Production: Lip formation, mouthpiece placement, air column, tonal consistency across the wide tuba range, register transitions.
- Breathing and Air Support: Maximum-volume breathing technique, breath capacity development, breath economy across long sustained passages typical of tuba writing.
- Range Development: Systematic range expansion through long tones, lip slurs, octave studies, pedal-tone work, and graduated high-register development.
- Articulation: Single-tongue clarity, legato, marcato, staccato; introduction to double-tongue and triple-tongue.
- Daily Technique Routine: Schlossberg-style daily drills adapted for tuba; Sears Music for Sight Reading; Bordogni vocalises (transposed for tuba range).
- Foundational Etudes (Lyrical): Bordogni 43 Bel Canto Studies (the foundational lyrical text adapted from vocalises); Concone Lyrical Studies.
- Foundational Etudes (Technical): Grigoriev Studies for Tuba; Blazhevich 70 Studies for Tuba; Kopprasch 60 Selected Studies; Tyrell Advanced Studies for Tuba.
- Solo Repertoire: Haddad Suite for Tuba; Lebedev Concerto in One Movement; Persichetti Serenade No. 12; Hartley Suite for Unaccompanied Tuba; Telemann Sonata in F Minor (transcribed). Sophomore-level Russian and 20th-century repertoire forms a substantial portion of the standard tuba literature.
- Equipment Awareness: Tuba sizes (BB-flat, CC, E-flat, F); standard mouthpieces (Helleberg, PT series); valve and slide care; instrument transport and storage.
- Performance Preparation: Memorization (where required), management of performance anxiety, jury preparation, recital etiquette.
Optional Topics
- Major Tuba Concerti: Vaughan Williams Concerto for Bass Tuba; Hindemith Sonata for Tuba (foundational works in the upper-division tuba canon, beginning study at the sophomore level).
- Orchestral Excerpts: Wagner Die Meistersinger; Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique "Witches' Sabbath"; Strauss Don Quixote; Mahler symphonies; Stravinsky Petrushka; Bartók Concerto for Orchestra.
- Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble: Nelhybel Suite for Tubas; Forte Music for Three Tubas; published quartets and choir works.
- Brass Chamber Music: Brass quintet repertoire (Ewald, Ewazen, Plog).
- Multiple Instruments: Awareness of CC tuba (orchestral standard in the United States), F tuba (solo and chamber repertoire), and BB-flat tuba (band/concert standard).
Resources & Tools
- Studio Faculty Member: Primary applied teacher (typically a part- or full-time tuba professor) who delivers weekly individual lessons.
- Practice Facilities: Dedicated brass practice rooms with adequate ventilation; tuba-friendly chair and space; storage for institutional instruments.
- Foundational Methods: Arban's Complete Conservatory Method (tuba edition); Bordogni-Rochut studies (transposed for tuba); Bordogni 43 Bel Canto Studies.
- Etude Books: Grigoriev Studies for Tuba; Blazhevich 70 Studies for Tuba; Kopprasch 60 Selected Studies; Tyrell Advanced Studies for Tuba; Sears Music for Sight Reading.
- Solo Anthologies: Solos for the Tuba Player (Schirmer); Concert and Contest Collection for Tuba (Rubank).
- Equipment: Quality intermediate or professional tuba (institutional or personal); standard mouthpiece (Helleberg 7B, Bach 18, or Perantucci PT series); cleaning rod and valve oil.
- Studio Class: Weekly group meeting for performance practice, peer feedback, masterclass discussion.
- Jury Committee: Multi-faculty panel for end-of-semester performance evaluation.
- International Tuba Euphonium Association (ITEA): Professional organization providing the ITEA Journal, the biennial International Tuba Euphonium Conference (ITEC), competitions, and pedagogical resources. Florida regularly hosts regional ITEA events.
Career Pathways
- Music Educator (K–12, post-completion of BME and Florida teacher certification through FTCE Music K–12).
- Performing Musician in regional orchestras, opera and ballet pit orchestras, theatre productions, jazz ensembles, and chamber groups. Florida hosts the Florida Orchestra (Tampa Bay), Naples Philharmonic, Jacksonville Symphony, Orlando Philharmonic, Sarasota Orchestra, Palm Beach Symphony, Florida Grand Opera, and the Sarasota Opera.
- Theme Park & Entertainment Performer at Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, and Disney Cruise Line.
- Cruise Ship Musician for vessels homeporting at Florida's major embarkation ports (PortMiami, Port Canaveral, Port Everglades, Port Tampa Bay, Jacksonville).
- Worship and Liturgical Musician for churches across Florida's metro and rural communities.
- Private Studio Teacher, often credentialed through the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) or instrument-specific Florida professional associations.
- Military Musician with U.S. Armed Forces premier bands or regional service bands (audition required; competitive).
- Studio Recording & Session Work, particularly in the Miami, Orlando, and Tampa recording markets.
Students intending to pursue performance professionally should plan on completing a Bachelor of Music (BM) in Performance at a Florida university — typically Florida State University, University of Florida, University of Miami (Frost), University of Central Florida, University of South Florida, University of West Florida, Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University, Florida Gulf Coast University, or Florida A&M University — and continuing to graduate study or competitive auditions.
Tuba graduates have additional career destinations specific to the instrument: military service bands (the Marine Band "President's Own", Army Field Band, Air Force Band, Navy Band — tuba positions are highly competitive and prestigious); orchestral tuba positions (extremely competitive; one tuba position per orchestra); theme-park brass sections at Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando; and brass band tradition (tuba-euphonium ensembles and British-style brass bands have a substantial Florida following).
Special Information
SCNS Transferability
Applied music courses with prefixes MVB, MVH, MVJ, MVK, MVO, MVP, MVS, MVV, and MVW are not automatically transferable under the Florida Statewide Course Numbering System. Per FSCJ's published policy on the SCNS, these courses require evidence of skill achievement (audition, jury performance, or portfolio) and must be evaluated individually by the receiving institution. Students transferring to a four-year music program should plan to audition with the receiving institution's applied faculty regardless of credits earned. The Florida Common Prerequisites Manual (available at floridashines.org) lists state-wide prerequisite expectations for music majors transferring to State University System institutions; faculty in the receiving program place students into the appropriate applied level based on audition.
Continued Audition Standing
Continuation in MVB2325 typically requires successful completion of MVB1315 (or equivalent freshman applied tuba sequence) with a passing jury. Some institutions hold a sophomore "barrier" jury evaluating readiness for the 2325 series.
Credit Hour Variation
Per the Florida SouthWestern State College catalog, MVB2325 is offered at 2 credits with permission of the instructor as prerequisite and MUS 1010 (student recital) as a corequisite. The catalog notes "thirty minutes of private instruction per week equals one credit hour" — meaning a 2-credit course typically corresponds to a 60-minute weekly lesson at FSW. Other Florida institutions follow similar conventions, with credit values ranging from 1 to 2 credits per semester.
Co-requisite Requirements
Most institutions require concurrent enrollment in a major ensemble (wind ensemble, symphonic band, brass choir, or orchestra), in music theory and ear training (MUT 1112 or 2116), and in another music course (any MUx-prefix course other than Music Appreciation).
Lab Fee and Equipment
Most institutions charge a private lesson lab fee in addition to standard tuition (typically $75–$200 per semester). Tuba is a substantial financial commitment for the student musician: institutional loaner instruments are common because of cost, but students serious about tuba performance typically purchase or lease a personal CC or F tuba by the upper-division level. Mouthpieces, gig bags, and instrument cases also represent significant costs.
Continuation Sequence
MVB2325 is followed in the standard sequence by a continuing sophomore semester (often a repeat of MVB2325) and then by MVB3335 at the junior principal level. Successful completion through MVB3335 (by jury) is a degree requirement for the Bachelor of Music Education at FSU and similar requirements at peer institutions.