PERU - The public is invited to the 4^th annual “Tuba Christmas in the Illinois Valley,” a free concert and sing-along on Sunday, Dec. 16. The event will take place at Celebrations 150, U.S. 6, North Utica, beginning at 4:30 p.m.

Dozens of musicians will perform carols and seasonal music with their tubas, sousaphones, baritones and euphoniums. Dan Dietrich, assistant professor of clinical experiences at Illinois State University (ISU) will be guest conductor. Rex Benson, former director of the Mendota High School Band, is concertmaster and emcee.

The event is sponsored by Music Suite 408 and is supported by North Central Illinois (NCI) ARTworks. The concert is free of charge and guests are asked to bring a non-perishable food item to restock the Illinois Valley and Hall Township food pantries.

“Community outreach is a big part of what we do at Music Suite 408 and we are excited to present this annual Tuba Christmas concert,” said Sue Gillio, owner of Music Suite 408/408 Fine Arts Factory/The Paintbox in the Westclox building in Peru. “We invite everyone to hear our ‘heavy metal’ and help support local food pantries - we gave about 400 pounds of food after last year’s performance. There also will be sing-alongs and a few surprises, too!”

“Tuba Christmas is a fun, free concert for the entire family,” said Chris Coughlin, president of NCI ARTworks. “The audience has as much fun as the players themselves.”

Guest conductor Dan Dietrich observes and mentors student teachers for the music department at ISU. He retired in 2010 after 33 years of teaching, 30 of which were as director of bands at Illinois Valley Central High School of Chillicothe. The IVC Band is well known throughout Illinois for the quality of its well-rounded program and its numerous appearances at state and national events.

Since retiring, he also has been a low brass instructor for high schools in Streator, Normal, Washington and Metamora where he has more than 40 private students. Dietrich has been the featured soloist with the Prairie Wind Ensemble, and has performed with the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, Peoria Opera Orchestra, Peoria Municipal Band, Pontiac Municipal Band, Corn Stock Theater, Peoria Players Theater, Central Illinois Brass Band, Central Illinois Jazz Orchestra and River Valley Brass Ensemble.

Dietrich has bachelor and masters degrees in music education from ISU. He served on the Illinois High School Association Music Committee and received a Distinguished Service Award for his efforts in re-organizing the state’s music contests. He received the “Friend of Youth Award” in 2003 from the Optimist Club. In 1999, School Band and Orchestra Magazine named Dietrich as one of its “50 Directors that Make a Difference.”

Concertmaster Rex Benson is an active adjudicator at all levels, festival conductor, and has given clinics at ISU and Illinois Wesleyan University. Benson also helps supervise student teachers for ISU and works part-time for The Music Shoppe of Normal. He currently serves on the IVSO board and is retired after 25 years at Mendota High School.

Benson’s performance experience includes performing in the Illinois Valley Community College Wind Ensemble, Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra, Illinois Valley Brass Ensemble, Peoria Municipal Band, Prairie Wind Ensemble, King Bros. Circus Band and Mendota Brass Ensemble.

Benson received bachelor and masters degrees in music education from ISU and serves as an undergraduate and graduate teaching assistant. He continued his education through course work at Aurora College and Vandercook School of Music. Benson has been an active member of the IHSA, IMEA, MENC, ASBDA, Phi Beta Mu, and IEA-NEA. Most recently, he received the IMEA’s Distinguished Service Award. In 2005, Benson received the National Federation of State High School Association’s Outstanding Music Educator Award for Section 4 representing Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin. In 1998, he received the Phi Beta Mu-Illinois Outstanding Bandmaster Award. In 1993 and 2009, he received the “Excellence in Education Award” in LaSalle County. He and his wife, Dr. Christine Benson, live in Ottawa.

A special tradition for players is to display a helicon tuba that belonged to longtime Municipal Band Director, the late Anton “Tony” Smania. “We’re honoring his memory for his contributions to music education for young players and support of live music,” Gillio added, noting the tuba was made in Piccadilly Circus, London, England, in the late 1880s. “We think Tony will be there in spirit.”