Dr. Gail Robertson
Dr. Gail Robertson has a distinguished reputation as a euphonium artist and teacher, soloist, and clinician. She has also garnered worldwide attention for leadership, her work as composer/arranger, and as a musical talent. Robertson serves as Associate Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at the University of Central Arkansas. She is the former head of the jazz area where she coordinated jazz events and conducted the top jazz ensemble. In addition to teaching, she performs as tubist in the faculty brass quintet, Pinnacle Brass.
Robertson earned her B.A. degree from the University of Central Florida and a M.M. from Indiana University where she served as graduate assistant to Harvey Phillips. She postponed her doctoral studies at the University of Maryland with Dr. Brian Bowman to perform for ten years with the world-famous Tubafours at Walt Disney World, Orlando, where she was musical supervisor/chief arranger and produced a highly acclaimed CD, Tubas Under the Boardwalk. Gail completed her D.M.A. as a University Distinguished Fellow at Michigan State University (studies with Phil Sinder and Ava Ordman). Dr. Robertson has taught on the faculties of Eastern Michigan University, the University of Central Florida, Bethune-Cookman University, the University of Florida, and remains active as a teacher, adjudicator, jazz clinician, composer, arranger and free-lance artist, both nationally and internationally.
Dr. Robertson is Past President of the International Tuba and Euphonium Association (ITEA). She was elected for a six-year term that began July 1, 2017. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Leonard Falcone Tuba and Euphonium Festival, the Athena Brass Band and Wind and Rhythm. She is Past President of the International Women’s Brass Conference (IWBC) and co-hosted two international conferences.Robertson was Chair/Chief Editor of the International Tuba and Euphonium Press (2012-2017). She also served as Euphonium and Membership Coordinator of the ITEA and was the featured artist on the cover of the ITEA Journal (Vol. 38:1, Fall 2010).
Dr. Robertson and Dr. Stacy Baker tour and perform as a SYMBIOSISDUO. They have recorded two CDs: SymbiosisDuo and Playground. The duo has commissioned many works by well-known composers (including Franz Cibulka, Jim Self, James Grant, Christopher Marshall, Brian Balmages, Chris Sharp, Kimberly Archer, T.O. Sterrett, and Phillip Bimstein). Gail Robertson and Stacy Baker were honored to be the featured guest artists for the 2019 Leonard Falcone Tuba and Euphonium Festival where they commissioned and premiered Eric Knechtges’ double concerto for wind band, Twin Lake Reflections. They were also featured soloists with Orchestra Iowa at the 2019 International Tuba and Euphonium Conference in Iowa City, where they performed the U.S. premiere of Eduardo Nogueroles’ The World of Dreams.
Dr. Robertson partnered with Dr. Baker as Co-Instrumental Advisor and Co-Curriculum Designer for the Pro-Series Elite Practice Systems for Tuba and Euphonium – providing all exercises, instruction, and quartet arrangements, as well as performing as on-screen talent alongside student musicians for the revolutionary pedagogical series of 10 DVDs for tuba and 10 DVDs for euphonium. The project was fully funded and released by American Product Group, LLC. In 2016, Robertson recorded a CD with The R.S.V.B. Quartet (Robertson, Dr. Deanna Swoboda, SFC Lauren Veronie-Curran and Dr. Stacy Baker) called Fanfare and Flourish. This recording premiered several of Dr. Robertson’s original compositions: Okto Flourish, Psychedelic Dances, and In A Funk.
Robertson is a recipient of Tau Beta Sigma’s highest honor, the Outstanding Service to Music Award. She was awarded the ITEA’s Clifford Bevan Award for Excellence in Research for her research manuscript, “Restoring the Euphonium’s Legacy as Cello of the Wind Band.” This research was featured in the ITEA Journal (Vol. 46:1, Fall 2018). Dr. Robertson was one of the featured artists on the cover of the Brass Herald magazine, issue 77/April 2019. This issue also included her article, “Ladies of Brass – Tuba and Euphonium.” Robertson has published articles, reviews, and compositions in British Brass Band World, Bandworld, and the International Tuba Euphonium Association’s, ITEA Journal.
Dr. Robertson was selected as one of two British Baritone players of the world to be a member of the 2022 4BarsRest – Band of the Year. Gail alternates with Dr. Brian Bowman as Euphonium Clinician for the elite Master’s degree program at the American Band College in Ashland, Oregon. She has joined the faculty as a Brass Coach for the Brass Chamber Music Workshop at Humboldt State University, in Arcata, California. For the past several years, Robertson has been the principal euphoniumist of The Cleveland Orchestra’s Blossom Festival Band.
Dr. Robertson was featured soloist at the 2019 United States Army Tuba-Euphonium Workshop, where she performed the orchestral world premiere of Barbara York’s Euphonium Concerto Creative States with the U. S. Army Orchestra. This workshop also featured the University of Central Arkansas’s Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble and Walt Disney’s Tubafours (30th Anniversary performance). Robertson was also the 2019 International Women’s Brass Conference featured Euphonium Artist at Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ.
Robertson has toured the United States, Europe, Korea, China, and Japan with various ensembles. She has been a longtime member of the Brass Band of Battle Creek, Keith Brion’s New Sousa Band, and Monarch Brass. She’s a member of the acclaimed touring brass ensemble, Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass. Dr. Robertson has been a clinician for the MIDWEST Band and Orchestra Clinic (2006) and has performed five times: as a member of The Monarch Brass (2016), The Brass Band of Battle Creek (2017 and 2021) and Keith Brion’s New Sousa Band (2009 and 2018). Gail has also performed as a featured euphonium soloist at Carnegie Hall with Purdue University’s Wind Ensemble and most recently with the Boston Symphony Orchestra for their historical performances of Shostakovich’s “Lady MacBeth.” She has also performed as tenor tubist/tubist/bass trumpet with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Sarasota Orchestra, Sarasota Ballet, the Arkansas Symphony, and Cincinnati Symphony.
Dr. Robertson’s published works and arrangements are available through Cimarron Music Press, Wright & Round Music Publishers, and Euphonium.com. As a Willson Euphonium Artist, Robertson’s euphonium of choice is a Willson 2950TA with a bronze Warburton/Gail Robertson mouthpiece.
