Aaron Tindall, Principal Tuba
Barbara and George Trees Chair
With his orchestral playing praised as “a rock-solid foundation” and his solo playing described as being “remarkable for both its solid power and its delicacy,” Aaron Tindall is the principal tubist of the Naples Philharmonic, the professor of tuba and euphonium at the Frost School of Music – University of Miami and the tuba professor at The Colburn School in Los Angeles, California. In the summers, he teaches and performs at the Festival Napa Valley in Napa, California and at the Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, North Carolina, where he also serves as principal tuba with the EMF Festival Orchestra under the direction of Gerard Schwarz.
Aaron has previously served as the principal tubist of the Sarasota Orchestra, the acting principal tubist of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, held the principal tuba position with the Aspen Festival Orchestra where he was an orchestral fellow and has collaborated as guest tubist with orchestras such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass, Teatro alla Scala Opera and Ballet Orchestra, Milan, Italy, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Australia, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, The Florida Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra-Kennedy Center, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, New World Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and the Utah Symphony.
He is a frequent soloist, guest artist/clinician and orchestral tubist throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. He has been featured at all of the International Tuba and Euphonium conferences since 2006, performed in England with the National Champion Grimethorpe Colliery Brass Band and his solo playing has been heard on NPR’s Performance Today radio show.
Aaron has been a prizewinner of many competitions (solo and chamber) across the world. He has also been a two-time finalist in the prestigious Concert Artist Guild Competition, and released four highly acclaimed solo recordings — Yellowbird (solo tuba and jazz piano trio), Transformations (winner of the International Tuba Euphonium Association’s Roger Bobo Excellence in Recording award and winner of two 2017 Global Music Awards), This is My House… (awarded two 2015 Global Music Awards) and Songs of Ascent. His fifth album, At the Ballet, featuring the music of Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky, will be recorded and released on the Bridge Record Label in 2023.
Many of his students have obtained prestigious principal positions with the top professional orchestras in the U.S. and Canada, and also in the premier military bands in Washington, D.C. They are also frequent prizewinners at various national and international solo and chamber music competitions.
Aaron is an International Yamaha Performing Artist and a Denis Wick – London artist and design specialist, having designed their complete Ultra Range AT signature series tuba mouthpieces.
”
The facts:
I am from Lapeer, Michigan.
What inspired you to become a musician?
My parents and siblings were all musical, and there was always music and recordings playing in our home. A deep love and appreciation for music was instilled in me from the beginning. Also, our high school program was first rate, and excellence was always expected.
What is challenging about playing your instrument?
Staying in tip-top shape fundamentally as my role in the orchestra is to take the low end of the brass and the low end of the woodwinds and meld that into the strings. Sometimes, I have to sound like wood, sometimes I have to sound like metal and sometimes I have to sound like a string player. The role of a tuba player in the orchestra is so diverse.
What are your favorite compositions?
I get excited when anything by Bruckner, Mahler, Prokofiev or Strauss is programmed, but I honestly enjoy performing just about anything. The orchestra never ceases to amaze me with its ability to morph into such a powerful, spontaneous, glittering, “storytelling” sound machine.
What have you been listening to recently?
I like to listen to various podcasts, funk and a little bit of Frank Zappa while I’m on the road driving to and from Miami.
Are there other musicians in your immediate family?
Yes, my wife, Kelly, is a horn player, and my son Cameron has just taken up the trombone. Our youngest, Preston, played in a rock band all of last year and loved it.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I like to spend time with my family and get out on the boat in the beautiful Gulf of Mexico.