Chris Schmidt is an Eastman Performing Artist. He is also the instructor of tuba and euphonium at Indiana University Southeast in New Albany, IN and he directs the Horizons Brass Choir with the Louisville Youth Orchestra. Mr. Schmidt's has degrees in Music Performance and Music Education from Morehead State University and the University of Louisville. His low brass teachers have included Mr. John Jones, Dr. Stacy Baker, and Dr. Earle Louder. He also runs CP Schmidt Music LLC, a freelance teaching business out of Louisville, KY that offers services in low brass instruction, low brass consultation, and marching band drill show design.

Dan Burdick (he/him), pioneering queer brass artist, teaches euphonium and tuba at the State College of Florida. He tours with his instrumental music theatre shows, "Tuba Voce: Tales from the Gay Tuba Songbook," and, "More Tales from the Gay Tuba Songbook." Dan studied instrumental music theatre with Abbie Conant at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik Trossingen in Germany and tuba performance at the University of Michigan (DMA with Fritz Kaenzig) and Boston University (BMus, MMus with Sam Pilafian/Chester Schmitz). Dan has performed with the Canadian Brass, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Keith Brion’s New Sousa Band, and was the Principal Tuba of the Boise Philharmonic and the Erie Chamber Orchestra. Solo recitals include appearances at multiple International Tuba Euphonium Conferences and International Women’s Brass Conferences, the British Institute Library in Florence, the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik in Trossingen, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and the Banff Centre. Dan has taught at Penn West-Edinboro, Bowling Green State University, the University of Missouri-Kansas City, the University of Kentucky at Lexington, and the Interlochen Center for the Arts. Dan is a member of the Board of Directors of the International Tuba Euphonium Association, the International Women’s Brass Conference, the Burleigh Legacy Alliance, and advises the Chromatic Brass Collective. Dan has an active arts administration career having served as the Executive Director of the Sarasota Pops Orchestra and Interim General Manager of the Erie Chamber Orchestra. He lives with his husband, three children, and their dog, Bailey, in Florida. More info at www.danburdick.com. Social media: @drdanburdick.

It Gets Better (2022) | Gabe Newvine (b. 2000)
Composed for the More Tales from the Gay Tuba Songbook project, I explore how religion intersects with queerness. As a queer person from the middle of Pennsylvania, I frequently wrestle with my own conceptualization of religion. So, I wanted to explore the positive and caring side of religion while also exploring the isolating and hateful side of it. This piece accomplishes this by subverting common hymn tunes to represent the unnerving and uncomfortable feelings that queer people experience.

Prisma (2021) | Aliyah Danielle (b. 1997)
The title of the piece is a play on the word “prism,” which is an optical component that disperses light, forming rainbows. This piece represents the journey of a person who has discovered something new about themselves and their journey to find comfort in an unfamiliar identity. The first section represents apprehension as they are unsure of how to proceed in uncharted territory. The tumultuous middle section represents their internal struggle followed by an optimistic ending. The piece fuses the influences of neo-classical, R&B, and pop styles.

It’s A Gift (2022) | Leah Mullen (b. 2000)
“It’s A Gift,” was written for Dr. Dan Burdick’s ongoing project, The Gay Tuba Songbook. As a bisexual woman, I find that being able to feel romantic attraction to anyone regardless of gender to be a right, rather than a hinderance or something to be ashamed of. While I have a positive outlook on queerness, it comes without saying that not everyone shares the same opinion – even people within the LGBTQ community. My hope is that this piece expresses the beauty, confusion, and overall complexity of queerness in society, and within oneself.

All Hail The Queen (2022) | Nathan Reid (b. 2001)
“All Hail the Queen” serves as a lively tribute to the life of LGBTQ icon Freddie Mercury. Embracing the style of Queen, this piece delivers spirited melodies, familiar progressions, and an upbeat nature that makes the music come to life.