Tuba Christmas brings together musicians of all ages
“Have a very merry Tuba Christmas.”
With those words, Doug Bennett welcomed the capacity crowd at the Wooster High School Performing Arts Center to the 18th annual Wayne County Tuba Christmas concert.
Nearly 100 tuba, euphonium and baritone players of all ages took to the stage on Dec. 10 to perform Christmas carols for an audience of over 1,000.
Tuba Christmas was the passion of Indiana University tuba instructor Harvey Phillips. Saddened by the death of his teacher William Bell, Phillips searched for a way to honor Bell’s legacy. The result was Tuba Christmas, which debuted at New York City’s Rockefeller Plaza in 1974.
In the 38 years that followed that first performance, the Tuba Christmas movement has spread to nearly 250 sites around the world, including right here in Wooster.
According to Bennett, who not only serves as an instrumental music teacher for the Wooster City School District, but also conducts the annual concert, Wooster became a Tuba Christmas site 18 years ago.
For many years prior to that, Bennett and former Wooster Police Chief Steve Thornton made the trek to Akron so that area students could participate in Akron University’s Tuba Christmas celebration.
When the number of local musicians attending the Akron event reached 40, the pair made the decision to bring the Tuba Christmas tradition to Wooster.
Wooster’s Tuba Christmas celebration has long been known for the wide variety of musicians it attracts.
This year’s youngest participant was 11-year-old Mae Miller of Smithville; the oldest was Joe Rhodes, who just celebrated his 81st birthday.
Among the participants were students from Waynedale, Wooster, West Branch, Salem, Smithville, Dalton and Euclid high schools and college students from Akron University, Kenyon, Heidelberg, The College of Wooster, Ohio University and Ohio State as well as adults from all walks of life - doctors, politicians, teachers, engineers, pharmacists, farmers, organic chemists, firemen, policemen, librarians and even someone who described himself as “a professional old grouch.”
Taking the prize for the participant who traveled the furthest was Claudio Re of Milan, Italy who is currently serving as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Music at Kenyon College.
For The College of Wooster director of bands Nancy Ditmer, who conducted a number of pieces during the concert, that’s what makes Tuba Christmas so special.
Ditmer, who will shortly assume the reigns as president of the National Association for Music Education, spoke of the important role music plays in society and music education plays in the education of children.
“Every time that we have something tragic that happens in this country or we have something that we want to celebrate, music is a part of that,” said Ditmer. “It’s so important that our children be educated in music and the other arts.
“It’s so heartwarming to me to see all these young people and those with more years on their docket as well,” said Ditmer adding, “it’s wonderful to see all the young people not only on the stage, but also in the audience.”
Ditmer noted that as she’s traveled the nation as president-elect, “one of the things I’ve learned is how fortunate we are in Wooster and this part of Ohio to have such great treasures in the arts, not only in music, but in the other arts in our community.
“These things don’t just happen. There are great teachers all over this country,” said Ditmer adding, “every person on this stage… had great music teachers who have given them a love for this.”
To learn more about the national Tuba Christmas movement, log on to http://www.tubachristmas.com.
With those words, Doug Bennett welcomed the capacity crowd at the Wooster High School Performing Arts Center to the 18th annual Wayne County Tuba Christmas concert.
Nearly 100 tuba, euphonium and baritone players of all ages took to the stage on Dec. 10 to perform Christmas carols for an audience of over 1,000.
Tuba Christmas was the passion of Indiana University tuba instructor Harvey Phillips. Saddened by the death of his teacher William Bell, Phillips searched for a way to honor Bell’s legacy. The result was Tuba Christmas, which debuted at New York City’s Rockefeller Plaza in 1974.
In the 38 years that followed that first performance, the Tuba Christmas movement has spread to nearly 250 sites around the world, including right here in Wooster.
According to Bennett, who not only serves as an instrumental music teacher for the Wooster City School District, but also conducts the annual concert, Wooster became a Tuba Christmas site 18 years ago.
For many years prior to that, Bennett and former Wooster Police Chief Steve Thornton made the trek to Akron so that area students could participate in Akron University’s Tuba Christmas celebration.
When the number of local musicians attending the Akron event reached 40, the pair made the decision to bring the Tuba Christmas tradition to Wooster.
Wooster’s Tuba Christmas celebration has long been known for the wide variety of musicians it attracts.
This year’s youngest participant was 11-year-old Mae Miller of Smithville; the oldest was Joe Rhodes, who just celebrated his 81st birthday.
Among the participants were students from Waynedale, Wooster, West Branch, Salem, Smithville, Dalton and Euclid high schools and college students from Akron University, Kenyon, Heidelberg, The College of Wooster, Ohio University and Ohio State as well as adults from all walks of life - doctors, politicians, teachers, engineers, pharmacists, farmers, organic chemists, firemen, policemen, librarians and even someone who described himself as “a professional old grouch.”
Taking the prize for the participant who traveled the furthest was Claudio Re of Milan, Italy who is currently serving as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Music at Kenyon College.
For The College of Wooster director of bands Nancy Ditmer, who conducted a number of pieces during the concert, that’s what makes Tuba Christmas so special.
Ditmer, who will shortly assume the reigns as president of the National Association for Music Education, spoke of the important role music plays in society and music education plays in the education of children.
“Every time that we have something tragic that happens in this country or we have something that we want to celebrate, music is a part of that,” said Ditmer. “It’s so important that our children be educated in music and the other arts.
“It’s so heartwarming to me to see all these young people and those with more years on their docket as well,” said Ditmer adding, “it’s wonderful to see all the young people not only on the stage, but also in the audience.”
Ditmer noted that as she’s traveled the nation as president-elect, “one of the things I’ve learned is how fortunate we are in Wooster and this part of Ohio to have such great treasures in the arts, not only in music, but in the other arts in our community.
“These things don’t just happen. There are great teachers all over this country,” said Ditmer adding, “every person on this stage… had great music teachers who have given them a love for this.”
To learn more about the national Tuba Christmas movement, log on to http://www.tubachristmas.com.
Published: December 13, 2011
