Rex Martin, Tuba
Rex Martin, professor of music at Northwestern University, has performed recitals and given master classes in Japan, Korea, Australia, Latin America, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and throughout the United States. His playing can be heard on more than 75 recordings by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Sinfonietta, Symphony II, Chicago Pro Musica, and Mannheim Steamroller. As part of his busy freelance career, he is a member of Fulcrum Point, the Chicago Sinfonietta, The Ravinia Festival Orchestra, Symphony II, The Ars Viva Orchestra, Tower Brass and the Chicago Brass Ensemble. Martin has performed on more than 3,000 television and radio commercials. He has also performed with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, North Carolina Symphony Orchestra, OFUNAM Orchestra of Mexico City, Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra and the Lucerne Festival Orchestra. He has performed with Dave Brubeck, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Luciano Pavarotti, Sarah Vaughan, Wynton Marsalis and the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus. Before joining the faculty at Northwestern University, Martin had been a faculty member at the Oberlin Conservatory, Illinois State University, DePaul University, the University of Notre Dame, The Vandercook College of Music and the University of Illinois at Chicago. Martin was host of the 1995 International Tuba-Euphonium Conference. A graduate of Illinois State University and Northwestern University, Martin received Illinois State's "Outstanding Alumni" award in 1999.
Rex's Interview:
Instrument?
Tuba
What are you listening to?
Glenn Gould’s “Goldberg Variations 1981”
Describe your work.
I’m split evenly between being a professor and a professional musician, and I find that I basically have no time between these two obligations for anything else. Despite that, I don’t think I could give up either.
Most important lesson you’ve learned?
Well, I’d like to think that I’m a lifelong student — I’m learning something new every day. Because I’m travelling so much, and working so much, I’ve been missing my wife more, and I wish I could spend some more time with her.
Recent dreams?
I can’t remember what it was that I was dreaming, but I woke myself up because I was laughing so loud — something in the dream was so funny that I began to laugh in my sleep, and I woke myself up… it was one of the greatest things I’ve ever experienced. My day was absolutely wonderful after that.