TubaChristmas

On December 22, 1974 in New York City's Rockefeller Center TubaChristmas was born. Dreamed up by Harvey Phillips as a way to honor his music teacher mentor, William J. Bell, it has grown into an international event honoring all music teachers.

Don's dad, Pop-pop, was a huge fan of tubas. Don remembers his dad read about the first tuba concert and was determined to go into New York City to hear the next one, or maybe it was the first one. Don remembers being about 10 or 11 or 12 and going into NYC with his dad for the concert. One of his fondest memories of one-on-one time with dad.

More recently I would hear about our local TubaChristmas at Princeton MarketFair right after the event. Friends would share pictures on Facebook, and I would think next year. As is typical, next year would come and the cycle would repeat. This year I was reading Town Topics list of things to do in the area (I was waiting in the car while Don was setting up the stage for It's A Wonderful Life) and I saw the listing.

The first event had 300 tuba and euphonium players. This year's first return to MarketFair since the pandemic had 37. Prior to the 2 pm concert, an ensemble from Rutgers University performed. Retired Rider University professor Jerry Rife conducted the community group, which included the Rutgers ensemble, for an hour. He told stories about each song before it was performed.

While there we saw people we have not seen in years -- a woman I worked with when newly married, friends from our old small group from before Ashley was born, and parents of friends of Ashley -- a nice cross-section of the decades we have lived here.

I don't know if it was the music, or seeing familiar (unmasked) faces, the holiday decorations, or the excitement but for the first time in well over a year, I felt the excitement of Christmas. A feeling that grew at Muhlenberg's Lessons and Carol's service, and again at Princeton Theological Seminary's Carols of Many Nations. I feel we have emerged from the pandemic (though I know people are still getting COVID, it is not the panic or death sentence it was in 2020) and I feel happier and more at peace than I did before it started.

Here are some pictures from TubaChrismas. 

Visit https://www.tubachristmas.com to find one near you.