Name	Euphonium
Background	brass
Classification	Wind Brass Aerophone
Hornbostel sachs	423.232
Hornbostel sachs desc	Valved aerophone sounded by lip movement
Developed	1840s from the ophicleide
Range
Related	*Alto horn (tenor horn) Fluegelhorn Baritone horn Trombone Tuba}}

The euphonium is a conical-bore, tenor-voiced brass instrument. It derives its name from the Greek word ''euphonos'', meaning "well-sounding" or "sweet-voiced" (''eu'' means "well" or "good" and ''phonos'' means "of sound", so "of good sound"). The euphonium is a valved instrument; nearly all current models are piston valved, though rotary valved models do exist.

A person who plays the euphonium is sometimes called a ''euphoniumist'', ''euphophonist'', or a ''euphonist'', while British players often colloquially refer to themselves as ''euphists.'' Similarly, the instrument itself is often referred to as ''eupho'' or ''euph''.

Construction and general characteristics

The euphonium (like the baritone; see below for differences) is pitched in concert B, meaning that when no valves are in use the instrument will produce partials of the B harmonic series. In North America, music for the instrument is usually written in the bass clef at concert pitch (that is, without transposition), though treble clef euphonium parts, transposing down a major ninth, are included in much concert band music. In the British-style brass band tradition, euphonium music is always written this way. It can also be written in tenor clef at concert pitch, which is usually done to prevent too many ledger lines in case it is a high part. In continental European music, parts for the euphonium are sometimes written in the bass clef a major second higher than sounding.

Professional models have three top-action valves, played with the first three fingers of the right hand, plus a "compensating" fourth valve, generally found midway down the right side of the instrument, played with the left index finger; such an instrument is shown in the above picture. Beginner models often have only the three top-action valves, while some intermediate "student" models may have a fourth top-action valve, played with the fourth finger of the right hand. Compensating systems are expensive to build, and there is in general a substantial difference in price between compensating and non-compensating models. For a thorough discussion of the valves and the compensation system, see the article on brass instruments.

The euphonium has an extensive range, comfortably from E2 to about D5 for intermediate players (using scientific pitch notation). In professional hands this may extend from B0 to as high as B5. The lowest notes obtainable depend on the valve set-up of the instrument. All instruments are chromatic down to E2, but 4-valved instruments extend that down to at least C2. Non-compensating four-valved instruments suffer from intonation problems from E2 down to C2 and cannot produce the low B1; compensating instruments do not have such intonation problems and can play the low B-natural. From B1 down lies the "pedal range", i.e. the fundamentals of the instrument's harmonic series. They are easily produced on the euphonium as compared to other brass instruments, and the extent of the range depends on the make of the instrument in exactly the same way as just described. Thus, on a compensating four-valved instrument, the lowest note possible is B0, sometimes called double pedal B, which is six ledger lines below the bass clef.

As with the other conical-bore instruments, the cornet, flugelhorn, horn, and tuba, the euphonium's tubing gradually increases in diameter throughout its length, resulting in a softer, gentler tone compared to cylindrical-bore instruments such as the trumpet, trombone, Sudrophone, and Baritone horn. While a truly characteristic euphonium sound is rather hard to define precisely, most players would agree that an ideal sound is dark, rich, warm, and velvety, with virtually no hardness to it. On the other hand, the desired sound varies geographically; European players, especially British ones, generally use a faster, more constant vibrato and a more veiled tone, while Americans tend to prefer a more straightforward, open sound with slower and less frequent vibrato. This also has to do with the different models preferred by British and American players.

Though the euphonium's fingerings are no different from those of the trumpet or tuba, beginning euphoniumists will likely experience significant problems with intonation, response, and range compared to other beginning brass players. In addition, it is very difficult for students, even of high-school age, to develop the rich sound characteristic of the euphonium, due partly to the instrument models used in schools and partly to the lack of awareness of good euphonium sound models.

Popular models of euphonium

Very generally speaking, the most popular professional models of euphonium in the United Kingdom are Besson Prestige and Sovereign models. The most popular in the United States are the Willson 2900 and 2950, shown in the picture at the top of this article. In both cases, these models have gained popularity through the use and sponsorship of extremely highly respected players and teachers; in Britain, by Steven Mead, and in America, by Dr. Brian Bowman. In recent years, the Yamaha YEP-842 Custom has gained popularity in the United States due to similar activities by Adam Frey. Most recently, Demondrae Thurman has worked in conjunction with Miraphone to develop the Ambassador 5050.

In recent years, the Besson company got into financial difficulties and various aspects of the business and name were acquired by Buffet Crampon of France. The remaining assets were acquired by the German company Schreiber-Keilwerth who lost no time in bringing rival instruments, with the York brand name, to market. In 2010, Schrieber-Keilwerth was also acquired by Buffet Crampon, and the York brand was dropped.

Other highly regarded professional models found around the world are the Yamaha 642, the Hirsbrunner Standard, Exclusive, and the Stealth, the Sterling Virtuoso, and the Meinl-Weston 451 and 551.

An extremely popular intermediate-model horn for use in middle and high schools in the United States is the Yamaha YEP-321S, which has four valves and is non-compensating (though a removable 5th valve was offered as an option early on, but discontinued due to becoming more popular than their so-called "professional" instruments). Other similar models of euphonium are made by Holton, Bach, Jupiter, and King to name a few. Besson produces a four-valve non-compensating euphonium with the fourth valve on the side. This type of horn is a good transition for high school students who may perform on compensating horns in college.

Name recognition and misconceptions

In spite of the presence of "double bell euphoniums and big bassoons" in "Seventy-six Trombones", the signature song from ''The Music Man'' (1957), many non-musician members of the general public in the United States do not recognize the name "euphonium" and confuse the instrument with the baritone horn. The euphonium and the baritone differ in that the bore size of the baritone horn is smaller than that of the euphonium, and the baritone is predominately cylindrical bore, whereas the euphonium is predominately conical bore. The two instruments are easily interchangeable to the player, with some modification of breath and embouchure, since the two have essentially identical range and fingering. The cylindrical baritone offers the brighter sound and the conical euphonium offers the mellower sound.

The so-called American baritone, featuring three valves on the front of the instrument and a curved, forward-pointing bell, was dominant in American school bands throughout most of the twentieth century, its weight, shape and configuration conforming to the needs of the marching band. While this instrument is in reality a conical-cylindrical bore hybrid, neither fully euphonium nor baritone, it was almost universally labeled a "baritone" by both band directors and composers, thus contributing to the confusion of terminology in the United States.

Several late 19th century music catalogs (such as Pepper and Lyon & Healy) sold a euphonium-like instrument called the "Bb Bass" (to distinguish it from the Eb and BBb bass). In these catalog drawings, the Bb Bass had thicker tubing than the baritone; both had 3 valves. Along the same lines, drum and bugle corps introduced the "Bass-baritone", and distinguished it from the baritone. The thicker tubing of the 3-valve Bb Bass allowed for production of strong false-tones, providing chromatic access to the pedal register.

History and development

As a tenor/baritone-voiced brass instrument, the euphonium traces its ancestry to the ophicleide and ultimately back to the serpent. The search for a satisfactory foundational wind instrument that could support masses of sound above it took some time. While the serpent was used for over two centuries dating back to the late Renaissance, it was notoriously difficult to control its pitch and tone quality due to its disproportionately small open finger holes. The ophicleide- which was used in bands and orchestras for a few decades in the early- to mid-nineteenth century- used a system of keys and was an improvement over the serpent but was still unreliable, especially in the high register.

With the invention of the piston valve system c. 1818, the construction of brass instruments with an even sound and facility of playing in all registers became possible. The euphonium is alleged to have been invented, as a "wide-bore, valved bugle of baritone range", by Ferdinand Sommer of Weimar in 1843, though Carl Moritz in 1838 and Adolphe Sax in 1843 have also been credited. While Sax's family of saxhorns were invented at almost the same time and the bass saxhorn looks very similar to a euphonium, they are constructed differently. Saxhorns have a nearly cylindrical bore and do not allow the fundamental to be produced; thus, the bass saxhorn is more closely related to the baritone than the euphonium.

The "British-style" compensating euphonium was developed by David Blaikley in 1874, and has been in use in Britain ever since; since this time, the basic construction of the euphonium in Britain has changed little.

The double-belled euphonium

A creation unique to the United States was the double-bell euphonium, featuring a second smaller bell in addition to the main one; the player could switch bells for certain passages or even for individual notes by use of an additional valve, operated with the left hand. Ostensibly, the smaller bell was intended to emulate the sound of a trombone (it was cylindrical-bore) and was possibly intended for performance situations in which trombones were not available. The extent to which the difference in sound and timbre was apparent to the listener, however, is up for debate. ''Harry Whittier'' of the Patrick S. Gilmore band introduced the instrument in 1888, and it was used widely in both school and service bands for several decades. ''Harold Brasch'' (see "List of important players" below) brought the British-style compensating euphonium to the United States c. 1939, but the double-belled euphonium may have remained in common use even into the 1950s and 60s. In any case, they have become rare (they were last in instrumental catalogues in the late 1960s), and are generally unknown to younger euphonium players. They are chiefly known now through their mention in the song "Seventy-Six Trombones" from the musical ''The Music Man'' by Meredith Willson.

Performance venues and professional job opportunities

The euphonium has historically been exclusively a ''band'' instrument (rather than an ''orchestra'' or ''jazz'' instrument), whether of the ''wind'' or ''brass'' variety, where it is frequently featured as a solo instrument. Because of this, the euphonium has been called the "king of band instruments", or the "cello of the band", because of its similarity in timbre and ensemble role to the stringed instrument. Euphoniums typically have extremely important parts in many marches (such as those by John Philip Sousa), and in brass band music of the British tradition.

The euphonium may also be found in marching bands, though it is often replaced by its smaller, easier-to-carry cousin, the ''marching baritone'' (which has a similar bell and valve configuration to a trumpet). A marching euphonium, similar to the marching baritone, although much larger, is used almost exclusively in drum and bugle corps, and some corps (such as The Blue Devils and Phantom Regiment) march all-euphonium sections. Depending on the manufacturer, the weight of these instruments can be straining to the average marcher and require great strength to hold during practice and a performance.

Another form of the marching euphonium is the convertible euphonium. Recently widely produced, the horn resembles a convertible tuba, being able to change from a concert upright to a marching forward bell on either the left or right shoulder. These are mainly produced by Jupiter or Yamaha, but other less expensive versions can be found.

Other performance venues for the euphonium are the tuba-euphonium quartet or larger tuba-euphonium ensemble; the brass quintet, where it can supply the tenor voice, though the trombone is much more common in this role; or in mixed brass ensembles. Though these are legitimate performance venues, paid professional jobs in these areas are almost non-existent; they are much more likely to be semi-professional or amateur in nature. Most of the United States's military service bands include a tuba-euphonium quartet made up of players from the band that occasionally performs in its own right.

The euphonium is not traditionally an orchestral instrument and has never been common in symphony orchestras. However, there are a handful of works, mostly from the late Romantic period, in which composers wrote a part for ''baryton'' (German) or ''tenor tuba'', (most notably, Holst's ''Planets Suite'', which has many solos for baritone and euphonium) and these are universally played on euphonium, frequently by a trombone player. In addition, the euphonium is sometimes used in older orchestral works as a replacement for its predecessors, such as the ophicleide, or, less correctly, the bass trumpet, or the Wagner tuba, both of which are significantly different instruments, and still in use today. At the bottom of the article are some of the well-known orchestral works in which the euphonium is commonly used (whether or not the composer originally specified it).

Finally, while the euphonium was not historically part of the standard jazz big band or combo, the instrument's technical facility and large range make it well-suited to a jazz solo role, and a jazz euphonium niche has been carved out over the last 40 or so years, largely starting with the pioneer Rich Matteson (see "List of important players" below). The euphonium can also double on a trombone part in a jazz combo. Jazz euphoniums are most likely to be found in tuba-euphonium groups, though modern funk or rock bands occasionally feature a brass player doubling on euphonium, and this trend is growing.

Due to this dearth of performance opportunities, aspiring euphonium players in the United States are in a rather inconvenient position when seeking future employment. Often, college players must either obtain a graduate degree and go on to teach at the college level, or audition for one of the major or regional military service bands. Because these bands are relatively few in number and the number of euphonium positions in the bands is small (2-4 in most service bands), job openings do not occur very often and when they do are highly competitive; before the current slate of openings in four separate bands, the last opening for a euphonium player in an American service band was in May 2004. A career strictly as a solo performer, unaffiliated with any university or performing ensemble, is a very rare sight, but some performers, such as Riki McDonnell, have managed to do it.

In Britain the strongest euphonium players are most likely to find a position in a brass band, but ironically, even though they often play at world-class levels, the members of the top brass bands are in most cases unpaid amateurs. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of brass bands in Britain ranging in standard from world class to local bands. Almost all brass bands in Britain perform regularly, particularly during the summer months. A large number of bands also enter contests against other brass bands of a similar standard. Each band requries two euphoniums (principal and 2nd) and consequently there are considerable opportunities for euphonium players.

Due to limited vocational opportunities, there are a considerable number of relatively serious, quasi-professional avocational euphonium players participating in many higher-caliber unpaid ensembles.

College climate in the United States

Unlike a generation or two ago, many colleges with music programs now offer students the opportunity to major in euphonium. However, due to the small number of euphonium students at most schools (2-4 is common), it is possible, and even likely, that they will study with a professor whose major instrument is not the euphonium. Most often tubas and euphoniums will be combined into a studio taught by one professor, and at small schools they may be grouped with trombones as well, taught by one low brass professor. Dr. Brian Bowman, Demondrae Thurman, and Dr. Marc Dickman serve as the only three full time euphonium college professors in the US, with professors like Matt Tropman and Dr. Stephen Arthur Allen, also primarily euphonium players, teaching as lecturers. Other professors, such as Adam Frey, are adjunct faculty at multiple universities near one another. Universities will usually require professors in this situation to have a high level of proficiency on all the instruments they teach, and some of the best college euphonium studios are taught by non-euphonium players.

Notable euphoniumists

The euphonium world is and has become more crowded than is commonly thought, and there have been many noteworthy players throughout the instrument's history. Traditionally, three main national schools of euphonium playing have been discernible: American, British, and Japanese. Now, euphoniumists are able to learn this specific art in many other countries around the world today.

Below are a select few of the players most famous and influential in their respective countries, and whose contributions to the euphonium world are undeniable, in terms of recordings, commissions, pedagogy, and increased recognition of the instrument.

;United Kingdom Steven Mead, English euphonium soloist and professor at the Royal Northern College of Music noted internationally for advancing the British euphonium sound. David Thornton, principal euphonium of the Black Dyke Band and student of Steven Mead noted for winning several prestigious international competitions and advancing the British euphonium sound through broadcast as well as recording media.

;United States Simone Mantia (1873–1951), an Italian-born American baritone horn/euphonium virtuoso and also trombone artist at the turn of the twentieth century. Playing as soloist with the Sousa and the Pryor Bands, Mantia was the first euphonium virtuoso to record and popularized this non-orchestral instrument in the United States. Leonard Falcone (1899–1985), Italian-born American Baritone/euphonium soloist, arranger, professor, Director of Bands at Michigan State University, and teacher of many noted euphonium artits. Falcone advanced an operatic passionate baritone style and is the namesake of the Leonard Falcone International Tuba and Euphonium Festival, the leading venue for the instrument in the United States. Arthur W. Lehman, (1917–2009), American euphonium soloist known as 'Art', Recording Artist, United States Marine Band, noted euphonium author of works such as ''The Art of Euphonium''. Lehman was a student of Harold Brasch and Simone Mantia and advanced the concept of a rich resonant sound with no vibrato pioneered by Mantia. Brian Bowman, former soloist with the U.S. Navy Band (1971–75) and U.S. Air Force Band (1976–91); now professor of euphonium at the University of North Texas, co-editor of "Arban's Method for Trombone and Euphonium". Bowman innovated a fusion of the mellow British sound with deep passion heard in Falcone recordings, becoming the best known American artist at the end of the 20th century through recording, teaching and the first euphonium recital at Carnegie Hall.

Japan Toru Miura, professor of euphonium at the Kunitachi College of Music; soloist and clinician who was awarded a lifetime achievement award by the International Tuba Euphonium Association (formerly TUBA) for his role in promoting the instrument.

Euphonium literature

The euphonium repertoire consists of solo literature and orchestral or, more commonly, band parts written for the euphonium. Since its invention in 1843, the euphonium has always had an important role in ensembles, but solo literature was slow to appear, consisting of only a handful of lighter solos until the 1960s. Since then, however, the breadth and depth of the solo euphonium repertoire has increased dramatically.

In the current age, there has been a huge number of new commissions and repertoire development and promotion through Steven Mead’s World of the Euphonium Series and the Beyond the Horizon series from Euphonium.com. There has also been a vast number of new commissions by more and more players and a proliferation of large scale Consortium Commissions that are occurring including current ones in 2008 and 2009 organized by Brian Meixner (Libby Larson), Adam Frey (The Euphonium Foundation Consortium), and Jason Ham (David Gillingham).

Upon its invention, it was clear that the euphonium had, compared to its predecessors the serpent and ophicleide, a wide range and had a consistently rich, pleasing sound throughout that range. It was flexible both in tone quality and intonation and could blend well with a variety of ensembles, gaining it immediate popularity with composers and conductors as the principal tenor-voices solo instrument in brass band settings, especially in Britain. It is no surprise, then, that when British composers – some of the same ones who were writing for brass bands – began to write serious, original music for the concert band in the early twentieth century, they used the euphonium in a very similar role. When American composers also began writing for the concert band as its own artistic medium in the 1930s and '40's, they continued the British brass and concert band tradition of using the euphonium as the principal tenor-voiced solo. This is not to say that composers, then and now, valued the euphonium only for its lyrical capabilities. Indeed, examination of a large body of concert band literature reveals that the euphonium functions as a "jack of all trades."

Though the euphonium was, as previously noted, embraced from its earliest days by composers and arrangers in band settings, orchestral composers have, by and large, not taken advantage of this capability. There are, nevertheless, several orchestral works, a few of which are standard repertoire, in which composers have called for instruments, such as the Wagner tuba, for which euphonium is commonly substituted today.

In contrast to the long-standing practice of extensive euphonium use in wind bands and orchestras, there was until approximately forty years ago literally no body of solo literature written specifically for the euphonium, and euphoniumists were forced to borrow the literature of other instruments. Fortunately, given the instrument's multifaceted capabilities discussed above, solos for many different instruments are easily adaptable to performance on the euphonium.

The earliest surviving solo composition written specifically for euphonium or one of its saxhorn cousins is the ''Concerto per Flicorno Basso'' (1872) by Amilcare Ponchielli. For almost a century after this, the euphonium solo repertoire consisted of only a dozen or so virtuosic pieces, mostly light in character. However, in the 1960s and '70's, American composers began to write the first of the "new school" of serious, artistic solo works specifically for euphonium. Since then, there has been a virtual explosion of solo repertoire for the euphonium. In a mere four decades, the solo literature has expanded from virtually zero to thousands of pieces. More and more composers have become aware of the tremendous soloistic capabilities of the euphonium, and have constantly "pushed the envelope" with new literature in terms of tessitura, endurance, technical demands, and extended techniques.

Finally, the euphonium has, thanks to a handful of enterprising individuals, begun to make inroads in jazz, pop and other non-concert performance settings.

See also

Five Valve Euphonium

Baritone and Euphonium Manufacturers

Notes

References

http://lowbrassnmore.com/euponiumhistory.htm Retrieved on 28 January 2008 http://www.nikknakks.net/euphonium/ Retrieved on 28 January 2008

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/2198574/HISTORY-OF-THE-BARITONE-AND-THE-EUPHONIUM

External links

Euphonium.com Focused on the IEI, new repertoire, a forum for the euphonium, and the activities of Adam Frey.

Euphonium.net Steven Mead's personal website.

The International Tuba-Euphonium Association, a professional organization for tubists and euphonists.

Tuba News, a free monthly online publication for tuba and euphonium players.

Tuba-Euphonium Press, publishing house for new euphonium and tuba music.

Brass-Forum.co.uk, a UK-based brass discussion forum.

Tuba-Euphonium Forum, a discussion forum for euphonium and tuba.

Acoustics of Brass Instruments from Music Acoustics at the University of New South Wales.

Euphonium fingering chart Compensating Euphonium/Baritone in Treble Clef

Euphonium Music Guide A list of original euphonium literature.

Category:Brass instruments Category:B-flat instruments

cs:Eufonium da:Euphonium de:Euphonium es:Bombardino eo:Eŭfono eu:Eufonio fr:Euphonium fy:Euphonium id:Eufonium it:Euphonium li:Euphonium hu:Eufónium ms:Eufonium nl:Eufonium ja:ユーフォニアム no:Eufonium nn:Eufonium pl:Eufonium pt:Eufônio ru:Эуфониум scn:Bummardinu sv:Eufonium th:ยูโฟเนียม zh:上低音號

David M. Childs (born 1941 Princeton, New Jersey) is the Consulting Design Partner at Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. He is best known for his redesign of the new One World Trade Center in New York.

In 2010, Childs was named a Senior Fellow of the Design Futures Council.

Education

Deerfield Academy (1959)

Yale College (1963)

Yale School of Architecture (1967)

New York Institute of Technology (Honorary degree) (2006)

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill projects

Washington, DC (1971-1984)

National Geographic headquarters building

1300 New York Avenue

Metro Center

U.S. News and World Report headquarters

Four Seasons, Regent and Park Hyatt hotels

Expansion of the Dulles Airport main terminal.

New York City (1984-present)

Completed

Worldwide Plaza

450 Lexington Avenue (over the Main Post Office at Grand Central Station)

Bertelsmann Building at Times Square

New York Mercantile Exchange

JFK International Airport Arrivals Building

Bear Stearns Headquarters (383 Madison Avenue)

7 World Trade Center

Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle

Planned

One World Trade Center (under construction)

New New York Stock Exchange

New Pennsylvania Station (Moynihan Station) at James Farley Post Office Building

Renovation of Lever House

Boston Properties Times Square Tower

Other locations

Embassy of the United States in Ottawa

See also

William F. Baker (engineer)

Roger Duffy

T.J. Gottesdiener

Craig W. Hartman

Ross Wimer

References

External links

WTC.com, Interview with David Childs about Freedom Tower (video)

WTC.com, Freedom Tower

Category:1941 births Category:Living people Category:World Trade Center Category:American architects Category:Deerfield Academy alumni

ar:ديفيد شيلدز ca:David Childs de:David Childs es:David Childs fa:دیوید چایلدز fr:David Childs pt:David Childs fi:David Childs

Steven Mead (born 1962, Bournemouth, England) is an English virtuoso euphonium soloist and teacher who has played an important role in achieving worldwide recognition of the instrument.

Mead is widely regarded as one of the most successful professional euphonium soloists in the world today, performing over 75 concerts per year with some of the leading orchestras, wind bands and brass bands in the world. In recent years he has played solo concerti with symphony orchestras, including: Germany (Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra) Norway (Trondheim Symphony Orchestra), Finland (Lahti Symphony Orchestra and Helsinki Philharmonic), Poland (Capella Cracoviensis), USA (Minneapolis Pops Orchestra) and the Japan Chamber Orchestra. During a particularly critically acclaimed improvised performance at the Guggenheim Museum in 1988, He has premiered works by Martin Ellerby, Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen, Vladimir Cosma, Goff Richards, John Reeman, Rolf Rudin and Philip Sparke, amongst others. Goff Richards' ''Pilatus'', Aagaard-Nilsen's ''Concerto for Euphonium and Orchestra'', Reeman's ''Sonata for Euphonium'' and Ellerby's ''Euphonium Concerto'' were all written expressly for Mead.

Mead has developed a series of mouthpieces for brass instruments, as well as the Besson Prestige Euphonium and is on the faculty of the Royal Northern College of Music, School of Wind, Brass and Percussion.

Selected recordings

Joseph Horovitz: ''Four Concertos''

:Ensemble: Royal Ballet Sinfonia; Soloists: Andrew Haveron (violin), Steven Mead (euphonium), David Owen Norris (piano); Conductor Joseph Horovitz; Label: Dutton Epoch.

''Concertino''

:Ensemble: The Lillestrøm Musikkorps; Soloist: Steven Mead (euphonium); Conductor Gert Buitenhuis; Label: Polyphonic.

''Euphonium Virtuoso''

:Ensemble: Brass Band Buizingen; Soloist: Steven Mead (euphonium); Conductor: Luc Vertommen; Label: Bocchino.

''Dreamscapes: Wind Music by Ellerby, Clarke & Josephs''

:Ensemble: Royal Northern College of Music Wind Orchestra; Soloist: Steven Mead (euphonium); Conductor: James Gourlay; Label: Polyphonic.

''Audacious''

:Soloist: Steven Mead; Accompanied by Tomoko Sawano, piano; Label: Bocchino.

''Fandango'', released June 1, 2011; Accompanied by Tomoko Sawano, piano; Label: Bocchino.

References

Rachel Dunlap, Mead to perform world-class talents on obscure brass instrument, ''Spectator Eau Claire'', January 25, 2001. Accessed 10 September 2008.

Ronald Holz, Review: ''Euphonium Virtuoso'' (Bocchino CD BOCC107), ''The Brass Band Bridge'', North American Brass Band Association, Issue 101, October 2006. pp. 21–22. Accessed 10 September 2008.

Steven Mead biography on the Besson company web site. Accessed 10 September 2008.

External links

Steven Mead's official website

Steven Mead's UK based brass sales website

Video of a live unedited performance, most of the third movement of the Hallows Concerto (Rolf Rudin) in a performance given by Steven at The Capitol Theatre, Offenbach, Germany on Sunday 15 March 2009, with the Neue Philharmonie Orchestra, conductor Roland Boer

Category:Brass musicians Category:English classical musicians Category:Euphonium players Category:1962 births Category:Living people Category:People from Bournemouth

de:Steven Mead nl:Steven Mead no:Steven Mead

stadium name	Sun Life Stadium
logo image
location	2267 NW 199th StreetMiami Gardens, Florida 33056
coordinates
broke ground	December 1, 1985
opened	August 16, 1987
owner	Stephen M. Ross (95%) and H. Wayne Huizenga (5%)
surface	Prescription Athletic Turf (Natural Grass)
construction cost	$115 million($}}

in dollars) | architect = HOK Sport (Populous since 2009) | structural engineer = Bliss and Nyitray, Inc. | former_names = Joe Robbie Stadium (1987–1996)Pro Player Park (1996)Pro Player Stadium (1996–2005)Dolphins Stadium (2005–2006) Dolphin Stadium (2006–2009)Land Shark Stadium (2009–2010).

| tenants = Miami Dolphins (NFL) (1987–present)Florida Marlins (MLB) (1993–2011)University of Miami Hurricanes (NCAA) (2008–present)Discover Orange Bowl (1996–1998), (2000–present)Blockbuster/Carquest/MicronPC/Champs Sports Bowl (1990–2000)Florida Atlantic Owls (NCAA) (2001–2002) WrestleMania XXVIII (2012) | seating_capacity = 47,662 (1993 baseball)*42,531 (2001 baseball)*35,531 (2003 baseball)*36,331 (2006 baseball)*38,560 (2008 baseball)*74,918 (Soccer)75,192 (Football)*Expandable to approximately 68,000 for baseball | dimensions = Left field – 330 ft / 100.6 mLeft-center field – 361 ft / 110 mCenter field – 404 ft / 123.1 mRight-center field – 361 ft / 110 mRight field – 345 ft / 105.1 mBackstop – 58 ft / 17.7 m }} Sun Life Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, a suburb of Miami. It is the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins National Football League team, the Florida Marlins Major League Baseball team, and the University of Miami Hurricanes football team. It also hosts the Orange Bowl, an annual college football bowl game. Originally named Joe Robbie Stadium, it has also been known as Pro Player Park, Pro Player Stadium, Dolphin Stadium, Dolphins Stadium, and Land Shark Stadium.

It is one of three stadiums remaining to house both teams from the NFL and MLB, along with O.co Coliseum in Oakland and Rogers Centre in Toronto (which is a part-time home for the Buffalo Bills NFL team and full time home of the Toronto Argonauts CFL team.) With the addition of the Hurricanes, it is the only stadium currently housing an NFL, MLB, and NCAA Division I College Football team.

Since its construction, the stadium has hosted five Super Bowls (XXIII, XXIX, XXXIII, XLI and XLIV), two World Series ( and ), and three BCS National Championship Games (2001, 2005, 2009). The stadium served as host for the second round of the 2009 World Baseball Classic, and hosted the 2010 Pro Bowl.

On January 18, 2010, the Miami Dolphins signed a five-year deal with Sun Life Financial to rename Dolphin Stadium to Sun Life Stadium. The deal is worth $7.5 million per year for five years (a total of $37.5 million).

History

Conception and construction

Joe Robbie, founder of the Miami Dolphins, led the financing campaign to build a new home for his team. For their first 20 years, the Dolphins played at the Orange Bowl.

Joe Robbie built this stadium against all odds with private money. Year after year, he threatened the City of Miami that he would move his franchise out of the city, if they continued to refuse to build him a new stadium for his Miami Dolphin Football franchise. The Orange Bowl where the Miami Dolphins played had long become too small, and too old. Everyone told Joe Robbie, he would never be able to build the stadium of his dreams with private funds.

Securing the location Joe Robbie chose was a monumental feat in itself, because the black middle-class neighborhood it was built next to initially vehemently objected to the stadium's presence. They formed a formidable opposition to the creation of the stadium. They complained to the Dade County Commission, that Joe Robbie would never have get permission to build such a stadium next to a white middle-class neighborhood. This stadium is most likely the only NFL stadium in the USA, that abuts a residential neighborhood. The residents of this Miami Garden's neighborhood cited noise issues and traffic congestion. Joe Robbie launched a campaign to gain the support of the neighborhood residents. He had Dolphin team members reach out to them. He offered them all kinds of perks, provided solutions to mitigate their objections, and made many concessions as to how often the stadium could be used.

He was able to get Dade County to agree to build an off-ramp from a local turnpike to the stadium of his dreams. Joe Robbie invented the skybox to raise private funds to pay for his stadium. JRS revolutionized the economics of professional sports when it opened in 1987. Inclusion of a club level, along with executive suites, helped to finance the construction of the stadium. Season-ticket holders committed to long term agreements; in return, they received first-class amenities in a state-of-the-art facility.

The creation of Joe Robbie Stadium was achieved against all odds solely by the super human effort of Joe Robbie who risked his entire fortune, and dedicated ten years of his life to achieve it. The City of Miami certainly never thought Joe Robbie would be able to pull it off. The City of Miami was the big loser. Joe Robbie wanted the stadium to be a monument to his life. It was in fact his finest achievement.

Here is a link to the timeline of the stadiums creation: http://www.google.com/#q=skybox+history+joe+robbie&hl;=en&prmd;=ivnsb&tbs;=tl:1&tbo;=u&ei;=_JkpTvGTEo-htwfs6szXAg&sa;=X&oi;=timeline_result&ct;=title&resnum;=11&ved;=0CFQQ5wIwCg&bav;=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp;=f4afe841cf6674f4&biw;=2012&bih;=1207

Joe placed in his will that the name of the stadium should never be changed from Joe Robbie Stadium. He bequeathed it to his children with this sole stipulation. When Joe Robbie died, his children squabled over what should happen to his staduium. Because they couldn't agree how it should be run, they were forced to sell it. Wayne Huizenga, one of Joe Robbie's arch enemies made the highest offer. Joe Robbie had in fact made a lot of enemies in his life. He even had a strained relationship with his famous head coach Don Shula, and his famous quarback Dan Marino.

Wayne Huizenga offered to buy the stadium on one condition, that he could change its name from Joe Robbie Stadium. Wayne wanted to name it after himself or sell the name to a commercial entity. A stadium's name has a great deal of commercial value. A compromise was reached where Joe Robbie's children allowed Wayne Huizenga to remove their father's name from the stadium but would not allow him to name it after himself or sell use of the name to any commercial enterprise. That is how Joe Robbie stadium came to be called Pro Player Stadium.

Joe Robbie's children were able to break the clause in their father's will that restricted name change of the stadium, because US courts in most states have ruled restrictions placed on property bequeated by deceased parties cannot be enforced. In one famous decision, a judge wrote, "Laws exist to protect the rights of the living, not the rights of the dead." When Wayne Huizenga sold the stadium, the new owners were able to name the stadium anything they liked.

Robbie believed it was only a matter of time before a Major League Baseball team came to South Florida. At his request, the stadium was built so only minimal renovations would be necessary to ready it for a baseball team. Most notably, the field was made somewhat wider than is normally the case for an NFL stadium. The wide field also makes it fairly easy to convert the stadium for soccer.

Because of this design decision, the first row of seats is 90 feet (27 m) from the sideline in a football configuration, considerably more distant than the first row of seats in most football stadiums (the closest seats at the new Soldier Field, for instance, are 55 feet (17 m) from the sideline at the 50–yard line). This resulted in a less intimate venue for football compared to other football facilities built around this time, as well as to the Orange Bowl.

Dolphins

The first regular season NFL game played there was a 42–0 Dolphins victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on October 11, 1987. The game was in the middle of the 1987 NFL strike, and was played with replacement players. The stadium hosted its first ''Monday Night Football'' there on December 7 of that year, in a 37–28 Dolphins victory over the New York Jets. In addition to the Super Bowl, several other playoff games have been played in the stadium, including the 1992 AFC Championship Game, which the Dolphins lost to the Buffalo Bills, 29-10. The Dolphins are 5-3 in playoff games held here.

The Marlins move in

In 1990, H. Wayne Huizenga, then Chairman of the Board and CEO of Blockbuster Video and Huizenga Holdings Inc., agreed to purchase 50 percent of then-Joe Robbie Stadium and became the point man in the drive to bring Major League Baseball to south Florida. That effort was rewarded in July 1991, when the Miami area was awarded an MLB expansion franchise. The new team was named the Florida Marlins, and placed in the National League. On January 24, 1994, Huizenga acquired the remaining 50 percent of the stadium to give him 100% ownership. Since 1991, several million dollars have been spent to upgrade and renovate the stadium.

The first Marlins game played at then-Joe Robbie Stadium was on April 5, 1993, a 6–3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Renovations and configurations

After Huizenga bought part of the stadium, it was extensively renovated to accommodate a baseball team, as part of his successful bid to bring baseball to south Florida. Purists initially feared the result would be similar to Exhibition Stadium in Toronto; when the Toronto Blue Jays played there from 1977 to 1989, they were burdened with seats that were so far from the field that they weren't even sold during the regular season. However, as mentioned above, Robbie had foreseen Miami would be a likely location for an new or relocated MLB team, and the stadium was designed to make any necessary renovations for baseball as seamless as possible.

The stadium's baseball capacity was initially reduced to 47,600, with most of the upper level covered with a tarp. In addition to Huizenga's desire create a more intimate atmosphere for baseball, most of the seats in the upper level would have been too far from the field. The stadium's baseball capacity has been further reduced over the years, and it now seats 36,500. However, the Marlins usually open the entire upper level for the postseason. In the 1997 World Series, the Marlins played before crowds of over 67,000 fans—the highest postseason attendance figures in MLB history, only exceeded by Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the temporary home of the Los Angeles Dodgers (before Dodger Stadium was opened) in the 1959 World Series. Although it was designed from the ground up to accommodate baseball, Sun Life Stadium is not a true multipurpose stadium. Rather, it is a football stadium that can convert into a baseball stadium. Most of the seats are pointed toward center field – where the 50–yard line would be in the football configuration. As such, the sight lines are not as good for baseball. This was particularly evident during the Marlins' World Series appearances in 1997 and 2003. Some portions of left and center field are not part of the football playing field, and fans sitting in the left field upper-deck seats were unable to see these areas except on the replay boards.

Aside from baseball renovations, the stadium has undergone some permanent renovations. In April 2006, the stadium unveiled two large video boards from Daktronics, the largest in professional sports at the time. The east display measures high by wide, and the west end zone display measure high by wide. A new -long LED ribbon board, again the largest in the world at the time, was also installed. These have since been surpassed in size.

In addition, the upgrades include vastly widened concourses on the stadium’s north and south sides. Bars, lounges and other amenities have also been added. The renovation has three phases, the first has been completed; the second and third phases of renovation will take place after the Marlins move from the stadium. These remaining phases include the addition of a roof to shield fans from the rain, as well as remodeling the sidelines of the lower bowl to narrow the field and bring seats closer, ending its convertibility to baseball.

The stadium contains 10,209 club seats (2,400 of which are available for Marlins games) and 216 suites (88 of which are available for Marlins games).

Notable events

Football

NFL

The stadium has played host to five Super Bowls (1989, 1995, 1999, 2007, and 2010). There has been a kickoff return for a touchdown in each Super Bowl played at the stadium, except in the most recent game. The stadium also hosted the 2010 Pro Bowl.

The NFL is threatening not to return (for the Super Bowl or Pro Bowl) unless significant renovations are made. One of the upgrades desired was a roof to protect fans from the elements. The 2007 Super Bowl at Dolphin Stadium — when Indianapolis defeated Chicago 29-17 — was marred by heavy rains. An estimated 30 percent of the lower-level seating was empty during the second half. The concern about the elements during the Super Bowl no longer appears as much of an issue since the NFL awarded Super Bowl XLVIII to New Jersey, the first Super Bowl to be played outdoors (with the possibility of snowfall) in a northern state.

The Dolphins already have pulled the plug on pitching a $200-million hotel tax proposal that would have included a partial stadium roof. With the end zones facing east and west, the uncovered north side of the stadium bakes in the south Florida sun. The issue has become so problematic that Stephen Ross, who owns the Dolphins and Sun Life Stadium, successfully petitioned the NFL for no early kickoffs in September home games even at the expense of losing home-field advantage against opponents unaccustomed to the sweltering heat and humidity.

NCAA

The stadium has hosted the Miami Hurricanes beginning in 2008. The stadium was the home field for the Florida Atlantic Owls (2001–2002).

Between 1990 and 2000, the stadium hosted a bowl game variously known as the Blockbuster Bowl, CarQuest Bowl, and MicronPC Bowl. After 2000, that bowl was moved to Orlando, where it eventually became known as the Champs Sports Bowl.

The stadium has been the site of the Orange Bowl game since 1996, except for the January 1999 contest between Florida and Syracuse, which had to be moved due to a conflict with a Dolphins playoff game.

Until 2008, the stadium was host biennially to the yearly Shula Bowl, a game played between Florida Atlantic University and Florida International University, when the game was hosted by FAU as the home team.(FIU hosts the game at their own stadium, FIU Stadium, every other year).

Baseball

Two National League Division Series have been played at Sun Life Stadium.

1997 against the San Francisco Giants: Marlins win 3 games to 0

2003 against the San Francisco Giants: Marlins win 3 games to 1

Two National League Championship Series have been played at Sun Life Stadium.

1997 against the Atlanta Braves: Marlins win 4 games to 2

2003 against the Chicago Cubs: Marlins win 4 games to 3

Two World Series have been played at Sun Life Stadium.

1997 against the Cleveland Indians: Marlins win 4 games to 3.

2003 against the New York Yankees: Marlins win 4 games to 2

The stadium was the venue where Ken Griffey, Jr. hit his 600th career home run off Mark Hendrickson of the Florida Marlins on June 9, 2008; and where Roy Halladay of the Philadelphia Phillies pitched the 20th perfect game in Major League Baseball history on May 29, 2010 against the Marlins.

Concerts

Guns N' Roses performed a New Year's Eve show on December 31, 1991.

Madonna performed during her Sticky and Sweet Tour on November 26, 2008, in front of a sold-out audience of 48,000.

Paul McCartney performed at the stadium during his Up and Coming Tour on April 3, 2010.

U2 performed during their 360° Tour on June 29, 2011, with Florence + The Machine as their opening act. The show was originally scheduled for July 9, 2010, but was postponed, due to Bono's emergency back surgery. The concert forced the Marlins' interleague series with the Seattle Mariners, originally scheduled to be played at Sun Life Stadium the previous weekend, to move to Safeco Field in Seattle.

Association Football

Match between FC Barcelona and C.D. Guadalajara by the 2011 World Football Challenge on August 3, 2011, result in 4-1 with a attendance of 70,080, Lionel Messi was not in the roster of the match and it become the first time to Barcelona of sufrer 4 goals against under manager Josep Guardiola.

Other events

Other events held at the stadium have included international Football games, monster truck shows, Hoop-It-Up Basketball, RV and boat shows, the UniverSoul Circus, Australian rules football exhibition matches, and numerous trade shows. It has even hosted religious gatherings, most notably a visit by Pope John Paul II.

In 2006, it hosted the High School State Football Championships, sanctioned by the FHSAA Florida High School Athletic Association. Movies have also been shot there, most notably ''Ace Ventura: Pet Detective'', which starred Jim Carrey and featured Dolphins great Dan Marino as himself; ''Marley and Me'' starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston; and the Oliver Stone-directed ''Any Given Sunday''.

On February 8, 2011, the stadium was chosen to host WWE's WrestleMania XXVIII. The event will take place on Sunday, April 1, 2012. On the April 4, 2011 edition of WWE Raw, it was announced that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson would be making an in-ring return at the event to face John Cena. This will mark Johnson's first professional wrestling match in eight years.

Naming rights

The stadium has gone through many name changes, bringing up the overall question of the value of corporate naming rights.

Initially, Dolphins Stadium was named after Joe Robbie, the original and then-owner of the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins were the stadium's primary tenant at the time.

In the early 1990s, Wayne Huizenga gained control of the stadium. Huizenga first sold the naming rights to Pro Player, the sports apparel division of Fruit of the Loom, and Joe Robbie Stadium became Pro Player Stadium on August 26, 1996.

Fruit of the Loom filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1999, and the Pro Player brand was ultimately liquidated in 2001, but the stadium name held for several more years. In January 2005, the Pro Player name was replaced with Dolphins Stadium, coinciding with a renovation of the stadium. Dolphins was changed to Dolphin in April 2006, in an update of graphics and logos.

From February 2008 through January 2009, Stephen M. Ross gradually acquired 95% of the stadium and surrounding land. He then partnered with Jimmy Buffett to change the name once more, this time to Land Shark Stadium. The renaming was announced on May 9, 2009, but would last less than a year as the deal did not include rights for the upcoming 2010 Pro Bowl and Super Bowl XLIV.

On January 20, 2010, the firm Sun Life Financial officially announced that they had acquired the naming rights, and the name of the stadium became Sun Life Stadium.

Notes and references

External links

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Category:Buildings and structures in Miami-Dade County, Florida Category:Florida Marlins stadiums Category:Major League Baseball venues Category:Miami Dolphins stadiums Category:Miami Hurricanes football venues Category:Multi-purpose stadiums in the United States Category:National Football League venues Category:NCAA bowl game venues Category:Orange Bowl Category:Sports venues in Miami, Florida Category:Soccer venues in Florida Category:American football venues in Florida Category:Visitor attractions in Miami-Dade County, Florida Category:Baseball venues in Florida Category:Event venues established in 1987 Category:Miami Gardens, Florida

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