Merry Tuba Christmas to play grand finale

It's the end of a holiday tradition at Midtown Plaza. For the last time, the sounds of the annual "Merry Tuba Christmas" will be heard beneath the monorail. The event will mark a milestone and a grand finale for the city and the man behind the music, Joe Baker.

“We've become, in 25 years, a quarter of a century, as much of a tradition as the monorail, Christmas tree and Magic Mountain,” Baker said.

And like all other Midtown traditions, the “Merry Tuba Christmas” is likely coming to an end. More than 250 tuba players are expected to come together for one last performance at the plaza Saturday afternoon. Baker is the one who’s made it happen through the years.

“I thought if somebody else organized it they might not let me play,” Baker said with a big grin.

Baker brought his idea for a tuba Christmas concert to his teacher, Glenn Call, in 1983. Although other cities had held similar performances outside, Baker and Call decided to bring theirs indoors. They say Midtown Plaza was an ideal place to play.

“People could park out of the weather, bring their tubas up into McCurdy's, rehearse, come out and play,” Call said. “You couldn't ask for a better ‘tubatorium’ as Joe calls it.

“We've got our audience all along the balcony,” Baker added, “and we've got room here for 250 tubas.

They’ll need the space for Saturday’s performance, but the tradition started with just two dozen players. Since then, Baker has worked to invite more and more musicians to join from around the state, while Call has continued to conduct each year.

“I'm sure that I could not have attracted 250 tuba players here (like Joe did),” Call said.

One thing that has not changed from year to year is the sound that resonates throughout the plaza, enough to make audience members grip the railings.

“You'll see the people up in the galleries singing along and up comes this accent, and everybody who's up by the rail grabs the rail because it's really pretty overwhelming,” Call said.

“The best way to describe it is that it's indescribable,” Baker said. “It's a sound and a feeling, and you can actually feel the horn play.”

And Baker says that is a feeling he does not want to go away once Midtown is gone.

“We're definitely looking for a home for 200 tubas plus, assorted friends, family and fans.”