Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance and Town of Oro Valley host TUBACHRISTMAS during the Holiday Festival of the Arts

Nov. 19, 2012 — The tuba, the bass of the wind instruments, belts a low-pitched, resonating sound through its coiled brass flowing into an over-sized horn.

It’s no wonder the gathering of tubas has turned into a gathering of people around the nation, when nearly 100 of these impressive instruments appear on one stage for an unforgettable performance.

TUBACHRISTMAS, founded more than three decades ago, will entertain audiences in Oro Valley on Saturday, Dec. 1 at 1 p.m., presented by Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance and made possible with support from Bill Adler.

The famous performance has taken place in Oro Valley, each year in December over the past five years. The group has appeared in 2008 at the Oro Valley Tree Lighting at Town Hall, in 2009 at Steam Pump Village Holiday Celebration at Steam Pump Village, in 2010 at Oro Valley Festival of the Arts at the Oro Valley Marketplace, and in 2011 at the Oracle Crossings Holiday Spectacular.

This year, tuba players of all ages come together to perform Christmas favorites during Festival of the Arts at Oro Valley Marketplace, southwest corner of Oracle Road and Tangerine Road.

TUBACHRISTMAS was a tribute to the late artist and teacher William J. Bell, who was born on Christmas day, 1902. The first-ever performance took place on New York City’s Rockefeller Plaza Ice Rink on Dec. 22, 1974.

Through the legendary William J. Bell, the players reflect on the heritage and honor all great artists and teachers whose legacy has given musicians high performance standards, well-structured pedagogy, professional integrity, personal values and a camaraderie envied by all other instrumentalists.

Traditional Christmas music performed at the first TUBACHRISTMAS was arranged by American composer Alec Wilder, who ironically died on Christmas Eve in 1980. Wilder composed many solo and ensemble compositions for tuba and euphonium. He was a loyal supporter of every effort to improve the literature and public image of these instruments.

Through Wilder, TUBACHRISTMAS expresses respect and gratitude to all composers who continue to embrace the instruments with their compositions and contribute to the ever-growing solo and ensemble repertoire for tuba and euphonium.

Festival of the Arts

The holiday show, Saturday, Dec. 1 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 2 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., will feature handmade arts, live performances, food vendors and the Festival of Trees to benefit foster children.

A Tree Lighting Ceremony, Friday, Nov. 30 at 6 p.m., will start the weekend activities with a 35-foot Christmas tree, towering over the Marketplace. The celebration, co-hosted by the Town of Oro Valley, will feature live entertainment, activities for children, free refreshments, the lighting of the Oro Valley holiday tree and a special appearance by Santa on a Golder Ranch Fire Truck.

Throughout the Festival of the Arts weekend, treats will be served up from Cowboy Kettle Corn, Fruit Shack Smoothies, Hawaiian Shaved Ice, Something Sweet, Western Smoke BBQ, Quesadillas & More, Diamond W. Concessions and Gunnars Dawg House.

Attendees can find displays from artists in jewelry, pottery, mixed-media, glass, textiles and more as well as local organizations like the Southern Arizona Greyhound Adoption, Western National Parks Association, Ironwood Ridge High School Art Club and Yelp!, providing gift wrapping during the show.

Live Performances

Saturday, Dec. 1

10 a.m. Johnny Cashew – acoustic country

11 a.m. Manzanita Bluegrass – bluegrass

12 p.m. Tucson Barbershop Experience – Barbershop

1 p.m. TUBACHRISTMAS

2:30 p.m. Shirley & Jim O’Brien – strolling accordions

Sunday, Dec. 2

11 a.m. Chris Van Haaften – jazz trombone

12 p.m. Jayne Turconi – folk singer

1 p.m. Jerry Jacobson – folk, rock, country, pop & blues

2 p.m. Jim Howell Band – rock, blues, country & soul

 

2012 Winter Festival of the Arts

Tree Lighting Ceremony: Friday, Nov. 30 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Festival: Saturday, Dec. 1 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 2 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Oro Valley Marketplace, southwest corner of Oracle and Tangerine Roads

Cost: Free admission

Online: www.orovalleyfestival.org

Phone: (520) 797-3959

NOTE TO MEDIA: Photos Available

 

Oro Valley Marketplace

The Oro Valley Marketplace is built on a 115-acre site at Oracle and Tangerine roads in Oro Valley. It is the first Arizona retail destination integrated with a restored riparian habitat and boasts a trail system feeding into the revered Catalina Mountains. Opened in 2008, the Marketplace features 800,000 square feet of retail, entertainment and dining destinations. Find out more online www.orovalleymarketplace.com.

About the Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance

The Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance (SAACA) is a not-for-profit organization that exists to ensure that, through engagement in arts and culture, our communities produce strong, inspired citizens. SAACA enlists artists, businesses, governments, and individuals to expand artistic and cultural opportunities in their respective communities. To enhance access to the arts and to promote cultural awareness in the communities it serves, SAACA presents large-scale festivals, events and other programs. The Alliancealso promotes educational opportunities in the arts and culture for both the young and the old.

Organization History
The Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance (SAACA) grew out of the Greater Oro Valley Arts Council (GOVAC), an organization established in 1997 to provide artistic and cultural opportunities for residents of northwestTucson. GOVAC eventually became one of the largest arts organizations in the region. In 2009, owing to its success, the group expanded its mission to include creation of partnerships with business, governments, and communities throughoutSouthern Arizona that would encourage innovative, creative cultural expression in the arts for years to come.

For more information about programs and events produced by the Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance, go to www.saaca.org.

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