Last month, we spoke with Los Angeles Times reporter Sam Quinones about the rise of the tuba. He said tuba players have become the rockstars of the Mexican Banda world — making more money and getting more attention than other players. Apparently that new found glory comes at a cost. Southern California schools are experiencing a rash of tuba thefts. Tubas that are damaged can still fetch $2,000 and a new tuba can cost $5,000. Also, tuba players are in high demand, earning up to $100 dollars per hour.
