A joyful and triumphant noise arose outside the U.S. Bank in downtown Naperville on Saturday.
Almost 100 tuba and euphonium players gathered for Naperville’s annual TubaChristmas concert.
TubaChristmas open to all players
“TubaChristmas is a pretty it’s a pretty rare event in that no matter how many years you play tuba, you can come play with us. So, unlike a traditional orchestra or band, where you have to audition to get into it, TubaChristmas takes everybody who plays tuba or euphonium,” said David Carroll, the conductor and coordinator of Naperville’s TubaChristmas.
The concert brought together players of all ages, from 11 to 73. Some are professional musicians or band directors, but most use this event as an opportunity to pick up their instrument again and play for fun. One family in the band traveled from Arkansas to join.
“Most everybody who played today was either a student or has some other profession where tuba or euphonium is just a hobby, and they love to play. So this is an outlet for people who don’t normally get to play their instrument professionally. They can come play with us,” Carroll said.
TubaChristmas spreads holiday cheer worldwide
TubaChristmas has held concerts around the world for 52 years. Today, there are around 250 concerts worldwide. The Naperville concert started in 1979 with Ron Keller, the former longtime conductor of the Naperville Municipal Band.
The TubaChristmas concert now has two performances each year: one outside U.S. Bank in downtown Naperville and the other at Fox Valley Mall.
TubaChristmas leaves a lasting impact
Carroll begins preparing for the concerts in June by reserving spaces for each performance and ordering TubaChristmas merchandise and music books in October.
Those interested in playing can register for the event online. There is a fee to play, which covers the costs of the materials, but most of the money supports the Harvey Philips Foundation, a nonprofit that supports tuba and euphonium literature and education.
“There’s no other sound like it. TubaChristmas is very unique, because when you get that many tubas and euphoniums together, you feel the ground shake beneath you, and it’s such a cool feeling, and it’s beautiful, like most people don’t know or appreciate how beautiful the tuba and euphonium can be,” Carroll said. “So today was a really good example of what could happen when you get together some really great musicians and harmony, and Christmas spirit.”
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