‘Tis the season to celebrate the holidays with the sound of tubas at the annual Merry TubaChristmas concert! This beloved Los Angeles tradition will be held on Sunday, December 6, 2026, at 3:00 PM. After a few years away, we are returning to our long-time venue, the Hall of Liberty at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, 6300 Forest Lawn Dr, Los Angees, CA 90068 (See maps below).
A hundred tuba and baritone/euphonium players ranging in age from 10 to 90 come from all over Southern California to play Christmas carols—and a few Hanukkah songs—to the delight of all in attendance.
Guest artists will include the Hollywood Tuba 12, a 12-piece ensemble of top professional players, originally organized by world-renowned tubist Jim Self, seen here playing at the 2011 show. Jim started TubaChristmas Los Angeles in 1976 and led it for 35 years before passing the baton to Scott Wilkinson in 2011. Sadly, Jim passed away unexpectedly on Nov. 2, 2025, leaving a huge hole in the tuba community. He is sorely missed and the 2025 concert was dedicated to his memory.
Also featured will be The Tubadours, a superb pro quartet, as well as the USC Bass Tuba Quartet.
This year, Scott Wilkinson — after 15 years of dedicated and spirited leadership — has passed the baton again. Our new coordinator and conductor is Paul Asimow, the long-serving associate conductor of the Caltech Wind Orchestra, who has been an enthusiastic participant in TubaChristmas concerts since the very first year be picked up the tuba in 1989.
The concert is free to the public, and the audience is encouraged to sing along!
When it’s TubaChristmas in Los Angeles, it is also TubaHanukkah!
Performers and guests come in whatever festive costumes they like and decorate their tubas for the occasion. We have all kinds of tubas — there are more than might guess! You might think the sound of a hundred tubas would be raucous, but it is actually quite glorious. So glorious, in fact, that Merry TubaChristmas is performed in over 200 cities across the nation and around the world.
All tuba and euphonium/baritone players are invited to play, regardless of experience and proficiency; students are especially welcome. For more information, see the participants tab or contact Paul Asimow at TubaChristmasLA@gmail.com.