An Um-Pah Spectacular: 7th Annual Tubachristmas Concert Dec. 8

by Richard Veit

About 100 area tuba players are expected for the seventh annual Waco TUBACHRISTMAS concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, in the Waco Convention Center. The guest conductor for this performance will be Tom Crumpler, Belton High School Band Director and Baylor Alumnus, and the guest song leader will be Dr. Christine Getz, director of Collegium Music and lecturer of musicology in the Baylor University School of Music.
The concert, given this year as a part of the "Christmas on the Brazos" festival, is presented by the Tubists Universal Brotherhood Association (T.U.B.A.) and the Harvey Phillips Foundation. Local sponsorship is provided by the School of Music at Baylor.
TUBACHRISTMAS concerts are performed annually in over 50 cities of the United States and Canada. They are presented as a tribute to the late, great tubist William J. Bell, who was born on Christmas Day 1902, and is recognized by musicians as the godfather of tuba players throughout the world. The founder and mentor of TUBACHRISTMAS is Harvey Phillips, internationally recognized tuba virtuoso and distinguished emeritus professor at Indiana University.
Persons of all ages who play the tuba, sousaphone, euphonium, or baritone horn are cordially invited to perform in this concert. Registration is at 12:30 p.m. in Jones Concert Hall at the Glennis McCrary Music Building on the Baylor campus, and is followed by a music rehearsal from 1-2 p.m. at the same location. This year's concert is indoors, so participants should dress comfortably yet festive, and should bring a music lyre or stand. There is a $5 fee for registration. The music performed will be from the TUBA-CHRISTMAS Carol Book, Vol. 2, used at all official TUBACHRISTMAS concerts. The books may be purchased at the rehearsal for $5.
For more information, call Waco TUBACHRISTMAS founder and coordinator Mike Fischer, who serves as Baylor's lecturer in tuba and euphonium, at 755-2869.