Seventeen Farmingdale student musicians from Weldon E. Howitt Middle School and Farmingdale High School performed in the 46th annual Tuba Christmas concert—held on The Rink at Rockefeller Center on Sunday, December 15, 2019.
They joined approximately 400 musicians from across the country to perform Christmas carols for nearly an hour under the famous tree. They were conducted by Chris Wilhjelm.
Farmingdale School District music teachers Gina Pellettiere and Erica Hartmann accompanied the students, who gathered for rehearsal just a few hours prior to the show in the basement of Rockefeller Center. The concert began at 3:30 p.m. and included a program of fifteen songs.
“This festive holiday performance has become a Farmingdale tradition,” said Ms. Hartmann. “Standing under the most famous Christmas tree in the world and performing with your students is heartwarming and beyond special!”
Tuba Christmas was conceived by tuba virtuoso Harvey Phillips to honor his late mentor and teacher, William J. Bell —born Christmas Day, 1902. The first Tuba Christmas at Rockefeller Center was performed in 1974, and the tradition is held annually in over two hundred cities around the world.