Tubachristmas

TubaChristmas is a music concert held in cities worldwide that celebrates those who play, teach, and compose music for instruments in the tuba family, including the tuba, sousaphone, baritone, and euphonium, though some participants bring rarer members of the family such as the helicon, ophicleide, serpent and double bell euphonium.

The first TubaChristmas was organized by Harvey G. Phillips to honor his tuba teacher William Bell, born on Christmas Day 1902.

It was held December 22, 1974, in the ice skating rink at New York City's Rockefeller Center; Paul Lavalle conducted.

Phillips had to provide the unlisted telephone numbers of some of his friends: Leopold Stokowski, Leonard Bernstein, Andre Kostelanetz, and Morton Gould.

TubaChristmas coordinators in New York City include Michael Salzman, one of Harvey Phillips' former students at Indiana University and current tuba and euphonium professor at Hofstra University; and Gary Press, private instructor of low brass and a former professional NYC freelance musician.