The Triangle Tuba Quartet (TTQ) was founded in 1998 when several of
us heard our first tuba quartet at the US Army Band Tuba-Euphonium
Conference and decided to form a local group. The TTQ consists of
two Euphoniums (sometimes called Baritone Horns), and two tubas (usually a small F
tuba and a
larger BBb tuba). This unique instrumentation delivers a rich sound
that simply needs to be enjoyed in person to appreciate. We enjoy
performing a variety of musical styles, from arrangements of classical
Bach, Mozart, and Haydn pieces, to modern American music with a jazz or
Latin feel. The TTQ currently plays in a variety of Triangle
settings, including banquets, music festivals, church services, nursing
homes, and weddings.
Our Bio's
 Joe Lowman
returned to playing the tuba at age 50 after a 34 year lay off. Now he
can't get enough and plays in several Triangle brass groups, including the
TTQ, the Chapel Hill Brass Ensemble, and the Village Band. Joe also plays
with Confederacy of Dunces, a Dixieland Group in Chapel Hill, on an
alternating basis with Irv Eisen. When not making music, Joe is Professor
of Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
 At the ripe young
age of thirteen Irv Eisen decided to give up playing the trumpet in
his junior high school band in anticipation of getting braces on his
teeth. But Mr. Blackwell, the band director, had other ideas. Rather than
lose a student, he convinced Irv to switch to the tuba, which would not
hurt so bad with the braces, and he stayed after school to teach Irv how
to play it. Mr. Blackwell's efforts paid off as Irv received a degree in
music education, played for a while in a club on Bourbon St. and
freelanced in St. Louis. Now, working as a computer systems manager for
Duke University, Irv plays for fun with the Durham Community Concert Band,
the TTQ and a Dixieland group in Chapel Hill. (PS. He never got the
braces.)
 Jack Denniston
has enjoyed playing tuba, euphonium and trombone in a variety of small
local jazz, classical and popular musical groups, including the TTQ, Brass
on the Slide, Brassisimo, United Church of Chapel Hill Brass Ensemble,
Fidgety Feet and the Salty Dogs since moving to North Carolina from Iowa
in 1997. Jack is a health and human services professional.
 In 1998, after
almost 18 years of withdrawal, Paul Gramann kicked off his mid-life
crisis by buying a euphonium and starting to play again. He now enjoys
tooting his horn regularly with the TTQ, the Durham "Red Kettle
Band" during the Christmas season and other occasional brass
ensembles. Paul is married with two children and
pays the bills with his day job as an engineer working for IBM.
 Bob Hale
received a scholarship to the Juilliard School of Music, and graduated
with a B.S. degree in trombone performance. After freelancing in New
York, playing with the Goldman Band and traveling with the Longines
Symphonette for two years, he decided that that life was inimical with
raising a family. He then got a "day job" with IBM which
lasted for 38 years. However, he retained a toe-hold in music, forming the
Westchester Brass Quintet in Westchester County just north of New York
City, and playing an average of two professional engagements per month
with them for a dozen years. He's now settled down to playing the
trombone or euphonium with only three groups regularly, but plays from
time to time with other groups when persuaded to (it doesn't take much
persuading).
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