Our History

The tuba–euphonium studio at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music is widely regarded as one of the foundational centers of tuba/euphonium performance and pedagogy. Established in 1961 and shaped by the leadership of William J. Bell, Harvey Phillips, and Daniel Perantoni, the studio has played a central role in defining the artistic and educational culture of the tuba–euphonium field. Landmark events hosted in Bloomington—including the first International Tuba Symposium and the inaugural Octubafest—helped establish traditions that have since been adopted by studios and organizations around the world. Through its long tradition of performance, commissioning, pedagogy, and community building, the IU studio has influenced generations of performers and educators and continues to serve as a model for tuba–euphonium programs internationally.

William Bell (1902-1971)

William John Bell was the premier player and teacher of the tuba in America during the first half of the 20th century. In 1921, he joined the band of John Philip Sousa, and from 1924 to 1937 he served as Principal Tuba with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. In 1937 General Electric’s David Sarnoff invited conductor Arturo Toscanini to select personnel for The NBC Symphony Orchestra. William Bell was the third musician selected by Toscanini, after his concertmaster Mischa Mischakoff and principal oboe Philip Ghignatti.

In 1943, he became principal tubist for the New York Philharmonic. Leopold Stokowski invited Bell to perform and narrate George Kleinsinger’s “Tubby the Tuba,” and to perform and sing a special arrangement of ‘When Yuba Plays The Rhumba on the Tuba.’ In 1955, Bell performed the American premiere of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Concerto for Bass Tuba and Orchestra. He was professor of tuba at the Manhattan School of Music until 1961, and Indiana University from 1961 to 1971.

Harvey Phillips (1929-2010)

Born in Aurora, Missouri, Harvey Phillips was a professional freelance musician in New York City from 1950 to 1971, winning his first professional position with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Band as a teenager. In 1954, he co-founded the New York Brass Quintet, which is credited with popularizing the brass quintet in its most common instrumentation. In 1960, he co-founded The All-Star Concert Band with American cornet soloist James F. Burke. The band recorded three albums and was composed of virtually every top soloist and first chair player in the country. He served as personnel manager for Symphony of the Air, Leopold Stokowski, Igor Stravinsky, and Gunther Schuller. He was a key figure in the formation of the International Tuba Euphonium Association hosting the first symposium at Indiana University in 1973. He was the founder and president of the Harvey Phillips Foundation, Inc. which administers Octubafest, Tubachristmas, Tubasantas, Tubacompany, and Tubajazz. The first Octubafest celebration was hosted by Mr. Philips at Indiana University in 1974.

In 2007, Phillips was inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame, the only wind instrument player to receive this prestigious honor. Other inductees that year included Yo-Yo Ma, Donald Martino and the Cleveland Orchestra.

He served as the Distinguished Professor of the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, Bloomington (from 1971 to 1994) and was dedicated advocate for the tuba becoming popularly known as Mr. Tuba.

For information on the life and accomplishments of Mr. Phillips, consider his autobiography “Mr. Tuba.”

Daniel Perantoni

Daniel Perantoni, was the Provost Professor of Music at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University from 1994 until 2025. Dan or “Mr. P” as his students call him is a legendary tuba artist, teacher and pedagogue as well as a trailblazer in a variety of genres including work as a solo recitalist, chamber musician, jazz musician, and instrument design. He was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the executive board of T.U.B.A. A true legion of former students holds prestigious positions in major performing ensembles and music schools around the world.

Their success is the best testimony to his abilities as a teacher, mentor, and friend. He is cited as a “tubist’s tubist,” featuring his playing a “lyrical, clear, and singing tone, along with his impeccable musical style.” Daniel Perantoni has been a featured artist in Carnegie Hall, the Monterey Jazz Festival, the Spoleto Festival U.S.A., the Adelaide Festival in Australia, the Banff Centre for the Arts in Canada, the Montreux Brass Congress in Switzerland, and recently as soloist throughout Europe and Japan. He is a founding member of the Summit Brass, Symphonia, the St. Louis Brass Quintet, the Matteson-Phillips Tubajazz Consort, and has released numerous solo albums and chamber music CD’s. He is a Buffet Group B&S Artist.

Gail Robertson

Gail Robertson was visiting professor of music in euphonium at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music from 2024 to 2026. She has a distinguished reputation as a euphonium artist and teacher, soloist, and clinician. She has also garnered worldwide attention for leadership, for her work as composer/arranger, and as a musical talent.

Robertson is professor of tuba and euphonium, and graduate coordinator at the University of Central Arkansas as well as on the euphonium faculty of the American Band College in Ashland, Oregon. She earned a B.A. degree from the University of Central Florida and an M.M. from Indiana University, with a D.M.A. from Michigan State University, where she was a university distinguished fellow.

Robertson has studied with Harvey Phillips, Phil Sinder, Roy Pickering, and Ava Ordman. She performed for 10 years with the world-famous Tubafours at Walt Disney World, Orlando, where she was musical supervisor/chief arranger and produced the highly acclaimed CD Tubas Under the Boardwalk.

Indiana University Euphoniums and Dr. Robertson at the 2026 United States Army Band Tuba/Euphonium Workshop.

Anthony Kniffen

Anthony Kniffen was a frequent sabbatical replacement for Daniel Perantoni and adjunct professor of music in tuba at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music during the 2025/2026 academic year.

His first professional orchestral experience, at age 18, was as acting principal tuba in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for a concert under Sir Georg Solti. A year later, Kniffen joined the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra for eight seasons and has been principal tuba of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (ISO) since 1997. His teachers have included Daniel Perantoni and Harvey Phillips, both at IU, Gene Pokorny and Arnold Jacobs of the Chicago Symphony, Robert Tucci of the Bavarian State Opera Orchestra, and Floyd Cooley of the San Francisco Symphony.

A highlight of Kniffen’s career was performing the John Williams Concerto on an ISO Classical Series Concert under the baton of Mario Venzago in 2008, including a performance at Indiana University. He performed the Indiana premiere of Wynton Marsalis’s Concerto for Tubist with the ISO in March of 2023. He has also appeared as a concerto soloist at the ISO’s outdoor venue, Symphony on the Prairie, and out front for many seasons on their Yuletide concerts, including this year. A winner of four concerto competitions, other solo appearances include regional and international tuba conferences and colleges, including his alma mater, the Jacobs School of Music.