'Tips from the Top' - Interview with Joel Collier

This weeks 'Tips from the Top' features American Euphonium Player Joel Collier who has just released his very first CD 'Shadowed'.

1.  When did you start to play the euphonium?

I began playing the euphonium when I was 9. I had been playing cornet and tenor horn before that, but the euphonium appealed to me and I was finally big enough to make the switch.

2. What is a typical day/week like for you?

I’m lucky enough to have a job where I get to teach music. I work for the Salvation Army as the Creative Arts & Ministries Director in Fredericksburg Virginia, and I teach music there several nights a week, as well as lead the music on Sunday mornings. I also play in the National Capital Band, which rehearses every Monday night in Washington D.C. In addition to those responsibilities, I also write and edit music when I’m home, which I really enjoy. On the weekends I like to take every opportunity I have to travel and perform with bands or in recitals at colleges and churches.

3. What has been your most interesting/unusual concert performance?

I have performed a lot of outdoor concerts, and there are always memorable moments when the general public is there to hear a band. People come up and dance right next to you or talk (loudly) throughout some of the pieces. It is always an interesting experience, even more so when you travel to other countries.

4. What skills/personal attributes are most important to being a successful Euphonium Player?

I think the single biggest one is dedication. If you aren’t dedicated to doing it, then nothing else will make you successful. Another is patience. Practice rooms have an uncanny way of testing someone’s patience, so it takes quite a lot to practice regularly and not want to throw in the towel.

5. What personal advice would you offer to the average Euphonium player?

Play as much as you can! Take every opportunity that is presented to you to play in a band, or especially as a soloist. If you aren’t presented any opportunities, then, politely, look and ask for opportunities to play.

6. What are your favorite Euphonium Solo’s?

This is actually a very tough question. There are so many pieces I love; it’s hard to narrow it down. Two of my favorite large works are the Wilby Concerto for Euphonium, and Golland Euphonium Concerto No. 2. Smaller works there are a whole host of them. Right now I would have to say Shadowed (Dorothy Gates), Dearest Name (David Catherwood), and Harlequin (Philip Sparke).

7. Tell me about your personal practice schedule/routine?

I like to practice in the mornings before I go in to work. It gives me a set amount of time I have so I can be diligent about getting enough time in. The biggest thing for me, since I have to learn so much repertoire, is ensuring I give enough time to fundamentals and etudes, rather than just get consumed with the next concerto or test piece I need to learn.

8. You recently recorded your very first CD ‘Shadowed’, can you tell me a little about how this project came about.

This recording is something I wanted to do for several years, though the concept evolved over time. At first I wanted to make a recording of some of the large works that I had performed throughout graduate school, but then several recordings by some prominent soloists were released, and featured several of those pieces. So I went back to the drawing board, and the result was a recording featuring new or lesser known works for euphonium and brass band. I was able to get some really great new works commissioned, as well as several that had not previously been recorded. Ultimately it turned out to be a nice vessel to get new music out to people.

9. What advice would you offer somebody about to record their very first solo CD?

Decide what the vision is for your recording, and program your music to fit that vision. There should be some connection in the repertoire you select. Also, know that it is going to cost you! It is an expensive process, but I promise the end result is well worth it.

10. During your University studies you recently came to England to study with some of the leading Euphonium players, including discussing with Philip Wilby his Euphonium Concerto, Can you tell me a little about the similarities and differences between The American and British Banding scene?

As far as brass bands go, it is still a developing genre in the United States. Those that are fully immersed understand it in the same way as most in the UK, but most brass players in the US have never played in a brass band. Many haven’t even heard one! That is something that is changing, as more and more brass bands are established in communities and universities across the country. People are falling in love with the brass band, and hopefully soon it will be as popular and active as it is overseas.

11. Who would you say is the one euphonium player who has influenced you the most?

I would have to say the single most influential player was Aaron VanderWeele. He saw me as a young upcoming euphonium talent, and really pushed and encouraged me to improve. I was also able to hear him perform as a soloist and within the New York Staff Band, and that changed the way I thought about performing, both within the band and as a soloist. There have been several others, though, who have also been great influences on me. People like Derick Kane and Steven Mead have greatly influenced me as I have developed as a musician.

12.  What advice would you give to a musician recently graduated from college?

Make sure you keep up the good habits you developed in college. Sometimes a job can keep you from things like practicing and studying and it is up to you to ensure you have the time and diligence to practice. Also, my professor encouraged me to “be my own best teacher,” and by that, he meant to be very particular and honest with yourself about your playing. Don’t assume everything just sounds good, but listen the way your teacher would listen, and give yourself feedback the same way they would. If you can do that you will never stop developing as a performer.

13. What are your future ambitions?

I hope to continue increasing my opportunities to travel and perform. It seems each year I have more chances to perform in places I’ve never been, and that is really exciting! I also plan on making new recordings every few years. There is so much good music that needs to get out to people, and I feel recording it is a great way for people to hear what some composers are creating for the euphonium. 

Thank you Joel for taking the time to chat to me. I look forward to hearing some of your future projects coming to fruition in the near future and look forward to catching up soon.