During one of the first years of Salem Tuba Holiday, a grieving family approached conductor John Skelton after a performance of “In the Bleak Midwinter,” an English poem performed as a carol. The family had a deep connection to the song, and after losing one of their relatives that year, the performance meant a lot to them.  “We never really know why or what will touch people, that’s why we have a variety,” said organizer Toni Skelton, referring to the concert’s selection of songs. The concert is a Salem favorite that has been around since 1990, originally under TubaChristmas. But in 2013, John Skelton, director of Salem Symphonic Winds, decided to organize the event with his wife and become its conductor.  It will return on Tuesday, Dec. 24 at noon at the Elsinore Theatre. Doors open at 11 a.m, and tickets are $10 in advance and $15 on the day of the show.  Over the 11 years they’ve organized Salem Tuba Holiday, John and Toni Skelton have seen a range of reactions to the concert, from gratitude and laughter to frustration at breaking away from TubaChristmas, the worldwide tuba concert.  Toni Skelton described this year’s concert as a “family experience in Salem’s living room.” “There’s a little humor, a little education about the instruments,” she said. Mostly, the concert is a comfortable environment for people to relax after weeks of holiday shopping and planning.  Many members of the tuba ensemble sported souvenir hats and buttons for every year they have played in the Salem Tuba Holiday concert on Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023. (LAURA TESLER/Special to Salem Reporter) Toni Skelton said she often hears audience members say they wouldn’t miss Tuba Holiday for the world. The concert is performed by a group of 50 to 60 musicians, both amateur and professional, playing the tuba or euphonium. There is also a vocalist, Jeff Witt, who joins in for some of the songs.  This year, the group has prepared 22 songs, nine of which will be sing-alongs with the audience. Skelton said the group often gets sent new songs from musicians in the group or local artists.  Euphonium player Bob Ponto can’t wait to play in his second Tuba Holiday concert this year. He has played the instrument, which is like a small tuba, for over 50 years.  “It’s my intent to do this as long as they’ll let me,” he said, laughing. He joined Tuba Holiday last year after knowing John and Toni Skelton for years.  Ponto recently retired from the University of Oregon, where he spent nine years as the associate dean for the school of music and dance. “I’m just one of those people who’s always been devoted to community music making,” Ponto said. Even though this is just his second year, Ponto described this year’s practices as a sort of reunion where musicians get to see people they haven’t seen in months, or the whole year.  What stands out to him about the group, he said, is the laughter and good nature they share together. Performers range from elementary schoolers to grandparents, and Toni Skelton said this year one of their oldest players is in their early 80s. In recent years, she said she’s noticed more middle and high schoolers joining the group.  When college students return home to Salem for winter break, Skelton said she hears them say they can’t wait to play in the concert.  “It is a tuba family if you will,” she said. “There’s no competition, no blue ribbons, they come just to play.” Ponto said everyone involved in the concert is in the holiday spirit and he is so excited that he would perform for an empty theatre if no one showed up.  “If you came in grumpy, you weren’t gonna leave that way,” he said referring to last year’s concert. Both Ponto and Toni Skelton describe the concert as an event that lifts people’s spirits during a time of year that can sometimes be difficult for people. Skelton said she feels the show is a chance for people to put away their worries and stress about the holiday season, especially since the show is on Christmas Eve, marking the season’s nearing end. “We really want people to have a ‘feel-good’ moment,” she said. Contact reporter Madeleine Moore: [email protected]. A MOMENT MORE, PLEASE– If you found this story useful, consider subscribing to Salem Reporter if you don’t already. Work such as this, done by local professionals, depends on community support from subscribers. Please take a moment and sign up now – easy and secure: SUBSCRIBE. The post Salem Tuba Holiday musicians hope for fun, relaxation in Christmas Eve show appeared first on Salem Reporter.