Have you ever wondered what the sound of dozens of tubas and euphoniums playing holiday carols sounds like? Neither have we, but let's find out!
Now a long-standing tradition across the world, we're doing our own version of a reading where anyone is welcome to join on tuba or euphonium to join in the holiday fun. There is no audition and no sign-up fee or admission to audience. It will be similar to our flagship reading sessions with the full orchestra where we invite an audience while we read through them in real-time.
Is practicing ahead of time helpful and fun? Definitely! Is this a performance? Definitely not! This is just an open rehearsal. A spectacular open rehearsal. An Awesöme Tuba Holiday Spectacular!
This is event is ONLY OPEN to TUBAS and EUPHONIUMS
Musician sign-ups are open until December 13
FULL EVENT DETAILS
WHERE: Hamilton Hall, First Unitarian Church of Oakland, 685 14th St., Oakland CA
WHEN: 6-8pm Sunday December 14, 2025
ADMISSION: Free for confirmed musicians and audiences.
TRANSPORTATION SUGGESTIONS: The church is approximately 4 blocks west of the 12th Street Oakland City Center BART station, between Martin Luther King, Jr. Way and Castro St. Several AC Transit bus lines, including the 14 and the 62, pass near the church. Street parking is limited, but there are multiple paid garages nearby.
A NOTE ON INSTRUMENTS: Although we dearly love our other low bass clef cousins, part of the unique weirdness and fun of this event is that it is strictly for tubas and euphoniums. Please note that while this includes English baritones and sousaphones, we unfortunately aren't accepting bass trombones, or contrabassoons or bass saxes or anything else. We'd love all y'all at other upcoming events though for full orchestra! If you have a question about what's allowed to be played, just email our organizer at jumpbass@comcast.net and we'll figure it out!
SCHEDULE AND REPERTOIRE: conducted by guest conductor, arranger, and AÖC tubist Alan Parks
6-6:55pm: We will be reading through of approximately twenty holiday carols arranged by Alan Parks for low brass choir
INSTRUMENTATION: tubas or sousaphones, euphoniums* or English baritones*
*Please note there are bass AND treble B-flat parts for euphoniums (they're identical)
BREAK
7:10-8pm: We will be a reading Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn's iconic arrangement of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite for big band. All low brass players are welcome to stay and listen as audience!
SHEET MUSIC can be found on Google Drive here. We'll provide chairs but please bring your own music stand and sheet music (either printed or on a tablet).
MUSICIANS please bring your own music stand and a battery powered stand light (we have access to our usual big box of stand lights for this session but a few extra always help)