John Taylor

Tuba

John Taylor provides the steady bass line for Brazzissimo, an essential role in a group that normally performs without percussion.   In addition to Brazzissimo, John plays with the Ohlone Wind Orchestra and the Ohlone Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble, both under the direction of Tony Clements, principal tubist in the Symphony Silicon Valley, with whom John has studied privately. John has performed with the Stanford Symphony Orchestra, the California Pops Orchestra, the Berkeley Opera Orchestra, the San Luis Obispo Symphony, the Livermore Symphony Orchestra, the orchestra for Music in the Mountains, the El Camino Youth Wind Orchestra, the Stony Ridge Ramblers, the Brassworks Brass Quintet, the Orchestra Vintage Brass Quintet, and the Faultline Brass Tuba Quartet. John has also performed in master classes with Zachariah Spellman and Jim Self.

John owes his love for the tuba to his father, also a tuba player and his first instructor. John started playing tuba at age 10. He received a music scholarship to the University of Michigan where he played under William D. Revelli. John previously studied with Joseph Parker and Oscar LaGasse. He played professionally in the Detroit Area with various groups including the Leonard Smith Band. John is retired from a career in physics, aerospace, and laser optics.