It's the season for bands and tuba

Ron Keller and I go way back to my early days in Naperville.

Of course, "way back" to me as a relative newcomer means something entirely different to the Naperville native who has been a member of the Naperville Municipal Band for more than 50 years.

I first met Keller at Naper Settlement, sitting across from him at the conference table in the yellow house located near Century Memorial Chapel. That's where Executive Director Peggy Frank had her office before the Pre-Emption House was completed. The public relations office where I worked was right inside the entrance from the parking lot.

We were planning a 1994 event to commemorate the signing of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787, to be hosted at Naper Settlement by Congressman Harris Fawell.

While coordinating logistics of how visitors would sign a replica of the Constitution and what part the band would play on Constitution Day, Keller mentioned an upcoming trip to perform in Europe.

On Sunday, Keller refreshed my memory.

"I actually did two tours in Europe," he said. "One in 1995 and one in 1997. The first tour was in Austria and Germany, ending in Prague. The second one was more fun because 16 members of the Municipal Band went along."

That time they visited Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Naperville's Sister City, Nitra, Slovakia.

"We did six concerts in nine days," Keller recalled.

From Naper Settlement to Tasty Bakery to Colonial, I've been captivated many times by Keller's prolific story telling, local lore including more than band history.

Back when we were campaigning to build the Community Concert Center in Central Park at the turn of the millennium, I read "The Band's Been Here Quite a Spell ... 1859-1981," written by Mary Lou Cowlishaw. Keller already was looking forward to the band's 150th anniversary in 2009.

Last week I noted that Keller and his co-author, Julie Phend, will sign copies of their collaboration, "The First 150 Years," a new book about the Naperville Municipal Band, at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at Anderson's Bookshop.

TubaChristmas

I first heard TubaChristmas during Hometown Holidays about five years ago along Jefferson Avenue.

Keller said Sunday that the first TubaChristmas in Naperville was 25 years ago.

"This year I'm hoping for 60 players and we will play outside US Bank - dependng on weather - about 10:45 or 11 a.m. We then travel to Westfield Fox Valley Mall and will perform at 12:30 p.m. at Sears."

Tuba or euphonium players of all ages are invited to show up for the Christmas musical experience, beginning with registration ($5) at 8:30 a.m. and rehearsal at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, at the Naperville Community Concert Center in Central Park.

First performed in 1974 in New York City's Rockefeller Plaza, Naperville's 26th annual TubaChristmas will be among hundreds held worldwide as a tribute to tubist William Bell, who was born on Christmas Day in 1902 and died in 1971.

Musicians might want to bring an extra $30 to purchase music and TubaChristmas hats and scarves.

Ron said many musicians decorate their tubas and dress in seasonal attire - even battery-powered holiday lights!

Questions? Contact Keller via e-mail at tubamanron@cs.com.

A time to chime

Keller likely would have enjoyed our Mitchell Family Thanksgiving.

My mother's family has gathered together for Thanksgiving since before I was born the fourth of 25 grandchildren, descendants of Gertrude and Paul Mitchell.

Since the late 1960s, when our family outgrew the farmhouse in Battle Ground, Ind., Thanksgiving has moved from a camp at the Tippecanoe Battlefield to Ross Camp near Purdue. For about 35 years the Mitchell Thanksgiving tradition also has included Aunt Ruthie's craft table with a bounty of decorations to create for Christmas.

Last summer, with a design from my cousin Nancy, my Uncle Jack and my dad cut steel electrical conduit to create two sets of 20 individual pipe chimes. Each numbered chime is a different length; each has a string looped through holes in one end to hang from your finger.

After dinner, Nancy directed about 15 of us to perform spiritual and holiday music. Using large presentation boards charted with numbers, Nancy used a serving spoon to point to the numbered notes and keep the beat.

When it was my number, I struck my corresponding chime with a 3/8-inch steel dowel.

Our sound was magical. I imagined us onstage performing "My Favorite Things" ala the Trapp Family at the new Wentz Concert Hall.

I told my dad that all I want for Christmas is my own set of chimes.

• Stephanie Penick writes about Naperville. Contact her at spennydh@aol.com.