5 Chatham Musicians Take Tubas to Rock Center

Mark and Michael Kellstrom, Justin Hovi and Eric Liotta from Chatham High School and Ryan Maher from Chatham Middle School took their baritones and tubas to Rockefeller Center Sunday for the annual celebration of TubaChriistmas.

The five Chatham natives joined 460 other musicians with their tubas, sousaphones, baritones and euphoniums for the annual celebration in front of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.

"The excursion to New York City the second Sunday of December has become a Chatham tradition for Chatham Middle School and Chatham High School band members for almost 10 years," Cathy Kellstrom, former head of the Chatham Music and Theater Boosters (CMTB), said.

CMTB subsidizes the trip to New York City for the chosen musicians to show encouragement and appreciation for the low brass players.

TubaChristmas has taken place at Rockefeller Center each year since 1974 as a tribute to William J. Bell, a tuba player who worked with John Phillip Sousa.