Song and Wind in Canada: The Impact of Arnold Jacobs’s Teaching on Canadian Tuba Pedagogues

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of Arnold Jacobs on the pedagogical approaches of prominent tuba teachers in Canada. Nine tuba teachers from different Canadian universities participated in this study. Each participant was interviewed digitally using Skype or FaceTime and asked nine questions designed to understand their personal pedagogical approach and how it relates to Arnold Jacobs. These questions cover important pedagogical ideas including sound concept, breathing, articulation, and embouchure. Arnold Jacobs is considered to be one of the most influential brass pedagogues in history. His method of teaching, referred to as Song and Wind, is a pedagogical concept frequently implemented in contemporary applied tuba teaching. The interview findings of this study demonstrate that the Arnold Jacobs legacy is very present in Canadian tuba pedagogy. The approaches to articulation and sound concept demonstrated by the interview subjects are consistently Jacobs inspired. The approaches to breathing and embouchure, however, are much more varied. Although these elements are not as tightly embedded in the Jacobs pedagogical approach, the results of the study demonstrate that the majority of the interview subjects are fully aware of the ways in which their current approaches have been adapted.