ITEA Journal Volume 48 Number 3 (Spring 2021)

Conference Corner:
John Manning, Conference Committee Chair

2021 Virtual Tuba Euphonium Conference (VTEC)

It goes without saying that the past year has been a very challenging one for everyone due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our hearts go out to all those who have lost a loved one or suffered from and overcame this virus. In addition to the emotional and economic impact that this pandemic has had on the world, it has interrupted our lives in many other ways, including causing the cancellation of most in-person performances and other events. As members of ITEA, we sadly had to face the cancellation of our 2020 Regional Conferences, the 2021 ITEC and, although we had hoped to reschedule the cancelled regional conferences from 2020 to this spring, the ongoing pandemic forced us to postpone them yet again to 2022.

In reaction to that, and in an effort to try to capture some sense of community for our organization, the Conferences Committee and the ITEA Executive Committee decided to host a virtual event this year. VTEC (Virtual Tuba Euphonium Conference) will take place online as a Zoom webinar from May 29th through June 2nd. Over the past year, we've all gained a significant amount of experience with online events and recording performance videos. Although it will look a little different, VTEC is an attempt to maintain the tradition of fellowship and celebration of our instruments that ITEC and regional conferences have served for almost fifty years.

We have tried to create an event that embraces the traditions we have enjoyed at our in-person events, while taking advantage of the online dimension of VTEC. We hope to offer a virtual stage to performers, presenters and competitors without the limitations and expense of travel and distance. No one will have to pay for travel, leave their jobs or their loved ones and travel far from home, or risk their health at an in-person event. We are hoping that this will enable some artists and attendees who have never before been able to attend an ITEC to enjoy this virtual event. Best of all, VTEC will be free to all ITEA members.

In late 2020, President-elect James Gourlay proposed to the Executive Committee that ITEA hold an online competition for all ages, inspired by his work with the online Philip Jones Prize for Outstanding Brass Ensemble. Shortly after that was when we came up with the idea of VTEC, so we naturally combined the two ideas. James Gourlay, along with our newly appointed ITEC Competitions Coordinator, Jamie Liption, agreed to spearhead the VTEC competitions. They have created a type of competition different than ITEA has done previously, one based on age groups where contestants submit pre-recorded videos. To be equitable and safe, the competition rules require that all of the repertoire be unaccompanied and that all parts be recorded individually to comply with physical distancing guidelines. You will also find that the required repertoire reflects the diversity and inclusion that we aspire to, including compositions by women composers, people of color and inclusion of all ages. Additionally, competitors in the adult category have not only a choice of works, but can opt to perform them on either contrabass or bass tuba, accounting for many tuba players who own and play only one instrument. The VTEC Competition Coordinators have also allowed flexibility in the competitors' choice pieces, allowing them to perform their own compositions, unpublished works, etudes, an extra movement from a required piece, one movement from a multi-movement work or a required piece from a different division. The "Tuba Plus" category is an exciting new addition, with an emphasis on not only performance quality but entertainment and production quality, during this time of so many assembled group videos online. Anyone, including full-time professional musicians, may enter this competition and there are no age requirements. All competitors will be required to pay a small competitors fee and cash prizes (amounts to be determined by participation) will be awarded.

VTEC will also feature performances by collegiate ensembles, non-collegiate ensembles and soloists, presentations, warm up and wellness classes, panel discussions, and after hours jazz events. Most of the video will be pre-recorded. Live elements will include an ITEA General Membership meeting and an Awards Banquet including the presentation of VTEC competition awards, ITEA awards and an "In Memoriam" tribute. We will be announcing the site location for ITEC 2023, which will mark our 50th anniversary, at VTEC. A highlight of VTEC will be the Virtual Ensemble, premiering a brand new march composed by ITEA President Gail Robertson called Persistence March; a return to music and friendship. The piece will be assembled and edited by Scott Sutherland. Thanks go to both of them for their contribution and allowing all attendees to participate virtually.

We received over 150 proposals, including many featuring innovative programming, interesting presentations, world premieres, music by underrepresented composers, and a variety of many styles and unique instrument combinations. Proposals will be selected to engage as many of our members as possible, with something for everyone and presentations that reflect positive changes in our society and advancements for our instruments. Our loyal ITEA advertisers and conference vendors, who are such a large part of our in-person conferences and the ITEA Journal, will still be able to be involved through brief advertisements. Brian Gallion, our ITEA Advertising Coordinator, will be assisting them with helping to bring you the latest updates from them.

On behalf of the Conferences Committee, I would like to thank the members of the Executive Committee, who offered encouragement, suggestions and support for this unique event. I especially want to thank and recognize the members of the Conferences Committee, including Chris Vivio and our newly appointed member-at-large Stephanie Frye-Clark. I'd also like to recognize and thank our ITEC Manager, Genevieve Clarkson, and our newly appointed ITEC Competitions Coordinator, Jamie Lipton-who both volunteered to assist with VTEC even though our next ITEC isn't until 2023. Special thanks to Jason Smith, our ITEA online editor who created the website and proposal portal for VTEC. Everyone on the VTEC team has volunteered to take on this project and we've been meeting every two weeks to prepare the details.

VTEC will be free of charge to all ITEA members. There is no additional registration fee. Competitors will be asked to pay a nominal competitors fee and all VTEC Event Videos will be archived on the ITEA website. This is a great reason to renew your membership or to become a member soon. Electronic memberships are a popular and economic way to become part of our community, so spread the word. With the addition of Google translate on our website, people all over the world can enjoy our online content in many languages.

We are planning on presenting VTEC events for six hours per day, with breaks in between, for five days, from Saturday, May 29th, through Wednesday, June 2nd. VTEC is still a work in progress, so thank you for your patience and keep an eye on the VTEC website for more news and updates. We are excited about this event and hope that you can join us. If you miss any events during VTEC, you will be able to view them at a later date through our ITEA website archive. You will find details about the schedule, artists, presenters and other events on the VTEC website, which is http://www.iteaonline.org/conferences/VTEC2021.

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