Samuel Pilafian

James Samuel Pilafian (October 25, 1949 – April 5, 2019)[1] was an American tuba player.

Samuel Pilafian
Born
James Samuel Pilafian

(1949-10-29)October 29, 1949
Miami, Florida, U.S.
DiedApril 5, 2019(2019-04-05) (aged 69)
Tempe, Arizona, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Miami (B.M., 1972)
OccupationMusician
Spouse(s)
Diann Jezurski
​
(m. 1981)​
Children2
Musical career
Genres
  • Classical
  • film score
  • rock and roll
  • jazz
  • pop
InstrumentsTuba
Years active1970–2019
Associated acts

Biography

Pilafian participated in the National Music Camp in Interlochen, MI and was the second tuba player to win the concerto competition. Via his performance at Interlochen, he was awarded scholarships to study at both Dartmouth College and the Tanglewood Music Center. Leonard Bernstein chose Pilafian to perform in the world premier of Bernstein's Mass at the opening of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He earned his bachelor's degree in music at the University of Miami in 1972.

Since then, Pilafian performed numerous times in international concerts and recordings.[2] He founded the Empire Brass and performed in the Broadway Musicals Doctor Jazz and Much Ado About Nothing.

Pilafian was also active in the jazz scene, having played with the Duke Ellington Orchestra and, since 1991, in the duo Travelin' Light with guitarist Frank Vignola. With the saxophonist Scott Zimmer, Pilafian also played the music of Maurice Ravel, Béla Bartók, Thelonious Monk, Ornette Coleman, and Captain Beefheart. Pilafian also participated in a Pink Floyd recording.

Pilafian started teaching at Arizona State University in 1994 and later at North Dakota State University in 2017. Among his notable students is Marcus Rojas.[3]

Discography
  • Travelling Light, Telarc, 1991
  • Making Whoopee, 1993
  • Meltdown, 1998
  • Perception, 1998 mit Eugene Anderson, Timothy Russell, Timothy Morrison und dem Arizona State University Symphony Orchestra

References
  1. "Sam Pilafian, Tuba Maestro of Multiple Genres, Dies at 69".
  2. "List of Pilafian's Classical Music Recordings".
  3. "Sam composed by Cole Davis - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  • Sam Pilafian[1] in the Internet Broadway Database (IBDB)
  1. "Entry in the Internet Broadway Database for Sam Pilafian".
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