Tony Clements is an accomplished tubist, conductor, educator, and community music leader whose multifaceted career has enriched the musical life of the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. His journey as a musician is marked by decades of orchestral service, solo and chamber performances, ensemble direction, and tireless advocacy for the low brass community.
Early Life and Musical Awakening
Born in 1954 and raised on Long Island, New York, Tony discovered the tuba at the age of seven, studying first with Julius Rubin and later with Bill Barber. As a teenager his family moved to California, where the relative shortage of local tuba teachers tested his resolve; much of his high school development happened through self-study and dedication. At 18, he spent a year in Ohio working with Gary Tirey, before returning to California to pursue formal musical training. He matriculated at University of the Pacific in Stockton, studied briefly at Stanislaus State, and eventually settled at California State University, Northridge, where he expanded his instrumental range—performing not just tuba but also bass trombone, euphonium, and bass trumpet—and studied under a lineup of distinguished low brass instructors such as Tommy Johnson, Jim Self, and Roger Bobo.
His training extended beyond instruments into ensemble leadership: while a student, he served as assistant conductor of the wind ensemble, led the tuba ensemble and new music group, and regularly played in brass and symphonic ensembles. He also participated in youth orchestral programs, gaining exposure to high-level symphonic standards and networking with peers who would later become colleagues. All these experiences laid the foundation for a professional life that would seamlessly weave performance, teaching, and ensemble building.
Orchestral Tenure and Performance Highlights
In 1981, Tony won the principal tuba position at the San Jose Symphony. He would hold that role for two decades, even during times of financial upheaval and reorganization. When the San Jose Symphony ultimately reorganized, he continued his orchestral career as principal tubist and soloist with its successor, Symphony Silicon Valley.
Throughout and beyond his primary orchestral appointment, Tony worked regularly with the San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Ballet, Oakland Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Sacramento-based ensembles, and various West Coast orchestras. Among his favorite claims is that he has played The Nutcracker more than six hundred times, a testament to both his consistency and versatility.
As a soloist, Tony embarked on tours and recitals, bringing the tuba to audiences in Japan, Oregon, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, and beyond. During a 1988 tour with the Cal Poly Wind Ensemble, he performed the virtuosic Carnival of Venice multiple times and earned the affectionate nickname “Tuba-san.” He premiered new works for tuba and strings, and for euphonium and strings, collaborating with chamber orchestras to expand the repertoire for low brass. His performances of Vaughan Williams’ Concerto for Bass Tuba and Arthur Frackenpohl’s Concertino for Tuba & Strings are among the more prominent solo engagements in his later career.
Festival appearances have included summer residencies in Nevada City (Music in the Mountains), Santa Cruz (Cabrillo), San Luis Obispo, Lake Tahoe, Sandpoint, and other venues. He has also supported orchestras and productions in commercial settings—theme-park concerts, seasonal engagements, and collaborative projects that bring classical and popular traditions into local communities.
Teaching, Conducting, and Ensemble Leadership
Even while deeply involved in orchestral and freelance work, Tony cultivated a strong parallel career as an educator and conductor. In 2001, he took up the baton of the Ohlone Wind Orchestra. Over the years he has led or assisted with youth symphonies, community bands, and campus ensembles, always aiming to bridge the gap between student learning and public performance.
In 2006, Tony was appointed Director of Bands at California State University, East Bay (formerly Cal State Hayward). Around the same time, he began leading ensembles at Ohlone College: the Ohlone Wind Orchestra, the Ohlone Community Band, and later the Mission Peak Brass Band. He also founded and directed the Ohlone Tuba Ensemble, giving tuba and euphonium players rare chamber opportunities in the Bay Area.
Through these ensembles he programs a wide range of literature, from wind band standards to contemporary works, brass band repertoire, and commissioned new music. His approach is pragmatic yet ambitious: rehearsals are rigorous, but he emphasizes clarity, mutual respect, and musical expression. He often treats his ensembles as learning laboratories—encouraging experimentation, guiding players, and nurturing leadership from within the group.
At Stanford University, Tony has taught applied tuba and brass ensemble coaching. His private studio is a fixture of the Bay Area low brass scene; he regularly gives masterclasses and workshops for regional and national audiences. Many of his students have gone on to orchestral, academic, and community positions, carrying forward the technical command and musical flexibility he champions.
Artistic Vision, Philosophy & Resilience
Tony’s philosophy as a musician is grounded in musical honesty, adaptability, and service. He views his role not only as a solo or orchestral voice, but as a facilitator of ensemble success: tone, intonation, responsiveness, and communication matter as much as individual virtuosity.
In his writing and public reflections, he repeatedly argues for preparation and punctuality; his oft-quoted rule is that if you are early, you are on time—if you are on time, you are late. He also shares hands-on technical advice—on mouthpieces, instrument maintenance, valve porting, dent repair—drawing from years of experience.
His personal life has included significant health challenges: he has undergone hip replacement surgery and has recovered from a heart attack. Despite these obstacles, he has continued to lead rehearsals (sometimes from a stool) and fulfill ensemble commitments, drawing on discipline and a supportive community to persevere.
Tony’s blog is a place where he mixes technical discussion, personal reflection, musical commentary, and occasional candidness about the life of the working musician. He has developed a reputation as someone who tells it like it is, balancing the romanticism of music with the gritty realities: instrument failures, schedule logistics, fatigue, and maintaining momentum through hard seasons.
He has also shown entrepreneurial initiative: in addition to musical positions, he has worked as an instrument demonstrator (notably for Wessex Tubas), advised players on equipment choices, and nurtured connections in the low brass marketplace. His “Soup Can” mouthpiece design is among the more whimsical but technically minded features he has discussed publicly.
Significant Projects & Musical Legacy
Over his career, Tony has been involved in many notable projects. Among them:
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The Japan solo tour of 1988, where he introduced Carnival of Venice to multiple audiences and earned regional recognition.
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New-work premieres in Chamber settings (six works for tuba + strings in 1999, three for euphonium + strings), expanding the repertoire for low brass.
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Regular cycles of major solo works like the Vaughan Williams Bass Tuba Concerto and Frackenpohl Concertino, which draw attention to the artistic potential of tuba as a concerto instrument.
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Leadership at Ohlone College, where his ensembles present polished programs each season—often featuring cross-ensemble collaborations, guest soloists, and commissioned works.
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Founding and sustaining the Ohlone Tuba Ensemble, which remains one of the few dedicated low-brass chamber ensembles in the U.S.
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Service as President of AFM Local 153.
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Contributions to the low brass community at large, through teaching, outreach, and sharing of technical insights online, influencing players well beyond his immediate circle.
His influence is visible not only in the students he has trained, but in the vitality of the local wind, brass, and low-brass ecosystem. He has strengthened the musical fabric of his region by making high-level ensemble experiences accessible to students, amateur players, and community members alike.
Personal Interests, Character & Community
Outside of music, Tony is a person of wide-ranging interests and deep community engagement. He rides motorcycles, camps, enjoys model trains, plays chess, and stays active in local vintage softball leagues—often coaching or organizing teams. He also loves the companionship of his dogs and values time with family and friends. These activities reflect his energetic, hands-on, and people-centered approach to life.
In personality, Tony is known for his honest, humorous, and approachable style. He shares what he knows freely—whether that’s a repair trick, a rehearsal tip, or a lesson learned from a health setback. He blends musical seriousness with personal warmth, and his leadership style often centers on clear expectations, steady consistency, and mutual respect.
Forward & Continuing Work
As Tony moves forward in his musical journey, his ongoing commitments include sustaining and innovating the ensemble programs at Ohlone, commissioning new works for tuba and euphonium, mentoring young players, and maintaining his performance activities with Symphony Silicon Valley and other Bay Area groups.
He continues to blog and speak publicly about the working life of a musician, and to participate in workshops, festivals, and conferences. His vision remains rooted in connecting musical excellence with community and education—ensuring that serious music-making remains accessible, inclusive, and alive in the region he calls home.
Tony Clements stands as a model of musical versatility, resilience, and service: a tubist who never left behind the ensemble, a conductor who speaks from instrumental experience, and a teacher who believes deeply in passing forward not only technique but the love of music.
