About the Group


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, and two tubas (usually an Eb 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, marches and Jazz. The TTQ currently plays in a variety of Triangle settings, including banquets, music festivals, church services, nursing homes, and weddings.

Our Bio's

Glenn Wilkinson is a graduate of the University of North Carolina - Greensboro where he studied euphonium under Dennis AsKew. In addition to the TTQ Glenn also performs with the North Carolina Brass Band. He currently works for FeatureTel, a managed telecommunications company.







As a child, Paul Gramann played the piano, clarinet (briefly), and trombone before switching to euphonium in high shool. Paul played the tuba for a season with the UVa pep band and then focused musically on guitar, playing in many Christian fellowship groups. In 1998, after almost 18 years of withdrawal, Paul kicked off his mid-life crisis by buying a sporty euphonium. He currently enjoys plays both tuba and euphonium with the TTQ, the Durham Community Concert Band, the "Red Kettle Band" during the Christmas season and other occasional ensembles. Paul is married with two adult children and pays the bills with his day job as an engineer at IBM.



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. Recently retired as a computer systems manager for Duke University, Irv plays with the Triangle Tuba Quartet and the Decatur Street Beat dixieland band.



~~~  Emeritus Members  ~~~

Jack Denniston passed away in March of 2022. He had studied tuba with William Bell at the University of Indiana and picked up the trombone and euphonium along the way. He also played in the Old North State Brass Choir, Amici Brass Quintet, the Triangle Brass Band, the Salvation Army Red Kettle Band, the Duke Pep Band and various Dixieland and Polka bands. Jack had retired from being an ICF International contractor at the U.S. Children's Bureau, Division of Program Innovation. He lived in Chapel Hill with his wife Lorry. He and Joe Lowman were the founders of the Triangle Tuba Quartet in 1999.



Joe Lowman returned to playing the tuba at age 50 after a 34 year lay off. Now he can't get enough. Over the years he has played in several Triangle brass groups, including the Chapel Hill Village Band, the Chapel Hill Brass Ensemble, the TTQ and the Triangle Wind Ensemble. Joe recently retired as Professor of Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and now lives in the mountains where he plays in the Watauga Community Band and the High Country Brass plus One.



John Jones has been playing euphonium since the 9th grade, when he was switched from tuba to double belled euphonium in high school. He is a Duke Univ grad who studied with Paul Bryan, the director of the band program during the period John was at Duke. After some years off the horn he came back to the instrument for a few years in the late 1980s, finally returning to full time play in 2003. John recently retired as Director of Campus Merchandising at UNC Chapel Hill where he was responsible for the campus bookstores. Musically, he plays with the North Carolina Wind Orchestra, the Triangle Wind Ensemble and the Old North State Brass, and has performed four solo recitals since 2006.



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. 

Upcoming and Recent Performances


2021


Apr. 23 7:00 pm - Recording session at United Church of Chapel Hill

Dec. 15 7:00 pm - Entertain the residents at Carol Woods Retirement Community in Chapel Hill

Dec. 21 5:00-7:00 pm - Salvation Army Kettle at Belk Department Store, The Streets At Southpoint, Fayetteville Rd. Entrance

2020 (Severely abbreviated due to COVID-19)


Oct. 13 7:00 pm - Entertain the guests at the SECU House in Chapel Hill, NC

Nov. 20 7:00 - 9:00 - Entertain the diners at Roots Bistro and Bar, 4810 Hope Valley Rd., Durham
Click Here for More Info.

Dec. 1 4:30 pm - Drive through Santa at the SECU House in Chapel Hill, NC

Dec. 15 7:00 pm - Salvation Army Kettle at Belk Department Store, The Streets At Southpoint, Fayetteville Rd. Entrance

2019


Feb. 2 4:00 pm - Brass Bonanza at Trinity United Methodist Church in downtown Durham, NC

Feb. 17 11:00 am - Worship Service at Trinity United Methodist Church in downtown Durham, NC

Apr. 28 Noon - 22nd Annual Mildred Council Community Dinner

May 12 1:00 pm - UNC Psychology and Neuroscience Dept. Commencement

Aug. 21 7:00 pm - Entertain the residents at Carol Woods Retirement Community

Nov. 10 10:30 am - Worship service at St. Marks Episcopal in Raleigh, NC

Dec. 1 2:00 pm - Christmas Tuba at RDU Airport

Dec. 8 2:30 pm - Hillsborough Candlelight NC Tour

Dec. 17 7:00 pm - Play for Salvation Army Kettle at Harris Teeter in Meadowmont Village

2018


Feb. 10 4:00 pm - Perform in Brass Bonanza at Trinity United Methodist Church in downtown Durham

Mar. 9 - Attend the Mid-Atlantic Regional Tuba/Euphonium Conference at UNC-Greensboro

Mar. 18 11:00 am - Worship Service at Hillsborough Presbyterian Church

Apr. 22 - Clinic with Joanna Hersey and students at UNC Pembroke

May. 13 - UNC Psychology and Neuroscience Dept. Commencement

Jul. 25 7:30 pm - Entertain the residents at Carol Woods Retirement Community

Aug. 5 9:30 am - Worship Service at the United Church of Chapel Hill

Aug. 7 7:00 pm - Entertain the folks at the SECU House in Chapel Hill

Sep. 8 7:00 pm - Free and open to the public Backyard Concert, 810 Greenwood Rd, Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Oct. 28 11:00 am - Worship Service at Hillsborough Presbyterian Church

Nov. 25 2:00 - 4:00 pm - Christmas Tubas at RDU

Dec. 16 2:30 - 4:30 pm - Hillsborough, NC Candlelight Tour