Stephen Dumaine
Stephen Dumaine is proof positive that persistence pays. Each major orchestra employs just one tuba player full-time, making the openings few and far between. Persevering against those who told him he couldn't make a living as a tuba player, a year in which he had no professional musical employment (practicing on his own throughout that time), and 21 auditions, he has become the principal tuba of the National Symphony Orchestra.
He grew up in Burrilville, Rhode Island, and during his high school years he was a member of the Greater Boston Youth Symphony, winning a concerto competition to appear as soloist with them when he was eighteen. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree from The Juilliard School, and was principal tuba in Spain's Orquesta Sinfonica de Galicia during the 1995-96 season.
Stephen Dumaine is proof positive that persistence pays. Each major orchestra employs just one tuba player full-time, making the openings few and far between. Persevering against those who told him he couldn't make a living as a tuba player, a year in which he had no professional musical employment (practicing on his own throughout that time), and 21 auditions, he has become the principal tuba of the National Symphony Orchestra.
He grew up in Burrilville, Rhode Island, and during his high school years he was a member of the Greater Boston Youth Symphony, winning a concerto competition to appear as soloist with them when he was eighteen. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree from The Juilliard School, and was principal tuba in Spain's Orquesta Sinfonica de Galicia during the 1995-96 season. Mr. Dumaine then returned to the United States, where his orchestral experience includes positions with the New World Symphony, the San Antonio Symphony, and the Alabama Symphony, and substitute work with the New York City Ballet Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. National and international festival experience includes Tanglewood, Aspen, National Repertory Orchestra, SHIRA Festival (Israel), and Pacific Music Festival (Japan).
Video and Audio
Stephen Dumaine on the tuba
Stephen Dumaine on his colleagues in the NSO
Stephen Dumaine on the course of his career
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