The members of Excelsior Quartet founded the group in Spring of 2016 with the intention of pushing the boundaries of the Euphonium and the Tuba’s capabilities. Discontent with the current state of the art, Excelsior Quartet strives to exceed current expectations of what the instruments can do. The quartet is a group actively participating in the greater Los Angeles area while also using their expertise to teach and mentor a new generation of musicians. The Quartet consist of Christopher Rondeau on Euphonium, Daniel Garcia on Tuba/Euphonium, Stephen Wood on high Tuba, and Harrison Scannell on bottom Tuba.
Christopher Rondeau is a recent graduate at Biola University where he finished his degree in Euphonium Performance. Rondeau has received instruction from Loren Marsteller, Derick Kane, David Childs, Beth Mitchell, and Roger Bobo. At the age of 7, he left his Cornet and picked up the Euphonium as his primary instrument and has since become an international soloist. Currently, Christopher Rondeau is a member of the Excelsior Tuba Quartet and the Territorial “Best of the West” Youth Band. Rondeau is also a freelance musician and teacher in the greater Los Angeles Area.
Daniel Garcia is a freelance musician with a B.M. in Tuba Performance from CSU Long Beach and a M.M. in Tuba Performance from Azusa Pacific University. He has received instruction from Chuck Koontz, John Van Houten, and Roger Bobo. Currently, Danny Garcia is a member of the Excelsior Tuba Quartet. He is also adjunct faculty at Westmont College as their Private Tuba Instructor.
Stephen Wood is a professional magician and tuba player. His early tutelage comes through The Salvation Army, and he still plays there today with the Western Territorial Staff Band and the Pasadena Tabernacle Band. He has studied with Roger Bobo, Patrick Sheridan, John Van Houten, Beth Mitchell, and Phil Smith and is the elder statesmen of the Excelsior Tuba Quartet. In rehearsal, he can often be heard saying, “I’m too old for this.”
Harrison Scannell is a freelance musician and recording artist with a B.A. in music from Biola University. He has studied under Chuck Koontz, John Van Houten, and David Black. Harry is currently a member of the Excelsior Tuba Quartet while also playing bass in Ruach and Seattle based group Fian. Harry has performed with Menahem Pressler, and appeared in many music videos with artists such as Aloe Blacc.