Holly Jolly Tubas Share Holiday Spirit with Joyful Sounds of the Season
Holly Jolly Tubas Fast Facts
When: Friday, Dec. 12
Where: Precious Moments Chapel, 4321 Chapel Road, Carthage, Missouri
Registration: Starts at 4:15 p.m. in the visitor’s center.
Rehearsal: From 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Free Concert: 6:30 p.m. in the Chapel
Note: Participation in the ensemble is $5. This payment gets you the music and a commemorative button.
It’s “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” for keeping alive a unique musical tradition. Holly Jolly Tubas got its start in Joplin, Missouri, two decades ago, and current Carthage R-9 Schools Band Teacher Eric Stark is privileged to make sure it continues as a tribute to someone he respects tremendously.
This year’s Holly Jolly Tubas – Carthage will be the fourth annual edition of this holiday concert that Eric has coordinated and overseen, and it will take place at Precious Moments Chapel in Carthage, Missouri, on Friday evening, Dec. 12.
Eric says, “I wanted to honor (the late) Dr. Doug Whitten’s memory and keep spreading holiday cheer through an instrument that doesn’t often get the melody lines in traditional band settings.
“We’ve performed at the Carthage School District Auditorium and the High School Commons, and last year we were so thrilled to host this concert at the Precious Moments Chapel here in Carthage.”
Reflecting on how this all began 21 years ago, Eric says, “Back in 2004, Dr. Whitten (former Pittsburg State University assistant professor of music and director of the athletic bands) brought Tuba Christmas to the Joplin area, along with the help of Scott Schneider, who was then the Carl Junction band director and now teaches at Missouri Southern State University.
“A few years after that, Doug created the Holly Jolly Tubas, which was designed especially for tuba and euphonium/baritone players of all ages to experience the same joy and community spirit of the original Tuba Christmas event.”
Four years ago, it seemed Holly Jolly Tubas might not continue, and Eric says, “When Dr. Whitten passed away in 2022, many of us thought this tradition might come to an end.
“However, several of his former students, along with the new low brass professor at Pittsburg State, organized concerts in 2022 and 2023 to help ensure the music lived on. And Pittsburg State has continued to host that event intermittently since then.”
As for how things are with the Carthage version of Holly Jolly Tubas, Eric continues doing his part to ensure all is merry and bright. He says, “This event is open to any area people that play the tuba, baritone and trombone.
“It has mainly been students from Carthage, Carl Junction, Joplin, Webb City, and Columbus, Kansas, etc. I send out an invitation to all the area directors and post a message on band director Facebook groups as well. We also have community members who want to be part of the group that show up.
“It varies how many show up to be a part of it. We started (in 2022) with only about a dozen, and last year we had more than 30 join us to play in the performance.”
Even with it being mostly a group of musicians who haven’t performed together much, if at all, there’s no need for a lot of rehearsal time. Eric says, “We practice the night of the event in the gift center at Precious Moments for about an hour and then do the performance. The music is easy.”
Eric might have a greater role in helping put this all together, but he prefers not to take much credit for it and says, “It is a joint assist. If it was not for all the area directors helping spread the word, we would not have any participants.”
When considering what makes this interesting choice of a musical playing device so appealing for a holiday showcase, Eric says, “The tuba is an instrument that, in most bands, only receives the bass line of most music it plays.
“The tuba is seen as a supportive, steady and rarely flashy instrument. But it has a rich, warm tone that is able to fill space while creating a deep, resonant glow that instantly feels festive and comforting. This event helps to make tubas the center of attention.”
It’s such a festive time of year, Eric figures anyone who shows up here in a merry mood will not walk away disappointed, and he says, “A crowd of large brass instruments decorated for the holidays makes it hard not to smile and feel the joy of the season.”
Because of how it all began and the personal influence of someone who impacted Eric immensely, this is a big deal for him, and he says, “There are students that look forward to playing in this event every year.
“The years I was away from being involved in this event, I missed the experience. Dr. Whitten created something that will last for many years in our area. Being a student of his myself makes this all the more special for me.”
