This year is the 36th anniversary of the national concerts being presented in over 200 cities throughout the United States and in several foreign countries. Phillips was inspired to create TUBACHRISTMAS as an annual event honoring his teacher, the late, great tubist William J. Bell, born Christmas Day, 1902.

In 1990, Doug Nelson, past chair of the Department of Music at Keene State College, began TUBACHRISTMAS concerts in Keene. Since that time, hundreds of tuba players, both professional and amateur, have participated in this celebration of the holiday season and the heritage of this noble instrument.

This year the free concert will be held on Sunday, December 6 at 1 p.m. in the Mabel Brown Room of the L.P. Young Student Center. The performance will feature traditional Christmas carols especially arranged for TUBACHRISTMAS by American composer Alec Wilder, who died Christmas Eve, 1980. Through Wilder, TUBACHRISTMAS concerts pay grateful tribute to composers who have embraced these noble instruments with solo and ensemble compositions.

Dr. Jim Chesebrough, band director at Keene State College, will direct the 19th Keene TUBACHRISTMAS. All area tuba and euphonium players are invited to perform (please, no instruments other than tubas, euphoniums, and baritone horns). Rehearsal will take place in the Mabel Brown Room at 10:30 a.m. the day of the concert. Performers pay a $5.00 fee to the Harvey Phillips Foundation, which is a tax deductible. The concert is free.

For more information on Keene's TUBACHRISTMAS, please contact: Dr. James Chesebrough, MERRY TUBACHRISTMAS Conductor and Coordinator, Keene State College, Department of Music, 229 Main Street, Keene, N.H., 03435-2402, 603-358-2193 (office), e-mail: jchesebrough@keene.edu. You may also check out the Tuba Christmas Website: http://www.tubachristmas.com.

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