The BEST Tuba Christmases

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1895King
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Re: The BEST Tuba Christmases

Post by 1895King »

I have played Denver (around 300 players), Missoula, MT (100 players), and Great Falls, MT (about 2 dozen players). With the small group the playing is cleaner and it is easier to see the director. Last Tuesday evening a bunch of us from Great Falls went to Cascade, MT where we had 6 tubas and 6 euphonia; it was great. I like the small er groups.
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Re: The BEST Tuba Christmases

Post by scottw »

Just got home from Philadelphia TC. Always top-of-the-mark, this year was nothing less. Great venue at the Kimmel Center, great audience, indoor!, and Jay Krush is superb directing. And Carol Jansch drops in! What's not to like?
They do 2 sessions back to back, each limited to 100 players [by Kimmel management].
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Re: The BEST Tuba Christmases

Post by bort »

I think Baltimore has a lot going for it:

-- Outdoors
-- Public location (and NOT a seated concert)
-- Saturday afternoon
-- Large attendance
-- Scenic waterfront location

My biggest pet peeve is the idea that TubaChristmas is a concert in a seated venue. I think it works SO much better to have it in a public place, during shopping season, where passers-by can stop by and listen for as long as they choose to stay. It seems much more true to the original (and current) event in NYC. I'm not sure how many TC's are one way or the other, but I really dislike the "concert" style.
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Re: The BEST Tuba Christmases

Post by RobC »

I don't satisfy the "been to a few" criterion as there has only ever been one in Australia, but the Canberra one was great. About 38 players, outside, large and appreciative audience.

The best thing for me was that by the last couple of pieces the sound was fabulous- great balance, tuning and dynamics. I thought we were good when we started but the end was something special.

Also very well organised, which really makes a difference. Looking forward to next year for sure.
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Re: The BEST Tuba Christmases

Post by imperialbari »

A good Tuba Christmas is one with a room big enough to be adequate for the number of players participating.

Otherwise the ears of players and attenders alike will go Indian.

More specific they will become:

Mysore ears!

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Re: The BEST Tuba Christmases

Post by Heavy_Metal »

bort wrote:I think Baltimore has a lot going for it:

-- Outdoors
-- Public location (and NOT a seated concert)
-- Saturday afternoon
-- Large attendance
-- Scenic waterfront location

My biggest pet peeve is the idea that TubaChristmas is a concert in a seated venue. I think it works SO much better to have it in a public place, during shopping season, where passers-by can stop by and listen for as long as they choose to stay. It seems much more true to the original (and current) event in NYC. I'm not sure how many TC's are one way or the other, but I really dislike the "concert" style.
Bel Air, MD's TC was today- we had 40 musicians, hbcrandy conducted, it was located in the high school auditorium, we had a near-capacity crowd and got a huge standing ovation at the end. So this concept can work.
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Re: The BEST Tuba Christmases

Post by tofu »

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Last edited by tofu on Wed Dec 29, 2021 11:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The BEST Tuba Christmases

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https://www.facebook.com/groups/tubamei ... 240751053/" target="_blank" target="_blank

The San Antonio TubaMeister Christmas Concert on the San Antonio River Walk. It rained and everyone stayed to the end.
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Re: The BEST Tuba Christmases

Post by GC »

I played in a small second-year TubaChristmas in Gadsden, Alabama a couple of weeks back. The director is a young, talented band director who is quite a good tubaist. There were 6 euphoniums and 7 tubas, a good mix of experienced adults and students. Everything was well-balanced and musical. It was quite an enjoyable experience, definitely more fun than gigantic groups with dedicated blatters in the back.
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Re: The BEST Tuba Christmases

Post by Steve Sykes »

tofu wrote:I understand the folks who have mentioned they like the small groups. The playing is cleaner and more musical. The tuba & euphs of my symphonic group did are own non-sanctioned private tuba christmas today in the foyer of the concert hall before our annual Christmas concert and the playing is at a high level - we enjoy it and the audience loves it.

I played on that one!
Was visiting Chicago to solo at the Midwest - a fantastic experience!

But, I always enjoyed the massive downtown Chicago one with Harvey Philips held in connection with the Midwest Band Clinic. With Harvey lots of notables would also show up. I remember well the good time when Dr. Frederick Fennel did the conducting one year. Harvey's passion for the tuba and the event were always evident, as was his love & appreciation of Bill Bell. It imbued in me an appreciation that we stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us - I miss Harvey. The big ones are an event versus a great musical outing. With a big show like Chicago having 400 + tuba players ranging in age from 10 to 90 you are going to have a wide range of abilities, so you have to go with the idea of it's a fun event and not worry about how well it is played. It would however be nice...if they occasionally tasered the HS sousphonists who think it is Honk Fest! :evil:
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Re: The BEST Tuba Christmases

Post by Steve Sykes »

I played at that one! I was in Chicago soloing at the Midwest Clinic - a great experience!
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Re: The BEST Tuba Christmases

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Akron OH. Youtube it[...
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Re: The BEST Tuba Christmases

Post by Leland »

"Best" that I've been in?

Big enough to hide mistakes, small enough to still be clean, and in a public venue for maximum exposure beyond just a few friends n' family.

Back in college, we did ours at the shopping mall on Saturdays with about 20 players. Using a mic and portable amp, Dr. William Winkle would conduct and emcee, and he'd sing "Santa Wants A Tuba For Christmas" while a quartet of us backed him up.

Every year, after we finished, random people would walk up and say to me, "I never knew tubas could sound so nice!" Mission accomplished.
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Re: The BEST Tuba Christmases

Post by tylerferris1213 »

I've been to quite a few in the state of Ohio, so I'll give my opinion on each.

Tiffin- I had my first Tuba Christmas here, so that is special. It's a little on the small side, but the musicians are good, and there is always a chance to solo if you feel confident about it.

Columbus- Tony Zilincik is a fantastic person, and he pulls in a lot of talent for Columbus, including the 122nd Army Band tuba/euphonium section. They add so much clarity and depth to the ensemble, and they always do a piece by themselves which is superb!

Akron- with over 500 players, this is one of the most attended Tuba Christmas events in the country. Tucker Jolly is always a pleasure to work with! The sheer sound is unforgettable.

Cleveland- To begin with, I will I admit I'm a little biased about this one. I just finished my second year as co-coordinator. I love this one because it is so different from other Tuba Christmases. Like many of you, I go to more than one every year. While still playing songs from the green book, Cleveland also has plenty of arrangements by Bill Park, Jim McIntyre, J.c. Sherman, and myself. Along with a large variety of music, Cleveland also pulls in vocalists, percussionists, and other soloists to make it a truly unique event!
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Re: The BEST Tuba Christmases

Post by Art Hovey »

Old Saybrook, Connecticut, conducted by Gary Buttery. We fill the stage, but there is room to breath. Some new arrangements appear every year. Some excellent players show up, including several from the Coast Guard Band and from local colleges. Gary invites selected participants to demonstrate the various types of instruments. Young children are invited to join in with bells to jingle in the grand finale. Pizza, sandwiches, and cider are provided between the rehearsal and the performance, and there are no stupid tuba jokes.
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Re: The BEST Tuba Christmases

Post by wisekwai »

This year, I attended TubaChristmas in Kansas City, Mo. It is sponsored by the KC Symphony and they prefer you pre-register to play in the event, as they have two performances with around 350 to 400 players each. That’s a lot of schoolkids with big horns for the usher staff to keep a lid on.

The setting in KC is very nice, as it is in the symphony hall downtown. The euphoniums were put in the organ loft, and the tubas down below on the stage. Not sure how it sounded to the audience, but it was neat. Not sure I’ll be back, though.

In the past, I’ve attended TubaChristmases in Chicago, in the ritzy downtown hotel with Harvey Phillips and Frederick Fennell present to lead us. I’ve done St. Louis, with around 150-200 players in a shopping mall.

I organized a couple TubaChristmases in the 1990s in Carbondale, with around 50 players or so in the shopping mall. Years later, after I drifted away from Carbondale, I came back and there were around 8 tubas and 8 euphoniums playing in that same mall. Nice tight sound, though.

I played in Pulaski, Tennessee last year, in a downtown church with around another 8 and 8 players. And barely any audience. But still fun. The next day I played in Nashville, TN in the First Baptist Church, with around 175 or so musicians. They do two noontime shows because so many people want to come hear us.

Not sure which I prefer – the mall setting, where you have a chance at impressing a random person who knew nothing about tubas, or a proper concert setting. Advantages and disadvantages to both.

All this experience has taught me that TubaChristmas is special, no matter what.
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Re: The BEST Tuba Christmases

Post by jpwell »

411 at Tuba Xmas Chicago!!!
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Re: The BEST Tuba Christmases

Post by Three Valves »

I say more than 50 is too much,

Fewer than four is too few!!

:tuba:
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Re: The BEST Tuba Christmases

Post by alfredr »

I always wanted to get four adequate players (2 + 2) (Fewer than four is too few.) and ride around in a van and commit random acts of TubaChristmas.

Don't know if Harvey Phillips would have approved.

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Re: The BEST Tuba Christmases

Post by tubacharlie »

It's not the best Tuba Christmas I have played at but I'm so happy that after 15 years without a Tuba Christmas in Lansing Michigan it returned. 30 + of us braved the cold weather to perform Tuba Christmas on the steps of the state capitol building. I want to thank everyone that organized the event for their hard work. Next years I'm sure it will be larger and have more people enjoying this event.
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