International Tuba Day Date in the current year: May 2, 2025

The tuba is the largest and lowest pitched instrument in the brass family, and of the newer instruments in the modern orchestra and concert band. It was developed and patented in 1835 by Wilhelm Friedrich Wieprecht and Johann Gottfried Moritz to add power and richness to bass parts. Almost immediately the tuba was added to German military bands.

Today the tuba is used in orchestras, bass quintets and choirs, brass bands, concert bands, military bands, drum and bugle corps, and many jazz bands. Orchestras usually have a single tuba that serves as the bass of the orchestral brass section. Brass, concert and military bands may have two to four tubas. The tuba is also used as a solo instrument.

Influential composers who wrote well-known parts for the tuba include Hector Berlioz, Johannes Brahms, Anton Bruckner, Paul Hindemith, Gustav Holst, Gustav Mahler, Modest Mussorgsky, Sergei Prokofiev, Ottorino Respighi, Silvestre Revueltas, Dmitri Shostakovich, Richard Strauss, Igor Stravinsky, Edgard Varèse and Richard Wagner.

Many notable composers also wrote tuba concertos, including Kalevi Aho, Alexander Arutiunian, James Barnes, Bruce Broughton, David Carlson, Martin Ellerby, Eric Ewazen, John Golland, Edward Gregson, Joseph Hallman, Jennifer Higdon, Josef Tal, Marcus Paus, Philip Sparke, Roger Steptoe, Ralph Vaughan Williams and John Williams.

Tuba players often find themselves at the center of musical stereotypes, many of which portray them as comedic sidekicks or background fillers in ensembles, leading to the perception that the tuba is limited in range, expressiveness, or complexity and that tuba players play a supporting role, rarely stepping into the spotlight.

But these stereotypes are deeply misleading. The tuba is an incredibly versatile and expressive instrument, capable of lyrical solos, powerful bass lines and complex technical passages. Tuba players make significant contributions to chamber music, orchestral and solo performance, challenging outdated notions and reshaping the instrument’s identity in contemporary music.

International Tuba Day was founded in 1979 by Joel Day, then a student at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. As one of only two tuba players in his high school band, Day felt he didn’t get enough respect from his peers, so he decided to create a holiday to recognize tuba players as serious musicians. After graduating from high school, Day initiated annual Tuba Day celebrations at his alma mater, Millersville University of Pennsylvania.

Since its inception, International Tuba Day has been celebrated in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States and other countries. You can join the celebration by learning more about the history of the tuba and its role in modern music, attending a concert or marching band competition, listening to some tuba music, and showing tuba players the appreciation they deserve. If you are a tuba player, this is your day to sit back, relax and enjoy your well-deserved recognition!