The 12th annual TubaJohn Christmas Concert will be taking place on Wednesday, Dec. 13. at St. Andrews United Church.
With its roots being a humble quartet of tuba musicians, the musicians playing in this concert have expanded throughout the years into a brass brand, the TubaChristmas Brass Ensemble are joined by the Cariboo Men’s Choir, Quintet + and the Synergy Quartet for this festive concert.
With the name taken from the late “TubaJohn” Sykes, whose enthusiasm for music was effusive, the concert is always a holiday hit.
Brass ensemble director Rocco Catalano says they’ve played through a blizzard and still gotten a decent crowd.
Read more: Four concerts to grace lakecity stages this week
“It’s good, fun, and a decent balance with choir groups, men’s and a mixed choir group and a small quartet and the brass and then the sing-along at the end,” he says.
The concert ends with a sing-along including the crowd, but also features another tradition: the choir’s Hallelujah Chorus.
This year, the four groups will sing and play a special song Catalano found in a book gifted to him: Christmastime on the Range.
“I thought that’s pretty good considering what we’ve been through in the Cariboo Chilcotin and so we’re going to try a little something out,” says Catalano, adding they’re hoping to dedicate it to the people of the Cariboo Chilcotin.
The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. and admission is by cash or food donation to the Salvation Army.
*An earlier version of this story noted that the concert took place on Tuesday, Dec. 13. The correct date is Wednesday, Dec. 13.
