Tubas were front and center at Oak Park Mall on Saturday.

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The first performance of Austin’s Merry Tuba Christmas echoed the sound of tubas to more than 150 onlookers at Oak Park Mall starting at 1 p.m. Tuba Christmas is a performance for any tuba, sousaphone, baritone or euphonium players who wish to perform.

“They really got their moment to shine,” said Jane Orvik, who directed the tubas.

While the audience was asked to sing along the second time through each Christmas carol, the tubas were still the center of the show.

The performance gave about 15 tuba and baritone players a chance to do something low brass rarely does: play the melody.

“I think this is just incredible, because they finally get a chance to play the melody and feel like they’re not just supplementing or providing the bass line,” said Orvik, who is the band director of Southland schools. “They’re providing much more than that.”

In fact, that was one of the key inspirations behind the first Tuba Christmas at New York City’s Rockefeller Plaza Ice Rink on Dec. 22, 1974.

Dennis Conroy, the band director of Hayfield schools, said Harvey Phillips started Tuba Christmas in honor of renowned tuba player William Bell. The show was a way to promote the tuba as a serious instrument capable of playing melodies.

Conroy has performed at about a dozen Tuba Christmas performances in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Kansas. More than 200 Tuba Christmas shows are performed annually in the U.S., one of the closest being in Mason City, Iowa.

“It’s very fun to play,” Conroy said, who performed alongside his 14-year-old daughter, Hannah. “It’s kind of a unique experience. You don’t often get a chance to play in a tuba choir. And tuba players never get to play the melody, so it’s fun to have that opportunity.”

“It’s a special event,” he added.

The performance brought together a unique group of performers from high school students earning extra credit to retired performers dusting off their instruments after years away.

The performers met at 10 a.m. to begin rehearsing for the 1 p.m. performance. Despite the lack of prep time, Orvik said the players were able to stage a quality performance. Some of the performers got their music ahead of time, while others were sight reading.

While there can be challenges in preparing a show in just one morning of practice, Adams resident Larry Nerison said it came together better than he expected.

It had been nearly 14 years since he played baritone, but he said it came back quickly.

“As soon as I heard about, it I knew I wanted to do it,” he said of Tuba Christmas.

Pine Island resident Dirk Smith made the trip with his son, Noah.

“It’s just great to get to play together,” Dirk said, who played the tuba.

Noah and classmate Kodey Weis learned about the performance from their band director, and two 10th-graders earned extra credit for performing.

“It’s been really cool,” Noah said.

Lorraine Westfall, 83, was unsure whether she’d be able to make the trip from her Dexter Home after Friday’s snow. However, the plows cleared the roads early and she was able to make the trip.

Westfall, who hadn’t played in 40 years, recently dusted off her instrument and now plays in two bands.

“I love music,” she said.

Val Pitzen, who is involved with Austin Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, organized the performance after playing at a Tuba Christmas performance in Mason City. Val and CVB Executive Director Cheryl Corey said they hope to make Tuba Christmas an annual performance.

Along with the Tuba Christmas performance, there were also a number of vendors at the mall. Corey said more vendors and events may be incorporated with the show in coming years.

Orvik said she’d like the show to inspire young listeners to learn an instrument. And, she said younger performers had a chance to gain valuable insight playing with more experienced performers.

“For the younger kids, it’s just an amazing awesome opportunity to sit among people who enjoy playing their whole life,” she said. “It’s a good lesson.”

After the performance, a young boy approached Orvik asking if he could participate next year. She said the performance would be Dec. 3, 2011.