World-renowned tubist Velvet Brown graced the stage of Gantner Concert Hall Monday night when she performed in honor of Women’s History Month.

During the concert, Brown demonstrated that she has made a name for herself and succeeded in a “man’s world” by doing something that she loves: playing the tuba.

Brown has made her way in an instrumental field that originally was predominantly male. Despite this, she said she never believed that segregation.

“I was never really put down because I was the leader,” she said.

Brown is an associate professor of music, tuba and euphonium at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. That is, when she is not traveling internationally as part of her performing career.

Brown grew up in Annapolis, Md., where the male side of her family was heavily involved in a drum and bugle corps. Her grandfather founded his own drum and bugle corps and to fill up the band, the male members of the family learned to play an instrument, she said.

When Brown was old enough to play an instrument, her father told her that she would have to choose one as well, whether it be for orchestra or band, and continue it through high school. After that, she would be allowed to decide to continue or quit.

After going to countless drum and bugle corps practices with her father, Brown said she decided to play the trumpet. It wasn’t until her teacher needed another tuba player that she ever considered switching instruments.

When she made the switch from trumpet to tuba, she said she never thought playing the tuba was unusual for a girl.

“I always thought the trumpet was a `boy’s’ instrument and I always thought the tuba was a `girl’s’ instrument,” Brown said, because the only tuba player in the school at that time happened to be a girl.

Brown continued to play the tuba throughout high school and college. She attended West Virginia University where she majored in music performance, tuba and theory composition, she said. After graduating from West Virginia, she went to Boston University to pursue her master’s.

Although she majored in performance, Brown said she found that she also enjoyed teaching.

She divides her time between teaching at Bowling Green State and performing around the world, along with recording her music.

Brown released a solo CD titled “Velvet” and will begin recording her second CD Friday.

She is one of the best musicians in the world, said Jerry Young, professor of tuba and euphonium at Eau Claire. We have been fortunate to have some of the best musicians in the world come to Eau Claire this year, he said.

Brown said she would encourage people to choose whatever instrument they want and not to base their decision on whether it is a “boy’s” or “girl’s” instrument.

“Gender should be left out of everyone’s mind when they choose an instrument,” she said.