Below is an article written by Sean Reusch

John Joseph Van Houten,

 born December 19, 1957, is an American orchestral tuba player. He is most notable for playing in various film soundtracks. John holds a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in tuba performance from the University of Southern California, where he studied with Tommy Johnson. John is a freelance tubist in the Los Angeles area. Some of the ensembles he performed with include the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Opera, Long Beach Opera, Joffrey Ballet, New American Orchestra, Long Beach Municipal Band, and New West Symphony. 

His performing experience also includes phonograph recordings with such diverse artists as Sir Paul McCarthy, Henry Mancini, John Williams, Burt Bacharach, Elvis Costello, Carly Simon, Michael Giacchino, Hans Zimmer, Danny Elfman, Christopher Young, and Alice Cooper,  in addition to television shows (such as Alias, The Simpsons, Futurama, American Dad!, Family Guy  and King of the Hill), BatmanAnimated TV series, records, jingles (Commercials) and a wide variety of  motion pictures, such as Mission: Impossible, Crimson Tide, Dracula, Species, Virtuosity, Mars Attacks!, Murder at 1600, The Thin Red Line, Men in Black, X-Men, Dude, Where’s My Car?, Pearl Harbor, Swordfish, Legally Blonde, Collateral Damage, Planet of the Apes, The Core, Daredevil,  Piglet’s Big Movie, Hulk, Pirates of the Caribbean, Paycheck, Hollywood Homicide, The Chronicles of  Riddick, The Day After Tomorrow, Spider-Man 2 and 3, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Up, and Star  Trek, to name a few. Van Houten has also served as Music Supervisor, Music Coordinator, Music  Contractor/Orchestra Manager, on numerous films, commercials, video games, and live orchestral  productions. He also has taught and teaches at several universities and colleges in the Southern  California area, including UCLA, California State University, Long Beach, Concordia University Irvine,  Azusa Pacific University, Cerritos College, Biola University, Pasadena City College, Irvine Valley  College, and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. 

How old were you when you began playing your instrument? Did you start playing another instrument before your current one? 

I was 13 when I started playing Tuba in Seventh grade at Ball Junior High School in beginning band. Sousaphone was my first Horn until my parents bought me a Conn 10 J tuba in the 8th grade. 

What equipment do you primarily use? 

I was primarily a Miraphone user my entire career. I started with a Miraphone 1845uCC, 186, 181 F Tuba, Firebird F 6U, The Neptune, Kanstul Grand CC  6/4 Tuba, Miraphone 188 and ended with Tommy Johnson’s Miraphone 185.  When I retired I passed it (Tommy’s 185) on to my good friend Gene Porkorny of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He presently plays and performs with it every chance he can. 

What are some of your favorite highlights of your career? 

1. Playing with the Long Beach Symphony with Henry Mancini conducting in the summer of 1981. We performed using his music and he featured me on at least three or four tunes. He wrote me a letter of recommendation after that concert and it’s safe to say that really opened up a lot of doors in my first decade of freelancing. 
2. Playing on Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes, which Composer Danny Elfman wrote the Score. Tommy Johnson and I and a gaggle of great trombone players had an absolute ball on that. The music was great as was the hangs, experiences and people.  
3. Every single time I played with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, practicing on the Stage of Carnegie Hall and having the entire stage and hall to myself. 
4. Being invited to play and playing with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and my favorite Tuba player, Gene Porkorny. 
5. Playing with Paul McCartney on his project “Special Project”at Warner Bros. I can still remember seeing Beatles in 1963 on the Ed Sullivan Show and essentially he hired me to perform with him. I’m still pinching myself.
6. Being Michael Giacchino’s Tuba player and having a great Musical friend writing for you. Up is an important and powerful Academy Award winning Score and will always have a very special place in my heart. 
7. Being Composers Christopher Young’s Tuba player and his Contractor Music Supervisor and Music Coordinator starting in 1984 was not only life changing but extremely valuable as it really sharpened up my skills in dealing with “Heavies” and the Shot callers in the Entertainment and Music Industries and Chris wrote me great Tuba and Cimbasso parts as well. 

What are some of your favorite and most influential albums that you have heard?

1. Roger Bobo’s first solo album “Roger Bobo Plays Tuba” and all his albums. 
2. Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra with Eugene Ormandy performing Wagner, Hindemith, etc. all our repertoire LP Albums. 
3. Igor Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring I had over 25 albums that I rotated every single day and night from 9th grade through High School. 
4. Zubin Mehta Conducting Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra Holst Planets and Edvard Varese Arcana 

Life changing albums for me. These were the LPs the inspired me to do master the George Roberts/Tommy Johnson Low Register Shift. 

Who inspired you to play your instrument? 

Mr. Robert Pritchard my Junior High School Band director who was the very first Teacher and person who believed in me. 

What are some of your favorite solos written for another instrument? 

J.S. Bach Cello Suites 

JS Bach 2 Part Inventions 

Poper High School of Cello Playing 

Brahms 10 Studies for Horn

How have your practice habits changed over the years? 

I started with the Claude Gordon Systematic Approach to Trumpet Playing. I did this religiously every summer from 9th grade through 12th grade. As primitive as this must sound today I believe that was a huge advantage for me because it gave me “reserve power” throughout my 50 years of playing. Reserve power was a term Tommy Johnson regularly used for power. He believed you should never have a ceiling to your dynamics whether it was soft or load. You never wanted to be buried or not be able to be soft enough. 

A good example was during a rehearsal a Trumpet player who didn’t have reserve power would constantly say that “all you can do is play loud”. He was that kind of a character. At the first rehearsal of Prokofiev’s Romeo, and Juliet the Fryer Tuck solo which is marked really soft I really played extremely  soft. The conductor stopped the group after I played this and said “ I hate to  say this but I can’t hear you. Could you please play it louder?” I replied “Absolutely! “ as I glanced over to the Trumpet player and smiled. Rick Todd, Hollywood Recording Artist Horn Player, gave me the Nickname  “Thunderlips” in 1981 for my strength and power as a player and for my physical strength as well. It stuck:) 

I was a APF Power Lifter in 1999 and was a State and National Champion. A two inch pectoral tear took me out of competition for over two years. I never competed after that injury. 

As a young player, what did you struggle most with your playing? 

Tonguing was very always troublesome. I had a childhood accident at 11  months old that I wasn’t supposed to live. It was a chemical burn caused from  the Household’s Cleaning Product Drano which was marketed much like  Koolaid until an Act of congress changed it. I was in intensive care for almost  2 years. It affected my jaw, tongue, esophagus, and sinuses. Throughout my  entire career my biggest issue was always was technique and dealing with  “focal dystonia” since 1979 while I was in my Junior in College. I didn’t know it was actually “Focal Dystonia” until I was officially diagnosed in 2016 by a  neurologist who stated on paper “Severe Focal Dystonia” I was an athlete  first so I knew never to tell anyone about my injury which is how I referred to  my Nerve Damage.

Do you like to sing when you practice? Why or why not? 

Tommy Johnson and Roger Bobo were huge singers in all my lessons so, of course, I became one for life. 

What qualities do you think are important for being successful in life? 

Honestly, integrity, self accountability, resiliency humility, self awareness, sense of humor, purpose of life goals, willingness to learn and never rest on your laurels, embrace mistakes and failures and learn from them, never be afraid to fail, do on to others as they do on to you, never take yourself to serious, always be grateful and kind, don’t publicly talk about your colleagues and be respectful and very very humble. 

What do you want your legacy to be? 

My playing, playing, and my love of life. My girls living their lives to their fullest. 

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? 

Martial Arts. Going to concerts and hearing and meeting new and exciting and interesting people. 

How do you stay motivated when you get frustrated or down? Do you have any tips to help stay motivated? 

Physical Exercising and training has been a big part though out my life and I’ve always had a knack for being self motivated. I’ve always been very self disciplined and have a strong sense of direction and will power. Impossible has never been in my vocabulary ever. “I’m possible” has always come naturally as long as I can remember. 

Do you meditate? If so, what benefits do you get from meditating? 

Meditating is a huge part of my life now even though I don’t do it in a conventional way. I’ve always used it but I never knew it was officially Meditating until 2020ish. I’m a very focused person and have always been able to go to my “Special Places” my entire life.

With whom did you study? 

Dr. Frank Heuser 

Tommy Johnson 

Roger Bobo 

Dr. James M. Self 

Roy Main 

Boyde Hood 

Bob Sanders 

One lesson with Phil Teele that gave me a whole new appreciation for long  tones. 

Uan Racey 

Bill Reichenbach 

Benny “The Jet” Urquidez 

Erik Paulson 

What qualities do you think are important in a student? 

A willingness to learn and have an open mind and a willingness to adapt, learn and listen. I have always been very teachable. Self accountability  and to be absolutely honest with one self and especially with others.  Never be afraid to make mistakes. 

Discuss your early musical experiences. Why did you pursue music? 

In Music I’ve always appreciated how you can express yourself and receive praise without opening your mouth. It’s all about being prepared and letting the Horn speak for itself. Martial Arts is the same as an Art Form. 

Do you remember when you decided that you were going to be a professional musician? 

I was in 9th grade and that was when I went all in with Tuba playing and a musical life. 

How much do you practice on a typical day? 

When I was young and all through college I’d say 4 to six hours. I was a real practicer. In 1979 when Focal Dystonia came into my life I had to modify my practice time to 1 hour to 2 hours, spread out. From that point on everything  for me was a performance in my attitude. 

What are some of your favorite etude books? 

• Verne Reynolds 48 studies for horn 
• Rochut melodies etudes for Trombone 
• Six Suites for Solo Cello J. S. Bach/ed. Fournier -International Music Co • Special Studios by Arnold Jacobs 
• 20 Minute Warm-Up Routine by Michael Davis, performed by Gene Pokorny | Hip-Bone Music 
• Schossburg 
• Brahms etudes for Tuba Encore Press 
• Bach for Tuba book 1 & 2 Doug Bixby 

Do you use any apps when you practice? 

A Metrodome and tape recorder was the only technology I used and still believe in Emphatically. Recording myself is best for maximum results to evaluate, improve, and fix playing. 

What are some ways to improve one’s rhythm? 

Score Study 

If you could go back in time and give yourself any advice, what would it be? 

I’d like to say not to be so hard on myself but I don’t think it’s really possible if you’re a performer. I believe you need all the armor of extreme judgment that’s goes along with being a performer at the highest levels. You have to realize 24/7 that you’re always being judged, evaluated which of course means you’re also living with paranoia. Shedding my Performance Armor has been so beneficial and life changing but unfortunately it’s an absolute necessity if you perform for a living especially in music.

What is your favorite place that you have traveled to? 

New York when I was on tour with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra in  1992. 

Who are some of your musical heroes? 

Tommy Johnson 

Roger Bobo 

Malcolm McNab 

Joe Davis 

Bob Sanders 

Alan Kaplan 

Phil Teele 

Bill Reichenbach 

Lloyd Ulyuate 

Gary Grant 

Gene Porkorny 

Warren Deck 

Joesph Novatny 

Vince DeRosa 

Uan Rasey 

Boyde Hoode 

Bernie Dillion 

Who are your main influences in your life? 

Athlete Jerry Kramer, NFL 

Athlete Dick Butkus NFL 

Tommy Johnson 

Roger Bobo 

Athlete Benny “The Jet” Urquidez World Champion Kickboxer 63-0 lifetime record 

Athlete Erik Paulson, Two time World Champion Shooto Fighter 

Athlete Art Tatum NFL 

Composer Dr. Robert Moore

How do you suggest balancing life with being a musician? 

For me music became my way of life from the age of 15. I believe that you  should be the best person you can be every single day. A bad day is a state  of mind. So called horrible days are only if I don’t strive to be better or work  around the obstacles. For me, whining has never been an option. 

Please give some tips for freelancing. 

Never be late and never ever lie or be a “snake” in the business. Keep your mouth shut and always let your instrument do your talking for you…period!!! Be respectful. 

Be humble. 

Accept your mistakes and face them immediately. 

Be resilient !!!! 

Only 2 things it takes to make a living in the Music business. 

1. Get along with others and 
2. Play great. 

It’s sounds easy but it’s obviously very very difficult if not impossible but these two things are what it takes. We are basically a hired gun whose whole career is based on our actions and reputation. Reputation is everything. The Acronym that best describes the Arts and Music and especially freelancing is  “NFL”  

“Not For Long” 

What are your feelings about students majoring in music education versus music performance? 

I actually think they are both intertwined. If you’re going into education you need to be able to play and understand the process of playing at the highest possible level because you’re better off as a musician and you’re have greater understanding how music and the nuts and bolts of our art form work. 

Is anyone else in your family a musician? 

I was the first and only but now my daughters are both accomplished musicians. My oldest, Charlotte is a world class violist and my youngest Gracie is a scholar but she has the ears and understanding of music that she  could be a great conductor. Incredible ears and knowledge especially for  someone who is essentially self taught. 

What are some of your favorite places that you have performed? 

Shrine Auditorium, Dorothy Chandler, Disney Hall Blvd, Bovard Auditorium  USC, Royce Hall UCLA, Anaheim High School’s Cook Auditorium, Carnegie Hall, MGM Stage, Paramount Stage M, Todd AO, Fox Newman Scoring Stage, Warner Bros. Clint Eastwood Scoring Stage 

What are your favorite etude books and solos written for your instrument, as well as etudes/solos/albums not originally written for your instrument? 

Gregoriev 

Blashevitch 

J.S. Bach Cello Suites 

Verne Reynolds 48 etudes for Horn 

Well Tempered Clavichord 

Ruchute 

Do you have any suggestions for working on one’s range? 

Always work the entire register of the instrument at all intervals, dynamics’s,  and tempos. 

Take melodic pieces and play them in every possible register. 

Absolute distance between intervals is imperative. 

What are you most proud of in your life? 

After my two daughters Charlotte and Gracie I’d say the fact that I worked in Hollywood for 43 years, played with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and practiced Martial Arts with two of the greatest artists, fighters and especially teachers, Benny “The Jet Urquidez and Erik Paulson, who’ve I trained with in Martial Arts. I feel like in  music, you should always train and study with the absolute best people in the  world. 

And graduating USC for my Undergraduate and Masters degree. My entire life I’ve always been told mostly by educators, unfortunately, that I’d never be able to get a degree or succeed. As sick as that sounds that’s the the truth. 

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 

Practicing Martial Arts, going to great concerts, art galleries, Nurseries with plants, live performances of any kind and meeting fascinating people. 

What are your favorite things to do that make you happy? 

Martial Arts 

Music 

All arts 

Comedy 

Film 

Do you practice visualizing yourself performing? 

Absolutely 

What advice would you give to someone interested in majoring in music in college? 

Be very serious and proceed at full throttle as if it’s Life or death serious. Never be afraid to fail. You must be fearless and willing to listen and learn at all times and costs. Remember that fear is only an illusion and remember if you work as a  freelancer you need to comfortable living without a net, or living life without  tenure. 

What are you listening to currently? 

20th and 21st century music and romantic and late romantic music although I’m finally listening to French Music and classical period music, which before I blew off until about 2017 because I always felt I was behind in the music game (1973) because of my late start and complete lack of keyboard knowledge. I still can’t even type! 🙂

Do you have a favorite genre of music? 

20th and 21st Century music. I’ve always been a modernist who’s ingrained in Late Romanticism. 

What non-music courses in college helped you with being a musician? 

Introduction to Film 101 an elective class my freshman year that really affected and inspired me as an artist, music supervisor and teacher. Another class called Vice and Narcotics, Police Science, again an elective, was taught by “Rudy” who ran the Vice and Narcotics Squad in the Rampart District in Hollywood. He’s was one of the greatest teachers, performers and the funniest and most entertaining person/Teacher I’ve ever seen or met. These two classes really helped me throughout my life. 

What projects are you working on right now? 

The Martial Art Silat with Guru Mark Sells 

Savate with Professor Nicolas Saignac 

Shooto with Sensei Erik Paulson 

Kali with Guru Mark Sells 

Do you ever get anxious for a performance? What advice would you give for dealing with nerves? 

Not really other than Butterflies. I believe in overtraining. Practice the things  that you wouldn’t want to see on your music stand in front of an entire room  full of first rate musicians hearing and staring at you. Daily Sight Reading is  very helpful. Five minutes a day of going through a stack of music you’ve  never seen before is incredible plus, five minutes is a a really long time. Sight  reading was what was the majority of my career, I always trained, practiced,  as if it were the biggest concert of my life. 

To become a great musician, what are things that you think a young musician should focus on when they practice? 

Fundamentals, fundamentals, and fundamentals. Working players have one thing in common. They all play great long tones. Then you have to have great rhythm sound and pitch. Play always with empathy, excitement, purpose, passion and always be interesting and inspirational. Always tell a story when you play. 

What advice can you give about mental wellness? 

I didn’t learn this until my career was over but this was an incredible piece of  advice and definitely has changed my life. Don’t be around and don’t try to  impress people that speak or act negatively to you. I spent my first 63 years  of my life trying to please and impress people that didn’t even appreciate or  care anything about me. That really is something that would have made my  entire career and life better and easier and happier. 

Don’t ever be afraid or ashamed to seek mental health support or health. Keep your vices in check. If they get out of control so will your life. Don’t be afraid to seek advice or help. 

What life lessons have you learned through music? 

How to get along with others and learn every single day. 

Live life as if each day was your last. As performers we get to meet very interesting and unique diverse individuals who are passionate, creative, intelligent, and extremely talented and inspiring. 

*** this was a note to a friend describing giving up my Musical Armor needed as an elite brass player and Music Supervisor and Contractor in Hollywood and Freelancer. 

“All well on my end. I retired as a performer about 3 years now and I’m having a great time. I was able to shed off my “Armor” as a result of retiring  and because I’m no longer working as a professional I was able to let go of  Severe Paranoia, severe judgment of others and especially myself, extreme  ridicule, extreme sarcasm and lastly extreme passive aggressiveness. It all served me well and I was truly virtuosic and severe in all those requirements for any performer and served me well being in and around High Art, Hollywood, Free Lancing and being an elite musician/Performer. It was extremely beneficial, necessary, and extremely effective. So everything I  do in my daily life at age 66 is extremely easy and peaceful because I never  have to ever prove myself again! I’m actually living my life kind of like the  Character in TV in the 1970’s Cain, in the TV show “Kung Fu”. 

Now I’m living in peace and harmony while still having a ton of adventures and experiences.

If you couldn’t have a career in music, what would you do instead? 

Interesting question. I would be a great at marketing. I used to book a band, I really didn’t enjoy playing Dixie Land, or the thought of playing bass to supplement my income wasn’t attractive enough for me so I decided to get the best Causel band and I had work every week by booking them for high end weddings and Corporate parties. I never went all in but I easily could have and it was very easy for me to develop accounts.  

I could be very successful and aggressive selling great musicians and with my own playing I only let my playing speak for itself. Same with contracting. It was easy for me to put players together and I had certain rules to make sure the groups were always at the highest levels possible. 

Who are your favorite composers? 

Stravinsky 

Ives 

Ligeti 

Varese 

Mahler 

Wagner 

Berlioz 

Prokofiev 

Tchaikovsky 

How could we make music education better? 

I like this acronym for teaching. 

“ICE” 

Be Interesting 

Be caring 

Be exciting 

Too many educators in general especially at the University level don’t do any of these and the people I respected always did in spades. 

Do you like to teach? Why or why not? 

I love teaching. It’s the greatest art form we have. I pretty much taught privately my entire career since I was 16.

What are some of your favorite books that are helpful for musicians? 

I don’t think my favorite motivational books would help others. I have a  unique approach to music that more akin to Full Contact Sports. There’s a famous photo of Oakland Raider Strong Safety ****Art Tatum (His nickname  was The Assassin, he was in the Football world was known as a Hitter)  standing over a receiver who he hit so hard that his opponent helmet flew off  from the impact. That’s pretty much sums up my approach to dealing with  Music Conductors, Management, fear, and I adopted this persona. Score reading I believe really was my best choice for understanding music. The Rite of Spring was my Favorite book for learning how to read music. When I was 15, It was my very first score and it took me about 100 times of listening with the score until I could get though without getting lost. 

Do you have any tips on forming a chamber group? 

I always contracted as a Tuba player. I would hire the best and most experienced players I could and not only did the gig sound great I learned every time I played. Always play with great and exceptional players. If you want to learn something learn only from experts. It always worked for me. 

In my last decade of working I studied Commercial and Jazz style (not solo playing) with ***Andy Martin and then Bill Reichenbach. They both are involved daily on Record dates the standards of phrasing and stylings to phrasing so that’s who and why I studied with them. Wish I would’ve started with them when I started up in the 1980’s. I keep this up until I retired. 

Do you memorize your music? Do you have any advice for young players on how to memorize? 

I hated memorizing and it was extremely difficult for me. I think because of my severe dyslexia. I did it for all the times I played at Disneyland but it was always very difficult for me and extremely stressful. 

What advice can you share about physical wellness? 

Train like an athlete and get the best coach/trainer you can. Being in shape is essential for your health, fitness and wellbeing and being a professional performer I believe you must treat yourself like an athlete.

What is your favorite food? 

Shell fish. Lobster, crab, and shrimp.

Source: Sean Reusch (www.trombone101.com)