Two graduates of the Frost School of Music’s small but mighty tuba and euphonium studio were featured guest artists and instructors at the recent U.S. Army Band Tuba and Euphonium Workshop in Arlington, Virginia. The annual event, which features concerts, recitals, exhibits, masterclasses, and lectures by leading low-brass authorities from around the world, is one of the largest and most important gatherings for these powerhouse instruments.
Natalie Colegrove, B.M. ’25, was featured in a solo with the Army Orchestra. And Mason Soria, M.M. ’22 and principal tuba player with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, premiered a concerto with the U.S. Army Band, taught a masterclass, and judged a tuba competition. The two Frost School alumni were among just seven featured guest artists at the workshop.
Their participation was further evidence of tuba and euphonium professor Aaron Tindall’s success in fostering students who go on to land rare, hard-to-get positions on their instrument in orchestras and military bands. Unlike classical orchestras, which typically have only one tuba player, military bands may have several, making them a top employer for tuba players.
“In the tuba community, the Frost School is leading in job wins, whether it’s a military band or orchestral position,” said Soria, who was honored with a Frost School Centennial Medal at last April’s Centennial Celebration.
Colegrove, who was named the Instrumental Performance Department’s Outstanding Senior in 2025, is an accomplished player known online as “Miss Euphonium” who performs with the Sarasota Orchestra and the New World Symphony. She has won a variety of competitions, including the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” Solo Competition in 2022, which led to a solo performance with them the following year.
Colegrove was not only invited to play with the Army Orchestra, but also got to pick the piece. “I chose 'Suite from The Victorian Kitchen Garden' by Paul Reade, which is originally a clarinet piece, so this is the premiere of it being played on euphonium,” she said. “This was such a great opportunity given to me right after graduating from college. In a way, it was the debut of my professional career as a soloist. I am so grateful.”
Soria also got to select his music, and chose Roland Szentpali’s concerto “Vision Fragments” for tuba and concert band, which was commissioned for him. “I was super honored to be a featured guest artist,” said Soria, for whom it was his first time soloing with a professional ensemble and in a concerto.
Soria said his Frost School education continues to help him, even as he plays with one of the country’s top orchestras.
“At the Frost School, I was able to hone my craft and focus on refining my classical music playing,” he said. “That’s an ongoing process that never ends. I’m still using the tools and processes I learned at Frost in my professional career.”
Soria also taught a masterclass, working with two young tuba players in front of an audience of 150 students, professional musicians, and college teachers.
The 27-year-old musician, who has a private teaching studio and has taught masterclasses at the USC Thornton School of Music, the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, and the Frost School, was gratified to help younger artists reach an audience of his compatriots through his singular instrument.
“It was a really good experience for me to reach out to other tuba players across the country and the world,” Soria said. “I want to pass down what I’ve learned. We get to further our instrument and our craft and master being a musician and a professional. And find our voice through the tuba.”
“In music, if you’re a performer, you’ll end up being a teacher. And if you’re a teacher, you’ll be a performer as well. I have a passion for both.”
