Penn State Behrend's 17th annual Tuba Christmas concert drew a large crowd to McGarvey Commons, in the college's Reed Union Building. The holiday concert is a showcase for low-brass musicians -- many of whom wore pajamas. "Low-brass players tend to have a good sense of humor and a real love of what they do," said Gary Viebranz, director of instrumental ensembles at the college. "There's a real camaraderie there."
Penn State Behrend's Tuba Christmas concert drew a large crowd to McGarvey Commons, in the college's Reed Union Building, on Dec. 8.
The Tuba Christmas concert at Penn State Behrend features performers of all skill levels. They assemble in the morning, rehearse for the first time as a group, and then perform at 1 p.m.
This was the 17th annual Tuba Christmas concert at Penn State Behrend. The ensemble was led by Gary Viebranz, teaching professor of music and director of instrumental ensembles at Penn State Behrend, and guest conductors from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and Allegheny College.
The Tuba Christmas concert at Penn State Behrend continues a tradition that began in 1974, when the musician Harvey Phillips assembled an all-tuba orchestra for a Christmas concert at the Rockefeller Center ice rink.
Tuba Christmas concerts are an opportunity for low-brass musicians to show the full range of their instruments, says Gary Viebranz, who coordinates the annual holiday concert at Penn State Behrend. "For this one concert," he said, "everybody gets to play the melody. Everybody gets to play harmony. And the players rise to that."
