ERIE, Pa. — Tuba players get an early Christmas present on Saturday, Dec. 12: They get to play from the front row.
The 14th annual Erie presentation of Tuba Christmas will be held that day in the McGarvey Commons of the Reed Union Building at Penn State Behrend. The performance begins at 1 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
As its name implies, Tuba Christmas is songs of the season interpreted by an ensemble of student, amateur and professional low-brass musicians performing under guest directors Gary Viebranz of Penn State Behrend, Daniel Burdick of Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Lowell Hepler of Allegheny College, and Ken Heinlein of the Erie Philharmonic.
All tuba and euphonium musicians are invited to join the Tuba Christmas performance; rehearsals will be held on site that morning. To register to participate, visit tubachristmaserie.com or contact Viebranz at 814-898-6289 or gav3@psu.edu.
Tuba Christmas debuted at Rockefeller Center’s ice rink in 1974 as a tribute to the late tuba legend William J. Bell, who was born on Christmas Day 1902. Tuba Christmas is produced nationally by the Harvey Phillips Foundation; the Erie performance is supported by the Mary Behrend Cultural Fund.