Holiday songs resonated through Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center for performing arts in downtown Kansas City as 23 Mill Valley and Monticello Trails students participated in the 41st Tuba Christmas in front of 1,600 spectators on Monday, Dec. 8.

Tuba Christmas is a free event open to the public where volunteer tuba or euphonium players get together to play a concert consisting of 10 holiday songs.

Junior Austin Mackey says there was not much time to learn the songs before the day of the event.

“When we first get there we find our seats on stage and we do a play through of every song in order to fix any small mistakes,” Mackey said. “We don’t get the music until we get there so none of us have ever seen the music before.”

After having time to rehearse, all of the participants take a break then regroup to perform.

“We play our music to the crowd while they sing the carols with us,” junior Thomas Franco said. “I attended last year but it was great this year [because] many more people attended.”

For many participants, including Mackey, it was their first time performing at the event.

“This was my first Tuba Christmas so it was a fun and interesting experience,” Mackey said.

Along with getting to play, each participate had the opportunity to decorate their tubas or euphoniums.

“We wore festive colors and had Christmas sweaters on, [also we] put bows and other stuff on our instruments,” Franco said. “We didn’t win [the decorating contest] but we still had a great time.”