A group of students from the Redwood Valley school district, including Rick Green and Alice Klein, wrapped their instruments in strings of lights and decorations in preparation for TubaChristmas. The concert features arrangements of traditional Christmas carols where low brass instruments like tubas and trombones play the melody.

MARSHALL — It wasn’t an ordinary band practice. Quite a few people arriving at Southwest Minnesota State University on Saturday morning were carrying very big instrument cases, for tubas and other low brass instruments like euphoniums and trombones.

“It’s much different from concert band,” said SMSU student Nathan Palm. “It’s the most brass you’re ever going to get in a band.”

As around 40 musicians started to tune up, the deep notes could be heard all the way down the hall from the band room.

It was all part of preparations for TubaChristmas, an annual holiday concert where tubas and low brass run the show. The band would go on to perform for the public on Saturday afternoon.

“It gives these instruments a chance to shine,” said Dr. John Ginocchio, band director and music professor at SMSU.

The first TubaChristmas concert was held in New York City in 1974. Over the next 50 years the tradition would grow, with holiday low brass concerts being held across the country.

Ginocchio said SMSU has held a TubaChristmas event for the past 10 years. In the local concert’s first year, 14 people showed up to play traditional Christmas carols on tuba and trombone. Since then, the number of participants has grown.

“We have had people who came every single year,” Ginocchio said. In the past, some musicians have come from as far away as South Dakota and Iowa. “It sometimes depends on the schedule,” he said.

“I’ve been doing this since the mid-90s,” said tuba player Kyle Gertner. Gertner said he first learned about TubaChristmas through Martin Meidl, who founded the Music Mart music stores in southern Minnesota.

“I do Mankato and Marshall (TubaChristmas) every year, as long as the weather permits,” Gertner said. This year, Mankato’s TubaChristmas was held in late November.

He said the events were fun, “Mostly because low brass gets to play the melody.” Gertner farms in the Westbrook area, but he said events like TubaChristmas give him a chance to keep playing his instrument.

Other musicians in the concert included groups from area schools, like Redwood Valley, Russell-Tyler-Ruthton, and Minneota.

There was no uniform for the musicians on Saturday – “We just tell people to dress Christmas-y,” Ginocchio said. Along with wearing stocking caps, holiday sweaters and scarves, many of the band members had decorated their instruments with tinsel, ornaments and strings of LED Christmas lights.

Shelby Remiger’s baritone horn was wrapped in gold garland for the concert. Remiger, a sixth grade student at Lakeview, said her older brother had taken part in TubaChristmas before. “He always gets his (instrument) decorated,” so she did the same, Remiger said.

Remiger said she’s the only baritone horn player in Lakeview’s sixth grade. “It’s just kind of a fun instrument to play,” she said.

SMSU student and trombone player Kayla Browen said Saturday was her first time playing in TubaChristmas. She was looking forward to hearing low brass instruments featured in the concert. “It’s so exciting to have something that’s not a majority upper woodwinds,” she said.