It’s been almost a month, and I am still basking in the afterglow of the Third Annual Tuba & Euphonium Day that took place here at Paige’s Music on April 27. To call the event a success would be selling short my feelings about it, so let’s just give it a quick recap.

This year saw the largest assortment of tubas and euphoniums the store has ever seen at one time – from Yamaha, Shires, Willson, and Eastman, many instruments were brought in specifically for people to try out at Tuba & Euphonium Day (huge thanks to Eastman Music Company for coordinating so many different horns).

We welcomed Scott Sutherland to the store as our guest artist for this year’s event. From the very beginning, Scott showed just how incredible a musician and all-around human being he is, working with players of all ages to demo instruments all day with knowledge, friendliness, personal attention, and most of all a genuine enthusiasm that never waned.

The day culminated in Scott giving a clinic on incorporating technology into a musician’s daily routine – whether it’s in the practice room, onstage, or in a DIY recording studio. He accompanied this with a live performance that married his own (awesome) YouTube videos with in-person playing. (Did I mention his YouTube content is awesome? Seriously, check it out if you haven’t. There was even an impromptu, surprise (even to me) performance by yours truly of “Pure Imagination” from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory with Scott accompanying on piano (yes, he plays piano, too – and beautifully).