Journal of a Sabbatical

December 12, 1998

the tubas of north kingstown

I was still in a grumpy mood from last night when I went about my morning errands in preparation for lunch with the walking buddies at Bertucci's. However, I managed to have the gifts wrapped and ready and even to sort of have a good time despite feeling misanthropic. My mood improved after several shots of espresso and I was ready to tackle the drive to Rhode Island to pick up Nancy in Providence and continue south to North Kingstown for the Tuba Christmas.

Tuba Christmas is just what it sounds like. A bunch of tuba players get together to play Christmas carols. There were about a hundred players of tuba, euphonium, helicon, sousaphone, and other conical low brasses on stage in the North Kingstown High School cafeteria. The youngest was 13 and the oldest 80. They played the standards and a few lesser known pieces. At one point the three people who played helicons played a little set together. Gary Buttery pointed out that not only is Rhode Island a tuba state but it was probably the only place you were going to hear three helicons play together.

It was wonderful. I don't know how to describe it. You don't just hear the music, you feel it in your bones. It's almost a mystical experience.

I wasn't ready to be without tuba music when the concert ended so I bought a Tuba Christmas tape from Gary Buttery's son who was manning the souvenir table. We asked him again for tuba action figures and he said he's working on that! He remembered us from the Octubafest. I guess we're pretty memorable. We listened to the whole tape on the way home.