Title/Position: Associate Professor, Tuba and Euphonium
Profile:What would you say are the outstanding highlights of your professional life?
Competing with the Cleveland Brass Consort’s in the final round performance in Carnegie Hall for the Concert Artist Guild competition
Giving the premiere of two pieces written by composers from Florida at the International TUBA conference in Lexington, Kentucky
Playing a solo on an all Bernstein program at a faculty recital at the Cleveland Music School Settlement with Bernstein in attendance
Participating in the performances and recordings of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring and the Berlioz Requiem with the Cleveland Orchestra
What do you hope to pass on to your students?
I hope that I can pass on the importance of always playing musically, whether it is a concerto, solo, etude or even a scale. I think that musicality and expression can and should be nurtured.
Talk about an outstanding performance that you recall.
The most outstanding performance I recall was a Cleveland Orchestra performance of Mahlers’ Symphony No. 2 under the direction of Bernard Haitink, who conducted from memory. The chorus, soloists and orchestra played gloriously and the audience was so moved it gave a twenty-five minute standing ovation.
John J Olah Jr. has performed throughout the US, Europe and Mexico and has been a featured soloist at numerous national and international ITEA (TUBA) conferences.
He has performed and recorded with the
Cleveland Orchestra
Cleveland Symphonic Winds
New Mexico Symphony
New Mexico Brass Quintet
Prof. Olah has performed with the
American Ballet Theater
Bolshoi Ballet
Mosiev Dance Company
Cleveland Brass Consort
Orchestra of Sante Fe
In addition he has performed with notable artists as
Luciano Pavarotti
Joan Sutherland
Placido Domingo
Jose Carreras
James Gallway
Lena Horne
James Taylor
Mel Torme
Moody Blues
Prof. Olah received a BM from the Baldwin Wallace Conservatory and a MM from the University of New Mexico.
Short Biography:
John Olah (tuba, euphonium) is associate professor in the Department of Instrumental Performance at the University of Miami Frost School of Music. He received a B.M. degree from the Baldwin Wallace College Conservatory, an M.M. degree from the University of New Mexico, and has pursued advanced studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music. A student of Ronald Bishop, Olah has performed with the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Ballet Orchestra, the Ohio Chamber Orchestra, the Santa Fe Chamber Orchestra, the New Mexico Brass Quintet, the Cleveland Brass Quintet, the Cleveland Brass Consort, American Ballet Theater, Bolshoi Ballet, and the Blossom Festival Band. He has recorded with the Cleveland Orchestra and the Cleveland Symphonic Winds. In addition he has performed with such notable artists as Luciano Pavarotti, Joan Sutherland, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, James Gallway, Lena Horne, James Taylor and Mel Torme.
