It was not a silent night (or afternoon) as the sounds of sousaphones, euphoniums, baritone horns and tubas filled E.J.Thomas Performing Arts Hall Saturday. About 600 musicians spanned the stage and oom-pah-pahed Christmas carols to a nearly full house for Akron’s 44th TubaChristmas.

Horn players from age eight to 86 and from as far away as Texas and Portland, Oregon, were in attendance playing instruments that date back to the mid-1800s, said Chris Blaha, a University of Akron music professor who shares conductor duties with Akron TubaChristmas founder Tucker Jolly.

Many of the musicians decked out their instruments with wrapping paper, Christmas lights and other decorations. 

Christmas carols are the heart of the free show, which has grown to two concerts on the same day. The performers on stage played through each carol the first time — audience members were invited to sing along the second time.

Chris Blaha, left, a professor in the University of Akron School of Music, and R.J. Nemer
Chris Blaha, left, a professor in the University of Akron School of Music, and R.J. Nemer, the president of the University of Akron, smile after they finish playing a Christmas carol during the first of two TubaChristmas concerts at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall Dec. 21. About 600 tubas, euphoniums, sousaphones and baritone horns played Christmas carols during the free concert, which had its 44th performance Saturday. Blaha gave Nemer a private lesson on the tuba so he would be able to join the concert. (Susan Zake / Signal Akron)

Akron’s first TubaChristmas was held outside during 45 degree weather in 1979 on downtown’s Cascade Plaza. It moved to Quaker Square and then called the Civic Theatre home for years before landing at E.J. Thomas Hall in 2007.

University of Akron President R.J. Nemer, who was the featured guest for this year’s concert, took a private lesson with Blaha to prepare.

“Dr. Blaha had the patience of a saint. He somehow managed to keep a straight face, and I would say the notes were not just necessarily off key, but somewhat off-putting,” Nemer said of the lesson.

Playing the tuba, he said, was one of the most difficult things he’s ever attempted — he has “enormous” respect for anyone who can play an instrument and march at the same time.

“I love music, I just have no skills,” Nemer deadpanned. “Clearly.”

Tuba, sousaphone, euphonium and baritone horn players oompah their way through Christmas carols
Tuba, sousaphone, euphonium and baritone horn players oompah their way through Christmas carols during the first of two TubaChristmas concerts at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall Dec. 21. The free concert featuring around 600 tubas had its 44th performance Saturday. (Susan Zake / Signal Akron)
Tuba, sousaphone, euphonium and baritone horn players fill the stage during the first of two TubaChristmas concerts.
Tuba, sousaphone, euphonium and baritone horn players fill the stage during the first of two TubaChristmas concerts at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall Dec. 21. The free concert featuring around 600 tubas had its 44th performance Saturday. (Susan Zake / Signal Akron)
Tucker Jolly, the founder of TubaChristmas in Akron 44 performances ago
Tucker Jolly, the founder of TubaChristmas in Akron in 1979, conducts one of the Christmas carols played by about 600 tuba players on stage at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall Dec. 21. The first concert took place on Cascade Plaza outside. The concert moved to Quaker Square, the Civic Theatre and finally E.J. Thomas. (Susan Zake / Signal Akron)
Sousaphone players line the back of the stage during the first of two TubaChristmas concerts
Sousaphone players line the back of the stage during the first of two TubaChristmas concerts at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall Dec. 21. The free concert featuring around 600 tubas had its 44th performance Saturday. (Susan Zake / Signal Akron)
Robin Hershey holds up her horn
Robin Hershey holds up her horn as she is acknowledged as one of only two people who have attended all 44 TubaChristmas concerts in Akron. The other is Tucker Jolly, the founder of TubaChristmas in Akron, which this year featured Christmas carols played by about 600 tuba players on stage at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall. The first concert took place outside in 45 degree weather on Cascade Plaza downtown in 1979. The concert moved to Quaker Square, the Civic Theatre and finally E.J. Thomas. (Susan Zake / Signal Akron)
Marla Oddo of Cuyahoga Falls, left, plays her sousaphone
Marla Oddo of Cuyahoga Falls, left, plays her sousaphone during the first of two TubaChristmas concerts at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall Dec. 21. Oddo said this is about her 33rd year playing Christmas carols at the concert, which featured around 600 tubas and had its 44th performance Saturday. (Susan Zake / Signal Akron)
Chris Blaha, a professor in the University of Akron School of Music
Chris Blaha, a professor in the University of Akron School of Music, turns to the audience to invite them to sing along during the first of two TubaChristmas concerts at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall Dec. 21. About 600 tubas, euphoniums, sousaphones and baritone horns played Christmas carols during the free concert, which had its 44th performance Saturday. Blaha said about two dozen of the university’s students helped put the show together. (Susan Zake / Signal Akron)
Tuba players oompah their way through Christmas carols
Tuba players oompah their way through Christmas carols during the first of two TubaChristmas concerts at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall Dec. 21. The free concert featuring around 600 tubas had its 44th performance Saturday. (Susan Zake / Signal Akron)
Tuba, sousaphone, euphonium and baritone horn players show off their lighted decorations
Tuba, sousaphone, euphonium and baritone horn players show off their lighted decorations during the first of two TubaChristmas concerts at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall Dec. 21. The free concert featuring around 600 tubas had its 44th performance Saturday. (Susan Zake / Signal Akron)
A tuba player's Christmas tree hat rises above a music stand
A tuba player’s Christmas tree hat rises above a music stand during the first of two TubaChristmas concerts at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall Dec. 21. The free concert featuring around 600 tubas playing Christmas carols and inviting the audience to sing along had its 44th performance Saturday. (Susan Zake / Signal Akron)
A sousaphone player holds up their sheet music during the first of two TubaChristmas concerts
A sousaphone player holds up sheet music during the first of two TubaChristmas concerts at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall Dec. 21. The free concert featuring around 600 tubas playing Christmas carols and inviting the audience to sing along had its 44th performance Saturday. (Susan Zake / Signal Akron)
Sousapohone players line the side of the stage during the first of two TubaChristmas concerts
Sousaphone players line the side of the stage during the first of two TubaChristmas concerts at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall Dec. 21. The free concert featuring around 600 tubas had its 44th performance Saturday. (Susan Zake / Signal Akron)

Editor-in-Chief (she/her)
Zake has deep roots in Northeast Ohio journalism. She was the managing editor for multimedia and special projects at the Akron Beacon Journal, where she began work as a staff photographer in 1986. Over a 20-year career, Zake worked in a variety of roles across departments that all help inform her current role as Signal Akron's editor in chief. Most recently, she was a journalism professor and student media adviser at Kent State University, where she worked with the next generation of journalists to understand public policy, environmental reporting, data and solutions reporting. Among her accomplishments was the launch of the Kent State NewsLab, an experiential and collaborative news commons that connects student reporters with outside professional partners.