A brass invasion

[imagebrowser id=4286]

Tuba Christmas grows in third year

Tuba Christmas is going digital. Austin’s third annual Tuba Christmas attracted a record number of performers and a large crowd to Oak Park Mall Saturday, but there’s another chance for those who missed the free brass-only holiday concert.

For the first time, the show was recorded after multiple people at area nursing homes requested CDs or additional performances.

“They’ve contacted me since we started to see if we had some people who could play at the nursing homes or if we had a CD and we didn’t,” said Valerie Pitzen, one of the people who helped first bring Tuba Christmas to Austin.

Davin Alan recorded the event and will have DVDs of the performance available by the week of Dec. 18. The videos are for sale for $10, and people can get a copy by contacting Pitzen at 507-433-1881. A few complementary copies will be delivered to area nursing homes.

“It’s a novel thing that’s been going on that’s really quite fun and brings the spirit of Christmas to folks here,” Alan said. Alan has worked in digital marketing and communications for companies like Hormel Foods Corp. and he now works for Bosch Corp. He also has a freelance company called Dalan Productions.

The spirit of Christmas had a few more tubas behind it this year. Forty-one performers ranging from age 11 to 85 turned out to play 13 Christmas carols in the mall’s center court. That’s up from 28 performers last year, and 15 in 2010.

The tubas also drew quite the crowd, as all the seats set up for the free show were filled and many more people stood to watch, filling much of the center court’s southern end. More people listened from the food court tables.

The tubas also saw new faces taking the baton, as Jane Orvick, who conducted the first two years, was unavailable.

Austin High School band director Brad Mariska conducted most of the songs, and Hayfield High School band director Dennis Conroy also conducted a few tunes. Both played when the other was conducting.

Mariska was excited to see the tubas have their day on center stage.

“They’re always the most important instrument in the band, but sometimes they don’t get the glory,” Mariska said.

Low brass instruments — tubas, baritones, euphoniums and suzaphones — are often referred to as the backbone of the band, as they carry the bass line and tempo. However, they rarely take the reins for the melody.

Pitzen said the event is unusual because the low brass final gets to play the main parts.

“People just don’t understand what a quality sound tubas and baritones have when they get to go free,” she said.

This year marked the 39th anniversary of Tuba Christmas nationwide. The event began in 1974 with a performance in New York City’s Rockefeller Plaza.

Organizers are already looking ahead to Tuba Christmas 2013. The first-ever Austin Tuba Christmas video will also be put to good uses in the future to bring more players and people out next year.

“We’re probably going to make a PSA announcement for next year,” Alan said.

SportsPlus

Education

Saluting service: Pacelli’s Veterans Day program a story of the past and future

Mower County

Call for Volunteers: Salvation Army looking for extra help for busy holiday season

News

Trump wins the White House in a political comeback rooted in appeals to frustrated voters

Education

In Your Community: Money donated in Grandma Shirley’s name

Mower County

In Your Community: Duplicate Bridge

Mower County

In Your Community: Mower County Senior Center

Mower County

In Your Community: Fourth Holiday Bing-Oh! prize claimed

News

The US election was largely trouble-free, but a flood of misinformation raises future concerns

News

Jury convicts man of killing girlfriend and hiding her body in rural Minnesota

Mower County

Tom Robbins to be new executive director of Austin Area Arts

Mower County

Institute scientist and team’s database work featured in science communication publication

Business

Hy-Vee celebrates 25 Years of its Veterans Day Breakfast

Mower County

I-90 Austin detour planned Nov. 15-18 for Fourth Street bridge demolition

Business

Hormel named a Best for Vets Employer for 12th year in a row

Mower County

Technical issue from Tuesday night’s election results in slight ballot count changes

News

2024 Election Rundown

Mower County

Patricia Mueller retains District 23B seat

Mower County

Zielke wins special election to round out Green’s school board seat

Mower County

Incumbents hold seats for Mayor, City Council; Waller returns to council in Ward 2

Mower County

Glynn earns fourth term on County Board, Mueller a second term

News

Trump wins the White House in political comeback rooted in appeals to frustrated voters

Mower County

Technical issues causing delay in upload of Mower voter tallies

News

Democrat Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota wins 4th Senate term, defeating GOP ex-NBA player Royce White

News

AP Race Call: Republican Brad Finstad wins reelection to U.S. House in Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District