Last year the stage shone with 70 members of the brass instrument family – tubas, euphoniums, baritone horns, as well as some strange-looking cousins.
The first TubaChristmas in Polk County occured in 1998 with 39 participants. It was to be in front of the Polk County Courthouse, but rain intervened and it was moved to the Stearns Auditorium where the conductor stood on a table to lead the concert. Since that time the concerts have been in the PCHS Auditorium.
Participants have come from both Carolinas, Tennessee, Georgia and several other states, with players ranging in age, in 2012, from 11 to 87 years and occasionally older.
Again this year, a student from Western Carolina University’s music department will perform the carol “O Holy Night”. Dr. Mike Shallock, a tuba specialist from WCU, conducts an annual contest to determine the soloist.
The TubaChristmas concert this year will be on December 7th at 1:30, at Polk County High School. All seats are free come and start the month on the Right Note.