Legendary Tuba Player Dies At 69

Sam Pilafian, one of the great pillars of the tuba and brass world, died on April 6, 2019. Pilafian became known as one of the founding members of the Empire Brass Quintet. As a member of the Empire Brass, thousands – if not millions – heard the beautiful sound of brass chamber music.

In addition to being a member of Empire, Pilafian played with many diverse groups such as the Boston Symphony, Pink Floyd, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, and countless others. Towards the end of his career, Pilafian was the tubist/arranger for the Boston Brass.

Equally gifted in teaching, Pilafian was the Professor of Tuba/Euphonium at Arizona State University and was also a professor at his alma mater, the University of Miami. His educational teaching has impacted thousands of music programs with his resource The Breathing Gym with Pat Sheridan.

I would highly encourage you to listen to this interview that Pilafian gave with Andrew Hitz and Lance LaDuke. In this conversation, Pilafian tells many stories of his playing and teaching days, as well as his most recent fight with cancer.

Much more could be said of his meaningful impact on the music world. If you would like to share, please leave a comment below this article.

Sam, thank you for your inspiration to me and other brass musicians. Thank you for teaching me how to breathe, making it fun, and for giving my students the tools to also properly breathe.