Washington State University tuba professor Chris Dickey traveled to Tianjin, China, in August to perform and teach at the 2019 JinBao International Low Brass Festival, an event that attracted some 450 performers from throughout China.
Dickey, clinical associate professor of music, participated in an international faculty panel featuring artists from the United States, Denmark, China, Switzerland, and Austria. He worked with Chinese students ranging from advanced high school players to university-level and conservatory-trained students. Throughout the week, Dickey coached students who qualified for the final round of the festival’s prestigious solo competition. The pool of 150 tuba players was whittled down to just six finalists vying for top cash prizes.
“I heard students with incredible skills while in China,” Dickey said. “The students were eager to learn. Our time together was so rewarding because of their commitment to their craft and willingness to embrace new ideas.”
Evenings during the festival focused on solo and chamber music recitals from the guest faculty. For Dickey’s solo recital, he decided to feature music from his third solo album.