What is a Tuba Christmas?

Do you know what a Tuba looks like?  I think of marching band tubas – but there are many kinds (Sousaphonists, baritonists and euphoniumists, participating)!  Can you imagine a stage full of different types of Tubas?  Can you envision tubas decorated for the season with Christmas lights and other interesting things?

If you can’t – you need to come attend the 13 Annual Tuba Christmas performance Saturday, 20 December 2008, 1 p.m to 3 p.m. at the Lorain Palace Theatre, 617 Broadway, Lorain, OH. 

Before I forget,  bring some “bells” with you – for your chance to interact with the tubas during some of their musical selections that have “bells” in the titles. 

I’ve been attending the Tuba Christmas for the last few years.  Last year, when I attended the performance there were 135 tubists (is that a word?) and I seem to recall a gentlemen in is upper 80s playing one of them. Hmm, I wonder how old was the tuba itself?

I learned that the Tuba Christmas event was begun by Harvey Phillips in the early seventies to honor his teacher and mentor, the great tubist William Bell, who was born on Christmas Day 1902, and to honor and acknowledge Alec Wilder, the arranger of Carols for a Merry Tuba Christmas, who died on Christmas Eve, 1980. 

For those of you who PLAY tubas on a regular basis – and would like to “play” not just to LISTEN:
The Conductor is Dale A. Hildebrand
Registration is 9-10 a.m. on December 20th: 

Cost is $5.00 and the music used is Carols for A Merry TubaChristmas Volume 2, which is available for an additional $10.00. 

Extra Information: Bring a music stand with you. Lunch is provided at no cost for performers. 

Rehersal is 10:00 a.m. to noon 
1:00 p.m. is the performance. 

Note: The performance is free and open to the public.  Tubists and euphoniumists are encouraged to decorate their instruments in the spirit of Christmas.

Looking for parking? FREE, nearby city lots.