My name is Nick Etheridge, I’m a professional tuba player based in London … Welcome to my website, Tubagility

I have been busy commissioning, recording and performing new works with my tuba, which has become the driving force behind Tubagility.

The aim is to broaden the audience and widen the appeal of this wonderfully versatile instrument by creating and recording great new music.

The concept for Tubagility began when working with fellow musicians, arrangers and composers, to create new works with tuba and ensemble for us to perform that were musically interesting, satisfying to play, and practical to perform for all levels of performer from school concert to professional recital.

The tuba and low brass repertoire is littered with music that overwhelms the listener with a daunting array of super abundant technique but sadly this can often under whelm in a musical content.

Many of the soloistic pieces of music I have learnt over the years as a performer have left me cold, frustrated, and unsatisfied, but more fundamentally I believe that some of this music often holds little or no interest to the more general listening public, so I set about finding music that I wanted to perform and I believed friends would like to listen to and enjoy. My album ‘One Clear Call’ is the first result from this project.

One Clear Call

One Clear Call is my new album which includes over an hour of new music featuring performances from over 40 of London’s finest young professional musicians. With colourful new works, skilful and sympathetic arrangements, from Shostakovich to Jaco Pastorius, and fantastic new compositions from talented British composers, Dave Powell and Ben Ellin (both tuba players), I believe there is something here for everyone.

New Projects and Music for 2008

Now that One Clear Call has been released I am ready to record my latest collection of commissions. This new selection will also be fabulous to listen to and wonderful to perform, I am looking forward to the challenge of recording them. As we record them I shall put them up on this site to listen to.
  
New recording projects for 2008 include-

The Return of the Band from Uncle.
More fun and funky tracks for TV Big Band arranged by John O Neill.
Recorded January 08 and available soon, including-

      The New Avengers
      Are You Being Served
      Popcorn
      Enter the Dragon

What the Heck!
By J.P.Gandy .A 16 Minute Concerto for Tuba, Marimba and Jazz/Rock          Ensemble scores for solo tuba and Marimba ,Drums, Percussion, String bass, Alto sax/ Bass clarinet, Trombone, and  Trumpet!
This virtuosic four movement work includes four movements which end in an insane Jazz Calypso! This is going to be amazing!!

Justinian I
Composed by BBC Prom’s award winning young composer Joel Rust. This work was inspired by the ancient mosaic ceilings of Ravenna, and the Byzantine Emperor Justinian.
A three movement work scored for flute, Clarinet, Bassoon/Contrabassoon, Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, Tuba. Duration 8 minutes.

Beastie
This unusual work is by BBC Prom’s award winning composer Tom Harrold. This composition features two marimbas, Xylophone, Drum Kit and tuba. It’s minimal, funky and hypnotic. Duration 9 Minutes

The Three sisters
Inspired by the hills of the West Kerry Coast ,Irish/ French composer Sebastien Petiet as written a beautiful, atmospheric work for Irish Tin Whistles, Fiddle, Clarinet, Guitar, Banjo, 3 Flugal Horns and multiple Tubas. Duration 7 minutes.

Chamber Symphony
A colourful new work from well known composer, conductor and trombonist Simon Wills. This chamber Symphony is for Viola, Cello, String Bass, Bassoons, Clarinets, Oboes, Horns and Tuba. It is a wonderfully dark and reflective work. Duration 15 minutes.

Vaughan Williams Tuba Concerto 1st Movement 
This work was the first Concerto for the Tuba written back in 1954 and premiered by my first Tuba teacher Phil Catelinet.

I recorded this performance of the first movement in March this year with my old friend and Composer John Paul Gandy at the piano.

We will be collaborating again later this year to record his Concerto for Tuba, Marimba and group.