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Local TubaChristmas

Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2018 11:00 pm
by jperry1466
Went to my first TubaChristmas in years today. It was a first in our small college town, with participants from middle school, high school, university, a few current band directors, and one old guy. Everyone seemed to have left egos and personalities "at the door", with no one trying to show off, over-balance, or out-play anyone else. Everyone gladly accepted whatever part was assigned to him/her. Most gratifying was watching the more skilled players giving good and helpful pointers (not "correction") to the younger ones. It was a good reminder of what a truly remarkable brotherhood (with a couple of sisters) we are. I will do this more often now.
Only downside was when they recognized the oldest and youngest participants. I "won" oldest by about 30 years. :tuba:

Re: Local TubaChristmas

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 12:59 am
by Mike C855B
We had a great TubaChristmas here, too, the best one I've attended in the uhhhhhhh... 39-year span of my participation (so I know that particular problem, too!). It was a revival of one that had been off the calendar for several years.

Very well balanced, 10 tubas and 10 euphs, nearly all well-seasoned players including several professionals. Euph players are typically hard to find in our region, but there they were, including myself, and another (a friend) traveling 90 miles to participate. The talent horsepower in the room was amazing, the camaraderie was great. Refreshing difference from prior experiences. The size of the ensemble worked well, too. More than 20-25 tends to be pretty muddy.

Not to denigrate student participation which obviously has considerable value as you said, I had given up on another somewhat-local TC because "the kids" tended to be kids and many wouldn't take the rehearsal or performance seriously. 40-50 playing with about half there because their band director told them to attend doesn't make for a tuned performance, in both senses.

Hoping for a repeat next year!

Re: Local TubaChristmas

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 1:24 am
by bort
Mike, where are you located? Sounds like fun to play in such a small group, and without much "extra" stuff. And just to think, what a great experience for a few HS kids or something to play in a small and talented group like that. Fun at any age to play alongside of professional players.

We had 130-something in St. Paul today. Not a record, but still a lot!

I'm still more used to the huge outdoor TC's out east: usually 200+ in Baltimore and God knows how many in NYC.

Re: Local TubaChristmas

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 1:22 pm
by Mike C855B
Carbondale, IL. Organized by the HS band director and conducted by the low brass professor from SIUC.

We performed in the local mall and had an enthusiastic audience, plus the mall and store staff were all smiles, happy to see us there. I live over an hour away and had never been to this mall, and was quite surprised by the huge crowds (parking! oh my!) in an era where these kinds of big malls are fading. Not here! It was great.

Another thought... it was more about the performance than spectacle, which is different than usual, too.

Re: Local TubaChristmas

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 3:03 pm
by tmz1m
I played in the Glenwood Springs, CO Tuba Xmas the other week. Definitely a different experience from Denver and Chicago — only 10 players (8 euphs, 2 tubas; I brought the euph because I figured there wouldn’t be as many, I guess I was wrong).

Kind of fun to play with a smaller group — no students, all adults.

Re: Local TubaChristmas

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 5:47 pm
by Three Valves
Newport News was down to just over twenty last year but ballooned to 50 this year. It is well organized with a terrific venue. (Ferguson Center on the campus of Christopher Newport)

Re: Local TubaChristmas

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 10:35 am
by Bill Troiano
Did anyone attend the NYC Tubachristmas this past Sunday? The weather was supposed to be in the 50's - not bad. I know Mike Salzman, being the area coordinator of the event, but also being NYSSMA President and with their conference still taking place in Rochester, perhaps didn't make it there this year?

It's an event that I miss. Mike and I were the area coordinators for many years. I attended all but 2 of the NYC events since it's inception in 1974, until I moved to Texas after the 2012 event.

This year, I'll be attending the DC Tubachristmas at the Kennedy Center. I'll be visiting my son to hear his Doctoral recital on Sunday at GMU and the DC Tubachristmas is the next day. Then, I'll be back in Texas to play in the Austin Tubachristmas again on the 21st.

Play well everyone and make Harvey proud !!

Re: Local TubaChristmas

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 10:53 pm
by wisekwai
Mike C855B wrote:Carbondale, IL. Organized by the HS band director and conducted by the low brass professor from SIUC.

We performed in the local mall and had an enthusiastic audience, plus the mall and store staff were all smiles, happy to see us there. I live over an hour away and had never been to this mall, and was quite surprised by the huge crowds (parking! oh my!) in an era where these kinds of big malls are fading. Not here! It was great.

Another thought... it was more about the performance than spectacle, which is different than usual, too.
I coordinated TubaChristmas Carbondale as a community enthusiast and Carbondale Community High School band director Greg Townsend was a major partner.

I was quite pleased with the performance and hope to build on it, organically.

Thank you for taking part. Hope to see you next year!

Merry TubaChristmas!

Re: Local TubaChristmas

Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2018 10:00 am
by Charlie C Chowder
Our TC here in Portland, OR is this Sunday, and some of us do a early morning preview for the local TV channel that sponsors it. But the Bush funeral is making us change the date for the preview. We are usually over 200 player, sometimes over 300.

Charlie C. Chowder

Re: Local TubaChristmas

Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2018 9:25 am
by Bill Troiano
My bad. NYC Tubachristmas isn't until this Sunday, Dec. 9. Please excuse my earlier post. I'll be in VA on Sunday, So I wouldn't be able to attend the NYC event, but I plan to be at the Kennedy Center for Monday's event in DC. Merry Tubachristmas, one and all !!

Re: Local TubaChristmas

Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2018 4:33 pm
by 1895King
WE had 9 tubas and 19 euphoniums in Great Falls, MT last night. I was on Tuba one but by the third time we did Jingle Bells, I had to drop down as I had not played since August.

Re: Local TubaChristmas

Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2018 7:53 pm
by Charlie C Chowder
Ours happen today! We have just under 300 players. In addition we had three singer form the Portland Opera join us to sing solos with us backing them up. I saw my first Tigers, two euphoniums, one rotary tuba. The tuba did not like the cold, in the thirty's, he snapped off his fourth valve blade. He still played with the first three. There was also our first rain catcher. Kind of a freaky thought to the people in Oregon. It did not rain as expected, but it was cold.

Charlie C. Chowder