Robyn Black – Tuba
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra | Seraph Brass
Robyn Black is an internationally recognized orchestral, chamber, and solo tubist who serves as Principal Tuba of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, a position she won at just 18 years old. She is also a Core Artist with Seraph Brass, the acclaimed brass ensemble known for its exceptional artistry and dynamic performances throughout the United States and internationally.
In addition to her work with the Milwaukee Symphony and Seraph Brass, Robyn has performed as a guest with leading ensembles including the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Seattle Symphony and has appeared regularly with the Lakes Area Music Festival and Artosphere Festival Orchestra.
An accomplished soloist, Robyn has earned top honors in several of the tuba world's most prestigious competitions. She was awarded First Prize in the 2018 Leonard Falcone International Tuba and Euphonium Festival Student Solo Competition, First Prize in "The President's Own" United States Marine Band Concerto Competition, and was a winner at the 2019 International Tuba Euphonium Conference competition.
Robyn is also an active educator and clinician and has presented masterclasses at institutions including Yale University, Northwestern University, Oberlin Conservatory, DePaul University, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Through her work with Seraph Brass, she performs and participates in educational residencies throughout the United States and internationally.
Robyn pursued her undergraduate studies at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music, where she studied with Dave Kirk. Her teachers have also included Mike Roylance and Scott Tegge.
Robyn Black & CHI Brass
For her work as Principal Tuba of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Robyn performs on her Nirschl York CC tuba using the CHI Brass Jacobs 2 and CHI Brass R Helleberg mouthpieces. These two models give her the flexibility to choose the response, tonal character, and breadth best suited to the demands of the orchestral repertoire.
On F tuba, Robyn uses the CHI Brass Floyd Cooley 1 for her performances with Seraph Brass, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and in solo performances. The Cooley 1 provides the clarity, flexibility, color, and focused response required for chamber music and solo playing while retaining the depth and resonance needed for orchestral performance.
Whether performing major symphonic repertoire, chamber music with Seraph Brass, or appearing as a soloist, Robyn brings exceptional musicianship, versatility, and artistry to the tuba. CHI Brass is proud to have Robyn Black as a CHI Brass Artist.
Sérgio Carolino – Tuba
Porto Symphony Orchestra Casa da Música | International Soloist | CHI Brass Signature Artist
Sérgio Carolino is one of the world's most innovative and versatile tuba artists, internationally recognized for a career that crosses the boundaries of orchestral performance, contemporary music, jazz, chamber music, improvisation, and solo performance.
Since 2002, Sérgio has served as Principal Tuba of the Porto Symphony Orchestra Casa da Música in Portugal. His extraordinary musical curiosity and virtuosity have also taken him around the world as a soloist, chamber musician, clinician, and educator, appearing at leading festivals, conservatories, and universities across five continents.
Equally at home performing the traditional tuba repertoire or exploring entirely new musical territory, Sérgio has built an international reputation for expanding the possibilities of the instrument. His musical projects have encompassed classical and contemporary repertoire, jazz, funk, experimental music, and improvisation, making him one of the most distinctive voices in the international low brass community.
Sérgio's recordings and performances have received extensive international recognition. Among his honors are seven Roger Bobo Awards for Excellence in Recording, the Award for Emerging Jazz Artist, the Carlos Paredes Prize, and the Portuguese Authors' Society SPA Award for Classical Music. More than 200 works have been written for and dedicated to him by composers from around the world.
In addition to his performing career, Sérgio is deeply committed to education and the development of the next generation of musicians. He is a founder and Artistic Director of GRAVÍSSIMO! – Alcobaça International Low Brass Festival & Academy and has taught and presented masterclasses internationally, including appointments and residencies at major music institutions.
Sérgio Carolino & CHI Brass
Sérgio's relationship with CHI Brass began with existing models from the CHI Brass collection. He has performed on the Heavyweight CHI Brass Jacobs 2 for CC tuba and the Heavyweight CHI Brass Floyd Cooley 1 for F tuba.
That relationship ultimately led to the development of an entirely new family of mouthpieces created specifically around Sérgio's playing, musical concepts, and extraordinary versatility: the CHI Brass Sérgio Carolino Signature Series.
Sérgio now performs on three CHI Brass Signature models:
Sérgio Carolino Signature CC – Designed for CC tuba and available in three weights: Heavy, Medium, and Light. The different weights allow players to select the balance of resonance, response, tonal color, and presence that best complements their instrument and musical requirements.
Sérgio Carolino Signature F1 – Designed for F tuba and available in Heavy and Medium weights. The F1 offers the clarity, flexibility, projection, and tonal character required for demanding solo, chamber, and orchestral playing.
Sérgio Carolino Signature F2 – Also available in Heavy and Medium weights, the F2 provides an alternative response and tonal concept for F tuba, giving players another option within Sérgio's Signature Series for matching the mouthpiece to the instrument and musical setting.
The three models reflect Sérgio's remarkable ability to move effortlessly between a huge orchestral sound, intimate chamber playing, virtuosic solo repertoire, jazz, and contemporary and improvised music.
From his earlier use of the Jacobs 2 Heavyweight and Floyd Cooley 1 Heavyweight to the development of his own Signature Series, Sérgio's collaboration with CHI Brass represents a shared pursuit of resonance, color, flexibility, and musical expression.
CHI Brass is proud to have Sérgio Carolino as a CHI Brass Signature Artist and to offer the Sérgio Carolino Signature Series to tuba players around the world.
Pete Link – Tuba
City of Kyoto Symphony Orchestra | Saito Kinen Orchestra | CHI Brass Artist
American tubist Pete Link has built an impressive international career as an orchestral musician, chamber performer, soloist, and educator, with extensive professional experience in both the United States and Japan.
Pete began his professional career as a member of the United States Army Band Japan before continuing his studies and performing career in Chicago. From 2003 to 2006, he served as Principal Tuba of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. During his years in the United States, Pete also performed, recorded, and toured with many of the country's leading orchestras, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, and Seattle Opera.
In 2008, Pete became Principal Tuba of the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra, establishing himself as a prominent member of Japan's orchestral brass community. In 2023, he joined the City of Kyoto Symphony Orchestra, where he currently performs as a member of the tuba section.
Pete has also performed extensively with other major Japanese ensembles, including the Saito Kinen Orchestra, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, and Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra. He continues to perform with the acclaimed Saito Kinen Orchestra Brass Ensemble, appearing alongside some of the world's leading orchestral brass musicians.
As a soloist and clinician, Pete has appeared throughout Japan, China, and South Korea. His solo appearances have included the Japanese premiere of John Stevens' Journey for Contrabass Tuba and Orchestra with the Sendai Philharmonic, as well as performances of the Vaughan Williams Tuba Concerto.
Pete is also an accomplished chamber musician. He is a founding member of the Asian Connection Brass Quintet and has performed with Yamaha Japan's Bottom's Up Tuba and Euphonium Quartet. His commitment to the low brass community also led him to establish the Sendai Tuba Euphonium Conference (S.T.E.C.), bringing together professional, aspiring professional, and amateur low brass musicians.
Pete completed his formal tuba studies at DePaul University in Chicago, where his principal teachers included three of the most influential names in American tuba playing and pedagogy: Floyd Cooley, Gene Pokorny, and Roger Rocco.
Pete Link & CHI Brass
Pete uses an extensive selection of CHI Brass mouthpieces, allowing him to choose different combinations of response, resonance, tonal color, and projection for the wide variety of orchestral and chamber repertoire he performs.
His CHI Brass mouthpieces include:
CHI Brass Jacobs 2 – A versatile orchestral mouthpiece designed to produce a broad, resonant sound with excellent response and tonal flexibility.
CHI Brass Jacobs 2 Heavyweight – The heavyweight version of the Jacobs 2, offering additional mass and stability while retaining the characteristic response and resonance of the Jacobs design.
CHI Brass Floyd Cooley 1 Heavyweight – Based on the concepts of Pete's former teacher Floyd Cooley, the Heavyweight Cooley 1 combines clarity and focus with a rich tonal palette and excellent flexibility.
CHI Brass 4023 – A highly versatile mouthpiece offering an excellent balance of warmth, clarity, response, and projection. Hear Pete using his 4023 on Prokofiev 4 & 5:
No.4
https://youtu.be/7VY_MxxNu7U
No.5
https://youtu.be/aYaGBuODvug
CHI Brass 4023 Heavyweight – The heavyweight version of the 4023 provides additional mass and tonal stability for players looking for a substantial, centered sound while maintaining the response and playing characteristics of the standard 4023.
Pete's use of five different CHI Brass models demonstrates one of the fundamental concepts behind the CHI Brass mouthpiece line: giving professional musicians the ability to select the mouthpiece that best complements the instrument, repertoire, ensemble, and musical result they want to achieve.
With a career spanning major orchestras in the United States and Japan, international chamber music, solo performance, and education, Pete brings an exceptional depth of professional experience and musicianship to the CHI Brass artist roster.
CHI Brass is proud to have Pete Link as a CHI Brass Artist.
Jarrett McCourt – Tuba
Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra | UMKC Conservatory | International Soloist | CHI Brass Artist
Canadian tubist Jarrett McCourt has established an international career as an orchestral musician, soloist, recording artist, educator, and advocate for the continued growth of the tuba and its repertoire. Named one of Canada's "Top 30 Hottest Classical Musicians" by CBC Music in 2022, Jarrett has been praised for the warmth, lyricism, and musical depth of his playing.
Jarrett currently serves as Principal Tuba of the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra and Assistant Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at the UMKC Conservatory. He previously served as Principal Tuba of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and was a Fellow with the New World Symphony.
His orchestral career has included performances with some of the world's leading ensembles, including the Berlin Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Utah Symphony, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, National Arts Centre Orchestra of Canada, and Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed with the Canadian Brass.
As a soloist, Jarrett became the first tubist in the 80-year history of the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal Standard Life Competition to win the top brass prize. He was also a finalist in the XVI International Tchaikovsky Competition in St. Petersburg, Russia, during the competition's inaugural year for brass instruments.
A passionate advocate for new music, Jarrett has commissioned and collaborated with composers including Nicole Lizée, Kevin Day, Gala Flagello, and Vincent Ho. His international performing career has taken him throughout the United States and Canada as well as to Europe, South Africa, Thailand, and Colombia.
Jarrett is also an accomplished recording artist. His three solo albums—Golden Hour, Voyager, and Onyx—demonstrate both the extraordinary expressive range of the modern tuba and Jarrett's distinctive musical voice. His newest album, Onyx, was released in 2026 and explores an exceptionally broad range of colors and styles, from intimate lyrical playing to powerful contemporary works.
Jarrett earned degrees in Tuba Performance and Philosophy from the University of Western Ontario and graduate degrees in Tuba Performance and Chamber Music from the University of Michigan. His principal teachers have included Brent Adams, Fritz Kaenzig, Craig Knox, Warren Deck, and Gene Pokorny.
Jarrett McCourt & CHI Brass
Jarrett uses several CHI Brass mouthpieces to meet the very different demands of solo, orchestral, and chamber performance.
On his Miraphone Petruschka F tuba, Jarrett performs on the CHI Brass Floyd Cooley 3. The Cooley 3 provides the combination of clarity, flexibility, tonal color, and projection required for his virtuosic solo playing while retaining the depth and breadth necessary for orchestral performance.
The Floyd Cooley 3 can be heard on Jarrett's recently released solo album, Onyx, providing an opportunity to hear the mouthpiece in the hands of one of today's leading tuba soloists. Get it at jarrettmccourt.com
For his Nirschl York CC tuba, Jarrett uses three CHI Brass models:
CHI Brass Sérgio Carolino Signature CC Heavyweight – The heavyweight version of Sérgio Carolino's Signature CC model provides Jarrett with a powerful, resonant tonal foundation, tremendous presence, and the stability required for demanding orchestral repertoire.
CHI Brass Jacobs 2 – A versatile orchestral mouthpiece combining a broad, resonant sound with excellent response, flexibility, and tonal color. Its design makes it equally capable of producing tremendous breadth or allowing the player to shape more delicate musical passages.
CHI Brass JS Helleberg – A Helleberg-style mouthpiece offering excellent clarity, focus, articulation, and response while maintaining the rich tonal character required from a large CC tuba.
Having several distinct CHI Brass designs available allows Jarrett to match the mouthpiece to the instrument, repertoire, ensemble, and musical result he wants to achieve rather than relying on a single mouthpiece for every situation.
From the Floyd Cooley 3 on his Miraphone Petruschka F tuba to the Sérgio Carolino Signature CC Heavyweight, Jacobs 2, and JS Helleberg on his Nirschl York, Jarrett's CHI Brass mouthpieces support the remarkable versatility that has become a hallmark of his playing.
Whether performing with a major orchestra, teaching the next generation of low brass musicians, commissioning new repertoire, or recording a solo album, Jarrett continues to demonstrate the expressive possibilities of the modern tuba.
CHI Brass is proud to have Jarrett McCourt as a CHI Brass Artist.
Hiroshi Nakachi – Tuba
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra | CHI Brass Artist
Japanese tubist Hiroshi Nakachi is Principal Tuba of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in New York, joining the orchestra in 2025 after winning the position in December 2024. His appointment to one of the world's most prestigious opera orchestras represents an extraordinary achievement and establishes him among an exciting new generation of international orchestral tuba artists.
Originally from Osaka, Japan, Hiroshi studied at the Osaka University of Arts before continuing his education at the Zurich University of the Arts in Switzerland. His principal teachers have included Anne Jelle Visser, Henrique dos Santos Costa, Hiroaki Shiomi, and Kazuhisa Nishida.
Prior to joining the Metropolitan Opera, Hiroshi regularly performed as a substitute tubist with the Kansai Philharmonic Orchestra in Japan. His international performing experience has also included appearances at the Strings Festival Lucerne in Switzerland and performances with the New York Philharmonic.
Hiroshi's musical development has been influenced by an impressive international group of tuba artists. In addition to his principal teachers, he has participated in masterclasses with leading performers and educators from Japan, Europe, and the United States.
Now performing at the Metropolitan Opera, Hiroshi brings exceptional musicianship, technical command, and tonal artistry to one of the world's great orchestral traditions.
Hiroshi Nakachi & CHI Brass
Hiroshi uses an extensive selection of CHI Brass mouthpieces, reflecting both the variety of instruments he performs on and the extraordinary range of musical demands encountered in professional orchestral playing.
His current CHI Brass mouthpieces include:
CHI Brass Jacobs 2 – A versatile orchestral mouthpiece offering a broad, resonant sound with excellent response, flexibility, and tonal color.
CHI Brass Jacobs 2A – The Jacobs 2 design with our smaller A shank, providing the playing characteristics of the Jacobs 2 for instruments requiring a smaller receiver.
CHI Brass Jacobs 2E – The Jacobs 2 with our larger Euro shank, allowing Hiroshi to maintain the familiar Jacobs 2 rim and cup while matching instruments with larger receivers.
CHI Brass Jacobs 1A – Another option in Hiroshi's CHI Brass collection, combining the Jacobs-inspired playing concept with our smaller A shank.
CHI Brass 4023A – The versatile 4023 design with an A shank, providing a different balance of response, tonal color, focus, and flexibility.
Having multiple CHI Brass models and shank sizes available allows Hiroshi to match the mouthpiece not only to the musical demands of the repertoire but also to the specific instrument and receiver he is using.
Hiroshi Nakachi Signature Mouthpieces – In Development
Hiroshi's relationship with CHI Brass is now moving into an exciting new phase with the development of the CHI Brass Hiroshi Nakachi Signature Series.
Currently in development are two new models:
Hiroshi Nakachi Signature CC – A new CC tuba mouthpiece being developed in collaboration with Hiroshi around his concepts of orchestral sound, response, resonance, and flexibility.
Hiroshi Nakachi Signature F – A companion F tuba model designed to provide the response, clarity, color, and versatility required for F tuba performance at the highest professional level.
These new mouthpieces will draw upon Hiroshi's experience performing demanding repertoire at the Metropolitan Opera as well as his extensive experience with several existing CHI Brass designs.
The development process reflects an important part of the CHI Brass philosophy: working directly with exceptional professional musicians, listening to what they need from their equipment, and translating those musical concepts into mouthpieces that can ultimately benefit other players.
From his extensive use of the Jacobs 2 family and 4023 to the development of his own new Signature CC and F models, Hiroshi's relationship with CHI Brass continues to evolve.
CHI Brass is proud to have Hiroshi Nakachi as a CHI Brass Artist and looks forward to introducing the Hiroshi Nakachi Signature Series.
Gene Pokorny – Tuba
Chicago Symphony Orchestra | International Soloist & Educator | CHI Brass Artist
Gene Pokorny is one of the world's most respected orchestral tubists and has served as Principal Tuba of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1989, where he holds the Arnold Jacobs Principal Tuba Chair.
Before joining the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Gene held positions with several of the world's leading orchestras, including the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Utah Symphony, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, and Los Angeles Philharmonic.
During his time in Los Angeles, Gene was also active in the motion-picture recording industry and can be heard on major Hollywood film soundtracks including Jurassic Park and The Fugitive.
Gene studied tuba with Jeffrey Reynolds, Larry Johansen, Tommy Johnson, and Roger Bobo and graduated from the University of Southern California. In addition to his orchestral career, he has performed solo recitals and presented masterclasses and seminars throughout the world. He has recorded several solo and educational albums and has been recognized with an Outstanding Alumnus Award from USC and an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Redlands.
Beyond the concert hall, Gene is well known for a personality and range of interests every bit as distinctive as his playing. He is an enthusiastic railfan, with a lifelong fascination with trains and railroading, and a devoted fan of The Three Stooges. Those who have attended Gene's masterclasses, recitals, and presentations know that his humor, storytelling, and wide-ranging interests are often as memorable as the extraordinary musical insight he shares.
Continuing the Chicago Tuba Tradition
Gene's position with the Chicago Symphony places him directly in one of the most important traditions in the history of orchestral tuba playing.
He succeeded the legendary Arnold Jacobs, who served as Principal Tuba of the Chicago Symphony from 1944 until 1988. Today, Gene performs on the historic York CC tubas formerly played by Jacobs and now owned by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
These extraordinary instruments—often referred to simply as the Chicago Yorks—have had an enormous influence on the development of the modern American orchestral tuba sound and on generations of instruments designed in their image.
Gene Pokorny & CHI Brass
Gene uses the CHI Brass Jacobs 2 mouthpiece on the historic Chicago Symphony Orchestra York tubas.
There is a particularly meaningful connection between the Jacobs 2, Gene, and these instruments. The mouthpiece was developed around the playing concepts and equipment associated with the legendary Chicago Symphony tubist whose name Gene's CSO chair now bears.
The CHI Brass Jacobs 2 is designed for players seeking a broad, resonant orchestral sound while retaining clarity, flexibility, tonal color, and an immediate response. In Gene's hands, paired with the legendary CSO York, it becomes part of a direct continuation of the Chicago orchestral tuba tradition.
Gene has also used the CHI Brass JS Helleberg, another CHI model designed for players seeking the clarity and focused response of the classic Helleberg concept while maintaining the resonance and tonal character required for professional orchestral performance.
Hear the Jacobs 2 on Apex
Players interested in hearing the CHI Brass Jacobs 2 paired with the historic CSO York can hear Gene using this combination on the recently released and available at symphonystore.com Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet album, Apex.
Few combinations have a more direct connection to the history of American orchestral tuba playing—the instrument associated with Arnold Jacobs, played by his successor in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, paired with a mouthpiece carrying the Jacobs name.
Whether performing with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, teaching the next generation of brass musicians, appearing as a soloist, riding the rails, or enjoying the timeless comedy of The Three Stooges, Gene brings an unmistakable combination of musicianship, curiosity, humor, and personality to everything he does.
CHI Brass is honored to have Gene Pokorny as a CHI Brass Artist.