Good and interested burghers of the Southern Tablelands have an opportunity to dive head first into the rich crucible of tuba music at the annual Octubafest on Saturday, October 22.
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Being held for the first time at the Crookwell Memorial Hall, the band line-up includes the world famous Australian Tuba Quartet, headed by the irrepressible Tim Buzbee, and as backup, the Local Brass Connection Band.
The show is sponsored by the Gunning Focus Group.
Master of ceremonies will be Michael Katz, a local grazier, with limited musical knowledge but lots of enthusiasm.
Doors open at 4pm at the Hall.
Tickets are $25 for adults, $50 gets in a family of four, and kids are free.
The Crookwell Hall is licensed. This year Octubafest will again be showcasing the famous beer we drink down here, Garrundah Thunder, alongside its newer historical cousin, Captain Crookwell Pale Ale. Food will be available prepared by noted Sydney chef and gourmand Toby Douglas.
Come along. It will be a rollicking afternoon.
Tuba players, particularly in orchestras are individuals.
Usually there is only one. They sit near the back.
The rest of the orchestra thinks they have attitude.
And they are the butt of jokes – that may have something to do with the size of the instrument they play – a ridiculously long 20 feet of folded polished, metal tube.
By vibrating or buzzing their lips into a large cupped mouthpiece, tuba players, produce the largest and lowest-pitched sound of the brass instrument family.
The tuba serves as the bass of the orchestral brass section, reinforcing the bass voices of the strings and woodwinds.
Tuba is Latin for trumpet.
And it leads to a host of tuba jokes.
Like: what's the difference between the sounds a tuba makes and a sick elephant? I can't tell the difference either!.
Why are tubas like elderly parents? Both are unforgiving and difficult to get into and out of cars.
While not having as long a distinguished musical history like the violin, the tuba first appeared in the mid 19th-century.