"Five Tips" is a video series that focuses on helping tuba and euphonium players get better. We interview the best musicians in the world and ask them a simple question: "If you could only practice 5 things, what would those 5 things be?".
For the 4th installment, I speak with JáTtik Clark, Principal Tubist of the Oregon Symphony Orchestra. JáTtik discusses his ideas about music, playing the tuba, and being a professional. Throughout our conversation, JáTtik demonstrates what he practices to maintain his playing on the highest possible level, and most importantly, if he could only practice 5 things, what would they be?
Each tip can be found at the following time stamps:
14:12, Tip 1: Training the Embouchure and Breathing
19:07, Tip 2: Lip Slurs and Lip Bends
33:40, Tip 3: Buzz and Play Melodies
40:19, Tip 4: Practice Scales
46:36, Tip 5: Be Aware of Your Setup
Who is JáTtik Clark?
JáTtik Clark began his professional music career as principal tuba of the Oregon Symphony in the fall of 1999, after being chosen for the position in May of the same year, at age 23. Since then, he has also become active as a chamber musician, soloist, instructor, and clinician both locally and nationally.
As an orchestral tubist, JáTtik has been invited to perform with the Chicago, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Grant Park, and Seattle symphonies. His varied chamber music experience includes performances and recordings with numerous groups including Pink Martini, Big Horn Brass, Third Angle Music Ensemble, Chamber Music Northwest, and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. He has performed as a featured soloist with the Grand Teton Music Festival, Vancouver (WA) Symphony, and the Corvallis-OSU Symphony, in addition to the Oregon Symphony. He also gave the Northwest premiere of Oregon Symphony Pops conductor Jeff Tyzik’s Dance Suite for Tuba and Orchestra with the Portland Columbia Symphony. Additionally, JáTtik was featured as a guest co-soloist with the “Pershing’s Own” United States Army Band in Washington, D.C.
JáTtik also serves as co-principal tuba of the Grand Teton Music Festival in Jackson Hole, WY, and principal tuba of the Sunriver Music Festival. He also holds the teaching position of Applied Tuba-Euphonium Instructor at Portland State University and Lewis & Clark College, along with being Co-Instructor of Tuba-Euphonium at Oregon State University.
JáTtik earned a bachelor’s degree in music performance (cum laude) from the University of South Carolina and a master’s degree in performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. His primary teachers were Timothy J. Northcut and Dr. Ronald Davis, with additional instruction from Gene Pokorny, Floyd Cooley, James Jenkins, Michael Grose, Steve Norrell, and Michael Mulcahy.
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