Notorious Tuba

He is the only tuba virtuoso to have an international solo career while being a hero of popular culture. His YouTube videos have been viewed around five million times, while his interpretation of The Carnival of Venice, performed at a diabolical speed of 180 bpm (prestissimo!) inspired one of the episodes of the TV drama House. He invented his very own technique known as lip beat which he uses to achieve the seemingly impossible: equal the finesse of instruments such as the violin. Øystein Baadsvik defies the stereotype of the tuba as an orchestral background or a marching band instrument, and yet he remains one of a kind in the musical world.

The Norwegian artist performs at the Kraków Philharmonic on 13 and 14 January. As well as Arban’s Carnival of Venice, we will hear Vivaldi’s Winter; the soloist is accompanied by the Kraków Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Antoni Wit. There will also be dance pieces and a Nordic repertoire by Grieg and Sibelius.

Igor Kuranda, Karnet magazine

Øystein Baadsvik – tuba
Kraków Philharmonic Orchestra
Antoni Wit – conductor

Edward Grieg – Peer Gynt, Suites 1 & 2
Antonio Vivaldi – Winter RV 297 from The Four Seasons
Jean Sibelius – Valse triste
Antonín Dvořák – Slavonic Dances Op. 46  Nos. 2-3-4-1
Jean-Baptiste Arban – Fantasie and Variations on The Carnival of Venice
Johannes Brahms – Hungarian Dances, Nos. 19 and 6