A Young Worcester Tuba Player Needs Help Getting To Tanglewood

WORCESTER, MA — Alexandra Economou hasn't let much get between her and playing the tuba.

Economou has excelled at an instrument that — as the stereotype goes — mainly men play. She's also performed at state-level music competitions against players from wealthier school districts, ones that, unlike Worcester, can afford to pay $10,000 for brand-new tubas.

But now she's facing a new challenge: raising $3,500 to attend the prestigious Tanglewood Institute's summer tuba and euphonium workshop. The program will give her access to a learning opportunity that few high schoolers get.

Economou, now 16, began playing music at age 9. She started off on the flute, but switched to tuba in middle school when her teacher, Meredith Lord, was looking for a new tubist. Economou took the opportunity and immediately loved the instrument.

"I feel in love with the deep sounds and versatility of playing the tuba," she said.

The tuba isn't all "oompa" sounds like you might imagine (think of the theme song from the HBO show "Curb Your Enthusiasm"). The instrument produces sweet, intricate tones as a solo instrument.

Here's Economou playing "Suite for Tuba" by Don Haddad:

At Tanglewood, Economou will be able to take master classes with Mike Roylance, the Boston Symphony Orchestra's principal tuba player. After class, she'll get to watch the BSO perform at Tanglewood. It'll be an intense learning experience, but also an opportunity to make connections in the classical music world.

"You have people applying from all around the world to get into Tanglewood," she said. "To be accepted means a lot."

It's taken a lot for her to get this far. She recalls practicing a tuba solo for months before one music competition. The judge commended her when she performed it, but said that the valves on her hand-me-down instrument were too loud. The cost to fix it was too high for her school at the time, she said. But even without a top-of-the-line tuba, Economou says she's received incredible support from her teachers as she's learned to play the instrument.

"I pride myself on being able to be as successful as I am, even without the resources other people have," she said.

After graduation next year, Economou would like to pursue becoming a music educator. She wants to share her love of music with the next generation of players, no matter their circumstances.

"That's one of the amazing things working with students in Worcester, they always literally push themselves beyond and make the best of everything," said Lord, who now teaches Economou as Burncoat High School's head music teacher.

Economou has set up a GoFundMe to raise the $3,500 she needs to get to Tanglewood. She was little more than halfway to her goal as of Sunday afternoon. Any amount raised above the $3,500 will go toward buying a tuba for Economou to use in college.