The eighth annual Tuba Christmas was performed on Monday evening Dec. 21, in Lusby at the Southern Calvert Baptist Church. The festive concert was lead by Dr. Richard Smucker.
Participating in the event were over two dozen musicians playing a variety of low brass instruments that included several tubas, euphoniums, baritones, a 1865 Civil War tenor horn, a 1870 alto horn and a 1933 Sousaphone, enjoyed performing traditional Christmas Carols for the appreciative audience who sang along.
Low brass instruments are considered by many to be the foundation of the band or orchestra. However, the talented musicians seldom get the opportunity to be on center stage and play the melody on their elegant instruments. During this annual event, the Tuba Christmas concert gives them an opportunity to be the stars of the show.
Players of these low brass instruments drove for hours for this opportunity to perform each year in Tuba Christmas. The youngest player on stage was eleven years old and was there playing next to his sister and mother all from near-by La Plata.
Tuba Christmas was started in New York City in Dec. 1974 as a tribute to the late artist and teacher William J. Bell, who was born on Christmas Day, 1902. Since then the event has spread to countless cities across the USA as well as Baghdad Iraq, Basel Switzerland, and three locations in Canada.
Those interested in future performances or who are interested in participating in this annual event, should visit the Tuba Christmas Web site, www.tubachristmas.com.
