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Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra: Full Orchestra Conductor Score and Parts

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Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra Cover Image
Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra: Full Orchestra Conductor Score and Parts

Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra: Full Orchestra Conductor Score and Parts

By Clarence E. Barber

Item: 36-15260001
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Description
Seldom does the tuba receive the proper attention it deserves as a melodic instrument. It is true that its value as the foundation of the sound of both bands and orchestras somewhat hinders its use melodically, but the instrument possesses a true beauty of tone that should be heard more often. The tuba is capable of exquisite emotional range and sensitivity. It is far more versatile than most would believe and can execute rhythmic passages with surprising agility. This concerto explores these capabilities, placing the instrument above, below, and inside the accompaniment, creating unique sonorities while giving the tuba player the melodies he or she has always wanted to play. Concerto for Tuba was composed for Ronald Bishop, long-time principal tuba of the Cleveland Orchestra. Band, orchestra, and piano accompaniments are all available from the publisher.

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Additional Details
Series: LudwigMasters Concert Masters
Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.
UPC: 654690619235
SKU: 36-15260001
Instrumentation: Tuba, Full Orchestra

More about this title

About the Composer: Clarence E. Barber

Clarence E. Barber composed this concerto with a specific artist in mind: Ronald Bishop, the renowned principal tuba of the Cleveland Orchestra. Barber understood that a tuba concerto needed to transcend the instrument's foundational role and expose its lyrical capabilities to an audience that rarely hears it as a soloist.

Why we love this

Barber's concerto treats the tuba as a genuine solo voice rather than relegating it to accompaniment, making it one of the most rewarding large ensemble pieces you can program for a serious tuba player. The work's inventive orchestration gives the soloist moments of lyrical beauty alongside passages that showcase rhythmic precision and agility, qualities often overlooked in the instrument's typical role. Audiences leave genuinely moved by what the tuba can express when given the chance.

What to expect

The concerto moves between intimate vulnerability and bold declaration. The tuba sings with surprising warmth in its lyrical passages while maintaining authority in the work's more rhythmically active sections. You hear an instrument reclaim its voice after centuries of supporting others.

Who it's for

Orchestras with an accomplished principal tuba and a conductor committed to featuring the instrument as a solo voice. This works equally well for university orchestras and advanced community ensembles where the tuba player has the technical security and musical maturity to sustain extended melodic passages.

How to get the most out of it

  • Balance the soloist's sustained lines against the orchestra by having the tuba project forward without the ensemble overpowering; rehearse tutti sections with awareness of the soloist's dynamic arc.
  • Give the tuba player multiple runs through the accompaniment patterns alone before combining them, particularly in passages where the soloist plays against intricate rhythmic figures in the orchestra.
  • Mark all dynamic peaks for both soloist and orchestra in advance so that climactic moments feel inevitable rather than accidental; the concerto's emotional payoff depends on disciplined ensemble control.

How to use it

Feature this as a centerpiece concert event, pairing it with orchestral works that allow the tuba to retreat into its traditional role so the contrast amplifies its solo brilliance. It's particularly effective on a concert celebrating principal players or on a program devoted to the range of orchestral instruments.

Skills your students will build

  • Solo line phrasing and breath control in the lower register
  • Rhythmic precision and agility in accompaniment-based passages
  • Balance and blend awareness when playing above ensemble textures
  • Emotional expression through dynamic and tonal variation

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