Principal Tuba of the Dallas Opera Orchestra and Texas Wind Symphony in the U.S.A.; Professor of Tuba at the University of Northern Texas; composer and arranger
Born in Philadelphia, Donald grew up on the southern New Jersey seashore in Wildwood Crest where his first tuba teacher was Bernard V. Switzer, Jr., his band director at Wildwood High School. He received his B.M.E. at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University, where he studied with John Melick, and M.M. at Northwestern University where he was a student of Arnold Jacobs. He has also completed further graduate studies at the Eastman School of Music as a student of Cherry Beauregard.
In addition to being principal tuba of the Dallas Opera Orchestra and Texas Wind Symphony, Don Little performs frequently in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with a variety of orchestras and brass ensembles including the Texas Winds Brass Quintet. He recently retired from the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra after serving as Principal Tuba for 21 years through 2001. Little has recorded with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Opera Orchestra and the German Radio-Symphonie-Orchester of Berlin. He is a former member of the Chicago Civic Orchestra and the Colorado Festival Orchestra. He has also performed with the Chicago, St. Louis, San Antonio and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestras.
Little is a tenured Professor at the University of North Texas College of Music and was previously a faculty member at the University of Northern Iowa. Former students hold teaching and performance positions throughout the world, such as in the Hague Orchestra of Holland, the Orquesta del Principado de Asturias of Spain, the Oklahoma City Symphony, the Memphis Symphony, Disney world, the US Coast Guard Academy Band, the US Navy Band of Washington, DC, and numerous universities and colleges. Donald Little has been active in the International Tuba Euphonium Association (formerly called TUBA) throughout his career and has served the association in many capacities including President, Past-President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, Conference Coordinator and Chairman of the Board of Directors. He presently serves the association as a member of the Honorary Advisory Board.
Mr. Little has transcribed, arranged, edited and/or composed numerous published works for the tuba, euphonium and brass ensembles. A respected pedagogue and low brass specialist, he contributed instructional materials and solo editions for the tuba and euphonium to Belwin Mills', Medalist Band Course and Contemporary Band Course, which includes his text for high school and college tubists Practical Hints on Playing the Tuba.
Born in Philadelphia, Donald grew up on the southern New Jersey seashore in Wildwood Crest where his first tuba teacher was Bernard V. Switzer, Jr., his band director at Wildwood High School. He received his B.M.E. at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University, where he studied with John Melick, and M.M. at Northwestern University where he was a student of Arnold Jacobs. He has also completed further graduate studies at the Eastman School of Music as a student of Cherry Beauregard.
In addition to being principal tuba of the Dallas Opera Orchestra and Texas Wind Symphony, Don Little performs frequently in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with a variety of orchestras and brass ensembles including the Texas Winds Brass Quintet. He recently retired from the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra after serving as Principal Tuba for 21 years through 2001. Little has recorded with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Opera Orchestra and the German Radio-Symphonie-Orchester of Berlin. He is a former member of the Chicago Civic Orchestra and the Colorado Festival Orchestra. He has also performed with the Chicago, St. Louis, San Antonio and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestras.
Little is a tenured Professor at the University of North Texas College of Music and was previously a faculty member at the University of Northern Iowa. Former students hold teaching and performance positions throughout the world, such as in the Hague Orchestra of Holland, the Orquesta del Principado de Asturias of Spain, the Oklahoma City Symphony, the Memphis Symphony, Disney world, the US Coast Guard Academy Band, the US Navy Band of Washington, DC, and numerous universities and colleges. Donald Little has been active in the International Tuba Euphonium Association (formerly called TUBA) throughout his career and has served the association in many capacities including President, Past-President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, Conference Coordinator and Chairman of the Board of Directors. He presently serves the association as a member of the Honorary Advisory Board.
Mr. Little has transcribed, arranged, edited and/or composed numerous published works for the tuba, euphonium and brass ensembles. A respected pedagogue and low brass specialist, he contributed instructional materials and solo editions for the tuba and euphonium to Belwin Mills', Medalist Band Course and Contemporary Band Course, which includes his text for high school and college tubists Practical Hints on Playing the Tuba.
Email: dlittle@music.cmm.unt.edu
