Death of New York Brass Quintet’s tuba

Death of New York Brass Quintet’s tuba

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norman lebrecht

January 14, 2021

The death of tuba virtuoso and teacher Toby Hanks is being widely mourned.

Aside from being a prime performer, he was an influential teacher at Manhattan School of Music.

 

Comments

  • Toby was a great player, one of the best of a fine group, and I treasure his memory. We will all miss him.

  • Courtney Adrian Rodriguez says:

    Toby was also the tuba teacher at Yale School of Music, and was my teacher there when I did my graduate degree 1986-1988. Those of us who were lucky enough to have known him and studied with him are deeply saddened by his passing.

  • Fred says:

    Toby was not the founder of the NYBQ. His predecessor in the group, Harvey Phillips, was.

    He was a great artist and teacher. He will be sorely missed.

  • Larry says:

    Was he not also a member of the New York City Ballet orchestra?

    • Yes, I was a regular alternate with the NYC Ballet Orchestra between 1969 to 1971 and Harvey Phillips had just retired. I was a bass trombone player and had the chance to perform with Toby a lot, and I was in awe of his musicianship.

  • Robert Moir says:

    Toby Hanks was a wonderful musician and human being. However, he was not a founder of the New York Brass Quintet. The original tubist of the NYBQ was Harvey Phillips.

  • Dave Bolser says:

    My wife’s father Robert Nagel was the founder of the NYBQ. Toby came to the quintet after Harvey. They were an amazing group of musicians.

  • Don Palma says:

    R.I.P. my bass clef brother. A great artist, teacher and person.

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