GUEST ARTISTS
CHARLES VILLARRUBIA
University of Texas at Austin
Professor of Tuba and Euphonium
Charles Villarrubia serves as Associate Professor of Tuba/Euphonium and Brass Chamber Music at The University of Texas at Austin. Mr. Villarrubia is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana and a founding member of Rhythm & Brass. He received his Bachelors degree in music performance at Louisiana State University and a Masters degree in music performance from Boston University. He has been a member of the Dallas Brass, the Waterloo Festival Orchestra and the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra.
In 1984 he was awarded first prize in the T.U.B.A. orchestral competition, becoming the first individual to win that award. In addition, Mr. Villarrubia frequently performs with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops Orchestras and has recorded with the latter of those ensembles.
A staunch advocate of student involvement in chamber music, Mr. Villarrubia has authored a chamber music method book called Team Play With Rhythm & Brass – a guide to making chamber music. The book gives the student and educator a blueprint on how to start and maintain a successful chamber ensemble.
He has also written articles on the subject and been a guest lecturer at the Mid-West Band and Orchestra Clinic and the Music Educators National Convention. Charles has premiered no fewer than five new works for the tuba, several of which he commissioned.
Mr. Villarrubia has appeared on four continents as a guest clinician and performer for the Yamaha Corporation and has recorded on the Telarc, Angel EMI, d’note, Koch, Bear Claw, and Azadmusico labels. He has been a faculty member at Boston University, Boston Conservatory, New England Conservatory, Longy School of Music, Interlochen Center for he Arts and currently spends his summers teaching at the Brevard Music Center.
FivE QUARTET
Professional Euphonium Quartet
Besson Performing Artists
FivE is a creative and innovative new quartet that pushes the boundaries of low brass chamber music. Combining comedy and theater with outstanding musicianship, FivE brings fresh energy to a unique musical product. Conceived in 2012, FivE has attracted national attention for its distinguished sound, popular YouTube videos, and success in chamber music competitions. In 2013, FivE was selected internationally as one of twelve ensembles to compete in the 40th Fischoff Chamber Music Competition, the largest of its kind in the world. FivE is the only euphonium quartet ever to advance to the Fischoff quarterfinals.
The recent emergence of euphonium quartet as a serious performing ensemble coincides with a need to expand the canon of original repertoire. As a result, FivE composes, arranges, and adapts new music and old favorites specifically tailored to the strengths of the ensemble while combating the difficulties of arranging for homogeneous instruments.
FivE performed their popular shows “NEON”, “#hashtags”, and “FivE Years of FivE” in over a dozen cities since 2015. Highlight performances include a featured recital at the International Tuba Euphonium Conference, a showcase at the TMEA convention, and four keynote appearances at ITEA conferences. The quartet also regularly gives clinics and has toured through Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Florida, Indiana, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
Individually, the members of FivE have excelled in prestigious solo and composition competitions. Their successes include first prizes in the Leonard Falcone International Euphonium and Tuba Festival, the MTNA Young Artist Solo and Composition Competitions, ITEC Young Artist Competition, Euphoniumcommissions.org, and University Concerto Competitions.
In the Fall of 2017, FivE released their first full album titled “Play” on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, and other popular media platforms. FivE is a performing ensemble with Buffet Crampon and plays exclusively on Besson instruments.