With the help of many volunteers, TubaChristmas has become an annual and much anticipated part of the Christmas season with a concert open to the community at no cost.

This year’s concert is dedicated to the memory of the concert’s first conductor, Walter Moore, who came from Hendersonville in 1998.

After teaching in West Virginia and New Jersey, Moore and his wife had retired to Hendersonville but his love for band music came with him. He joined the Hendersonville Community Band where he met the Howells who invited him to be the conductor that first year.

Moore’s wife, Darlene, says, “He devoted his life to the teaching and conducting performances of all ages, and they in turn gave him their very best.”

During Moore’s two years in Texas, Jim Stokes, from the Hendersonville Community Band, served as conductor. On his return Moore picked up the baton again until he retired.  Dr. Michael Shallock, of Western Carolina University, followed for several years. Dr. William Bryant, from A.C. Reynolds has been on the podium since then.

Each person performing in the concert leaves the event with a photo postcard of the group that year, full stomachs from the Rotary-sponsored lunch and hopefully fond memories. Each year’s group of musicians typically plays to about 700 audience members – just shy of a full house at PCHS – a milestone organizers would love to hit this year.

Editor’s note: Betsy Zeek contributed to this article.