Tuesday, December 06, 2005

WILMINGTON, NC - UNCW Department of Music assistant professor Daniel Johnson directs two performances of the Second Annual TubaChristmas Concert on Saturday, Dec. 17 at Westfield Independence Mall (noon) and Brightmore of Wilmington (2 p.m.). The concert features traditional Christmas carols by a tuba-euphonium ensemble and will also include a performance of the "Yuletide Jazz Suite" featuring the Port City Tuba Quartet. N.C. Sen. Julia Boseman will be the guest conductor, and Wilmington Mayor Pro-Tem Laura Padgett will deliver a mayoral proclamation announcing TubaChristmas Day.

First performed in New York City's Rockefeller Plaza, TubaChristmas is a long-standing tradition within in the music community. The event was conceived in 1974 as a tribute to the late artist and teacher William J. Bell, born on Christmas Day, 1902. Every Christmas season, tuba and euphonium players of all ages gather in cities throughout the world to honor the great musicians and teachers of their art form. In the tradition of TubaChristmas, the annual celebration features the same collection of Christmas carols arranged for the original event in 1974. This year, TubaChristmas events will take place in over 120 cities worldwide.

This marks the second year that Wilmington has participated in the annual TubaChristmas celebration. Last year's performance drew over 30 musicians and captivated crowds with it's unique take on holiday classics. "The rich, organ-like sound of a tuba-euphonium ensemble is ideal for a holiday performance", said Johnson. "TubaChristmas is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and appreciate these beautiful and often misunderstood instruments. At the same time, it is a truly unique holiday tradition that allows us to give a special musical gift to the community."

All tuba or euphonium players are encouraged to participate in this year's TubaChristmas. For more information contact Daniel Johnson at 910/962-7559 or e-mail johnsond@uncw.edu.

This event is free to the public and is sponsored by the UNCW Department of Music.

Westfield Independence Mall is located at 3500 Oleander Drive. Brightmore of Wilmington is located at 2124 41st Street.

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Daniel C. Johnson, Ph.D., is the assistant chair of the Music Department. He teaches applied tuba and euphonium studies as well as courses in music education, music technology, and the Honors Scholars Program. Johnson is a certified Orff-Schulwerk instructor and multi-instrumentalist with over dozen years of teaching experience. Johnson has performed as principal tubist with the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra, the Long Bay Symphony, and the UNCW Faculty Brass Quintet. He also performs and directs the UNCW Early Music Consort. A frequent presenter at regional, national, and international conferences, Johnson is the Research Committee chair for the North Carolina Music Educators' Association. He has published articles in: The Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, Contributions to Music Education, The International Journal of the Humanities, The International Tuba and Euphonium Association Journal, The Kindermusik Educators Journal, The Australian Band and Orchestra Directors Association Journal, The Queensland Kodály News, and on-line at Musicstaff.com. His textbook, Musical Explorations: Fundamentals Through Experience, is published by Kendall-Hunt.