~We are the proud members of the Oregon Tuba Association
Cathy Gray, Program Chair for the Oregon Tuba Association
Contact Information: javankg@juno.com
Cathy Gray is a retired teacher who started playing the baritone when her grandson started middle school band, and has played with the Oregon Tuba Ensemble ever since. Cathy also plays in the Springfield Community Concert Band and the Junction City Polka Band. She is an accomplished arranger for the tuba ensemble, and serves as our program chair. If you’d like the tuba ensemble to play at your event, Cathy Gray is your contact person.
Janna Holt, Director of the Oregon Tuba Ensemble
Janna Holt has taken the baton of the Oregon Tuba Ensemble. Although she is a trombone player, she is active in several musical groups including the Springfield Community Concert Band, and in the pit for musicals with various organizations. She graduated with a degree in music from the University of Oregon.
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Thom Strunk, OTA President and Librarian
Thom Strunk is a retired English teacher who took up the euphonium in his retirement, and has since switched to playing the tuba. Thom also plays in the One More Time Marching Band, and he is a volunteer for the Eugene Police department. He and his wife are volunteer whale watchers as well as master gardeners. Thom would like to collect more antique brass instruments, and is one of the members who arranges music for the ensemble.
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Ally House, OTA Vice-President and Webmaster
Contact Info: oregontubaassociation@gmail.com
Ally House has played with the Oregon Tuba Ensemble since 2009. Ally found her way to the tuba by way of the trombone and french horn. She is a retired Deputy Sheriff, and plays in two other wind ensembles, The Eugene Symphonic Band and the Springfield Community Concert Band. Ally also dabbles in arranging music for the ensemble.
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Bill Jensen, past OTA President and Current Secretary
Bill Jensen played the baritone in elementary school and junior high, but was forced to drop band when he entered high school due to a high academic load. In his 50’s, his wife rented him a baritone and he regained his “chops” and he hasn’t looked back, joining his church Celebration Orchestra in Fullerton, CA, and the Cypress Symphonic Winds. Bill retired in 2008, and he and his wife moved to Springfield, with the opportunity to join the Oregon Tuba Association and its performing group, the Oregon Tuba Ensemble influential factors in their decision to relocate to Springfield.
Georgia Rennie, OTA Treasurer
Georgia Rennie started her started her career as an amateur band geek in the 4th grade in Seattle, WA, starting with the clarinet. She moved on to the bass clarinet and the trombone as she payed through high school and college. With a few exceptions, her musical career was in a dormant phase until 2009, when she joined the OTE playing euphonium. The lure of playing a real tuba was strong, and she soon moved to the back row with a tuba. She now plays sousaphone with the One More Time Marching Band, and has returned to her roots in the clarinet section by playing contra-alto clarinet with both the Springfield Community Concert Band and the Eugene Symphonic Band
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George Walker, OTA Executive Council
George Walker is a retired Springfield Municipal Engineer, who went for many years between school and adulthood without playing the tuba. He also plays tuba with the Springfield Community Concert Band, and is a former Marine. He recently moved from the 3rd tuba to the 4th tuba. George has been known to ride his Harley Davidson Sportster motorcycle about the town.
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