ASSOC PROF Brett Stemple
Head of Brass; TUBA
Brett Stemple has served as Artist Faculty, Tuba, at YST Conservatory since 2004, and from 2007 took on an expanded role as the Coordinator of Brass. Brett was particularly honoured to have been tapped to convene two international symposia hosted by the Conservatory, Performer’s Voice, Horizons Crossing Boundaries in 2012, and Performers(') Present in 2016.
Brett first came to Southeast Asia as a founding member of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. Appointed by MPO’s founding Music Director, Maestro Kees Bakels, Brett served the Orchestra as the Section Principal Tuba for nineteen seasons (1998-2017). With the MPO, Brett appears on over twenty recordings on the BIS, Vox, and EMI labels, and was recognized as one of the tonal foundations of the Orchestra’s sound: “amongst the outstanding brass players, the tubist is particularly worth mentioning (Klassik.com)”. Brett was also a leading member of MPO’s Education and Outreach program, an active MPO Chamber Player, and in addition to regular solo responsibilities as the principal tubist, was twice featured as a concerto soloist with the Orchestra.
Before moving to the region, Brett served in similar positions in a number of symphony orchestras in the United States and Mexico. These included the Columbus Philharmonic and Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra in Indiana; Abilene Philharmonic and Midland-Odessa Symphony Orchestra in Texas; and the Orquesta Sinfónica de Xalapa, in Mexico.
As an orchestral tubist, Brett has performed in numerous music festivals, including the Texas Festival Orchestra at the Round Top Festival-Institute, A.I.M.S. Festival Orchestra in Graz, Austria, Waterloo Festival Orchestra in New Jersey, USA, and the Spoleto Festival Orchestra in Spoleto, Italy.
Brett began tuba studies as a 12-year-old with accomplished tuba soloist, Velvet Brown. He soon had success in state-wide honour bands and solo competitions, and in 1986, as a senior in high school, was one of a handful selected for the annual West Virginia Music Educator's State Honours Recital. In that same year, he performed with the McDonald's All-American High School Band, an honorary wind band comprised of one-hundred outstanding high school musicians, two from each of the fifty United States. During this time, he also served as the Principal Tubist with the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra.
In the fall of 1986, Brett commenced conservatory training at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, with tuba professor, Cherry Beauregard. At Eastman, he performed extensively with the Eastman Philharmonia, most notably a performance of Gustav Mahler's Second Symphony to a sold-out Carnegie Hall. He graduated with a Bachelor's degree in tuba performance with a minor in philosophy, summa cum laude, in 1990.
In the fall of 1994, Brett accepted a School of Music Fellowship from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music to pursue a Master's Degree in Music with renowned tuba pedagogue, Indiana University’s Provost Professor, Daniel Perantoni. During his studies at Jacobs School of Music, Brett was an Associate Instructor of Tuba, assisting Professor Perantoni in the administration and pedagogy of the tuba studio. After completing his Master's Degree in 1996, he continued advanced study with Professor Perantoni, pursuing a Doctor of Music degree in Tuba Performance and Pedagogy. In 1997, one year before moving to Southeast Asia, Brett served as Adjunct Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana.
In addition to his regular performances on the stages of YST, Brett’s solo experiences include featured guest appearances with the Malaysian Philharmonic, Petaling Jaya Youth Symphonic Band/Philharmonic Winds, Midland/Odessa Symphony, Abilene Philharmonic, and the Texas Festival Orchestra.
Besides being a fan of all forms of music, Brett enjoys reading poetry, philosophy and comparative mythology. When not on stage, you can find Brett sailing on the beautiful waters of Southeast Asia.
Brett is a Buffet Crampon Artist, performing on the excellent Melton Meinl Weston and B&S tubas.
