49th Annual Tuba Christmas Comes to Rockefeller Center

Hundreds of tubists of all ages will assemble under the famous Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree on Sunday, December 11th at 3:30 PM and fill the plaza with holiday classics. Tuba Christmas features performances by tenor and bass tuba players who have dressed and decorated their instruments festively for the occasion. Tubists range from the age of 8 to 80 and include student, amateur, and professional musicians.

The musicians, hailing from across the country, will be led by Chris Wilhjelm, conductor of the New Jersey Wind Symphony and former conductor of the famous Goldman Memorial Band. This unique Christmas tradition takes place in over 200 cities around the world, the Rockefeller Center performance is deemed the most spectacular and was the site of the founding of this holiday tradition in 1974. Last year's performance featured nearly 400 tubists, and even more are expected to perform this year.

Conceived by tuba virtuoso Harvey Phillips to honor his teacher, the late William J. Bell (born Christmas Day, 1902), the first Tuba Christmas at Rockefeller Center in 1974 was conducted by Paul LaValle of Band of America fame. Tuba Christmas is a registered property of the Harvey Phillips Foundation.

This event is free and open to the public.