Arnold Jacobs Collection
Arnold Jacobs, legendary Principal Tuba of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and one of the most influential brass teachers of all time, transformed the way generations of musicians think about breathing, sound, and musical performance. His Song and Wind philosophy continues to influence brass and wind players throughout the world.
The CHI Brass Arnold Jacobs Collection preserves several important mouthpieces from Jacobs’ career. The Jacobs 1 is based on a copy of the first Helleberg Jacobs purchased as a student and the mouthpiece design he used more than any other throughout his career. The Jacobs 2 comes from another historic Jacobs Helleberg, believed to date from the 1930s, with its distinctive design adapted by CHI Brass for modern tuba receivers. The CHI Brass JS Helleberg is also a direct copy of one of Mr. Jacobs’ personal mouthpieces, preserving another important design from his collection. The collection also includes the Jacobs Adjustable Cup Mouthpiece, recreated from Jacobs’ own innovative adjustable design, which allowed him to experiment with and change the tonal characteristics of his mouthpiece.
More than simply reproductions of historic mouthpieces, the Arnold Jacobs Collection connects today’s players with the equipment, experimentation, and musical philosophy of a performer and teacher whose influence on tuba and brass playing remains unparalleled.
