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The talker item around here yesterday was definitely 99-tuba salute, my post on Hollywood studio musician Tommy Johnson from Bill Booth's story in the Washington Post. Yesterday afternoon, NPR's "All Things Considered" aired a piece with audio from Sunday's concert of tubas performing "Fanfare for a Big Man," in appreciation of Johnson's girth and reputation. The Orange County blog Laura's Miscellaneous Musings also posted:
My husband was privileged to attend the memorial concert in honor of Johnson last Sunday at USC's Bovard Auditorium. Among those participating in the concert was film composer Bruce Broughton. A college friend of my husband's played the euphonium.As described by the Washington Post, the tribute included a performance by 99 tubas. My husband told me that among the 99 were the first chair tuba players from several symphonies, including Chicago, Philadelphia, San Diego, and Orange County.
The Los Angeles Philharmonic was represented too. In answer to the question asked more than a few times, no the LAT hasn't run anything that I could find on Johnson since his obituary in October.