From the Balkans to the Untied States, the tuba is a must in any modern orchestra. In 2024, it will be in the spotlight in Germany.
Stefan Ambrosius is a tuba player for the Munich State OperaImage: privat
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When Stefan Ambrosius from the Munich State Opera practices the tuba, he is deeply relaxed.
If you want to play this large brass instrument, you have to breathe in very deeply in order to obtain proper sounds from the instrument when you breathe out.
"There's almost something meditative about it," the musician explained.
The tuba was chosen by Germany's state music councils as the Instrument of the Year 2024, following the mandolin, which was in the spotlight in 2023
"It's fantastic that the music councils in Germany crown an instrument every year and then make it known in schools or through social activities," said Berlin-based Israeli musician Avi Avital, who contributed to establishing the mandolin as a concert instrument.
Avi Avital and his passion for the mandolin
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Promoting diversity in line with UNESCO
Following the initiative of the Schleswig-Holstein State Music Council, German state music councils have been jointly choosing an Instrument of the Year since 2008.
A special focus is given to the selected instrument through activities in schools, special projects and concerts.
From the very beginning, the organizers of the project wanted to highlight instruments that were not only common in classical symphony orchestras, but also in rock, pop and folk music, around the world and from different eras in music history.
The German techno marching band Meute also features a tubaImage: Tilman Jentzsch/Gonzales Photo/picture alliance
The variety of instruments is particularly important to Ulrike Liedtke, musicologist and president of the state music councils.
"This also corresponds to the UNESCO Convention on Cultural Diversity, which is about taking into account the musical heritage and current forms of expression, as well as the music of other countries," Liedtke told DW.
The clarinet took the first title in 2008, followed by other common instruments such as the double bass, bassoon and violin, but there was also the guitar or the Turkish baglama (a long-necked lute), the saxophone and, with great success, the drum kit in 2022.
These drummers made music history
A band is only as good as its drummer. Clear the stage for the most famous drummers: from Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts to Dave Grohl.
Image: Ennio Leanza/dpa/picture alliance
Charlie Watts
Trained as a jazz drummer, Charlie Watts joined the Rolling Stones in 1963, shortly after the band was founded. His playing was like his appearance: direct and straightforward. It was often said that the Rolling Stones would probably have long broken up without his calming influence and diplomatic acumen, as conflict flared between the quarrelsome Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.
Image: Carsten Rehder/dpa/picture alliance
Gene Krupa
The son of Polish immigrants, he played with jazz legend Benny Goodman, among others, and became one of the key figures of swing. In 1938, he founded his own big band, Gene Krupa and His Orchestra, with which he scored hits in the US charts from the very beginning. He was one of the first drummers to make the drums famous as a sounding instrument and not just as a mere beat generator.
Image: Everett Collection/picture alliance
Tony Williams
Tony Williams is considered one of the most important post-war drummers. When Williams was just 17, Miles Davis brought the child prodigy into his quintet. Since he was too young for jazz clubs, he often had to enter them through the back entrance on concert nights. His technique, precision and speed are still breathtaking, even from today's perspective. Williams died of heart failure in 1997.
Image: National Jazz Archive/picture alliance
Ringo Starr
The Beatles' Ringo Starr became the first real world star on the drums. Jazz influenced how he played, but he also became a kind of "joker" element in the band, much like other drummers up through the 1960s. He sang some of the most famous Beatles songs, then had a successful solo career and today, at 80, looks fitter than ever.
Image: Seth Wenig/AP/picture alliance
Keith Moon
In contrast to his colleague Ringo Starr, who today is considered a health nut, The Who drummer Keith Moon lived a typical rock'n'roll lifestyle. He died in 1978 at the age of only 32 as a result of alcohol and drug abuse. Moon is still considered an iconic rock drummer of the 1960s and 1970s due to his flashy and dynamic playing and performing.
Image: picture alliance/Captital Pictures
John Bonham
With his characteristic grooving and rolling beats, John Bonham aka "Bonzo" became the symbol of the rock drummer in the 1970s. Led Zeppelin's songs drew much of their sex appeal from the rhythms that Bonham evoked together with bassist John Paul Jones. They formed the perfect basis for the melodies of guitarist Jimmy Page and lead singer Robert Plant.
Image: Avalon/picture alliance
Karen Carpenter
Karen Carpenter became world famous with her brother Richard as the duo The Carpenters. She was both an excellent drummer, and a talented singer and entertainer. She made major appearances on US television and became a role model for countless female drummers, especially given that the spot behind the drums was dominated by men. She died in 1983 as a result of her anorexia.
Image: picture-alliance/United Archives/TopFoto
Stewart Copeland
Best known as a member of the English rock band the Police, he is one of the great virtuosos of pop drumming: Stewart Copeland combines various seemingly incompatible genres into his style, including punk, reggae, pop and rock. No matter how tricky a rhythm or solo may be, Copeland glows with the joy of playing, while his driving beats remain one-of-a-kind.
Image: Photoshot/picture alliance
Lars Ulrich
You can probably safely call him one of the godfathers of modern metal drumming: Lars Ulrich of Metallica. From the very beginning, the band's founder was also the band's mouthpiece, which is rather unusual for drummers. His technique is characterized by hard double-pedal playing, unusual syncopations and speed.
Image: Lasse Lagoni/picture alliance
Sheila E.
Born into a family of musicians, the "queen of percussion" Sheila Escovedo aka Sheila E. played with Diana Ross, Herbie Hancock and Lionel Richie, among others, before becoming internationally known as Prince's drummer in the 1980s. In 1984, she began a successful solo career as a singer and percussionist that continues to this day.
Image: Mark J. Terrill/AP/picture alliance
Dave Grohl
Probably very few can claim to have been a drummer in one of the most important rock bands of all time and then to have had an even greater career as a singer and guitarist. Dave Grohl, ex-Nirvana drummer and mastermind of the Foo Fighters, had that fortune and, above all, the talent and stamina for it. And he is still considered the "nicest guy in rock'n'roll."
Image: Chris Pizzello/AP/picture alliance
Bela B
Probably Germany's best-known drummer, he is also a multi-talent: Dirk Felsenheimer, aka Bela B, is a drummer (who always plays standing up), singer, songwriter, guitarist, book author and actor. In his music career with the band Die Ärzte as well as a solo artist, he combines elements of punk, rockabilly, country, rock and pop in continually new and surprising combinations.
Image: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa/picture alliance
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Tuba stands for musical diversity
The tuba also stands for musical diversity. It is at home not only in Western orchestras, the brass bands of New Orleans and in the fanfare and military bands of many countries, but also in the brass music of the Balkans.
The contrabass tuba is the lowest of all brass instruments. Through the development of valves through which the tube length of the instrument can be changed — and reach up to 5.5 meters (18 feet) — it became possible to significantly expand the tonal range of the instrument in the middle of the 19th century.
The tuba's range covers up to four octaves. This means this deep instrument can also play very high notes — something that is little known.
"The tuba is an instrument that goes back to the Roman Empire," said Liedtke, who plans to share more on the history of the tuba at the special events in 2024.
The tuba is an essential instrument in New Orleans brass bandsImage: Lan Wei/Xinhua News Agency/picture alliance
Why play the tuba?
Tuba player Stefan Ambrosius has often been asked what appeals to him about playing his instrument in an orchestra.
"I like that I'm not necessarily in the spotlight in the orchestra," he said. "I provide the stable foundation, which I really enjoy."
He added that he is also fascinated by the warm, round and soft sound of his instrument.
Ambrosius enjoys providing stability to the orchestra with his instrumentImage: privat
Until the 1950s, the tuba was more of an accompanying instrument. That has changed greatly since the famous English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams premiered his Tuba Concerto in London in 1954.
"This is still the standard work when we have to rehearse somewhere," explained Ambrosius. Many modern composers now write pieces for the tuba.
Germany, a country with a passion for music
Around 14.3 million people in Germany play an instrument, mostly as amateurs in their free time.
According to a study by the Association of German Music Schools, the most popular instrument is the piano. The guitar comes second and the violin third. The piano is also the most-played instrument worldwide, along with electric pianos and keyboards.
The popularity of an instrument has little to do with the choice of the instrument of the year, though the music councils always select one that is available and can be learned through music lessons in Germany.
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Sending the tuba to the European Football Championship
But beyond the popular piano, in 2025 a smaller keyboard instrument is set to come into the spotlight: the accordion.
The fact that it unites people also played a role in its selection. The instrument is not only known from German folk music, but also from Argentine tango and the Baltic music. Fun and dancing follow the folk instrument across the planet.
But now it's the brass players' turn.
Among the projects this year, one goal is to contribute to the European Football Championship taking place in Germany in 2024.
"It would be great if we could play the tuba for the national anthem, if we could do that for the games in Munich," said Ambrosius.
The Bavarian Music Council is already working to get 11 tuba players to accompany the 11 national football players as the games open with the national anthem.
