Guest Artist - Tubby the Tuba

The History of Tubby the Tuba. In 1941, one week after the attack on Pearl Harbor, following the performance of Paul Tripp and George Kleinsinger’s first musical piece, Tripp and Kleinsinger thanked the musicians, including the tuba player, who said: 'You know, tubas can sing too.' That very night Paul Tripp wrote a story about how a tuba found a melody to play, and later he and George Kleinsinger translated the story into music. But it wasn’t until after World War II that Tubby was finally shared with the world and BECAME an instant hit!

Tubby has been translated into more than 30 languages, played by every major orchestra in the world, used as a clue in The New York Times crosswords, made into two films, and narrated by a galaxy of stars, including Meredith Vieira of the Today Show. In 2006 Tubby the Tuba was enshrined in the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry as one of the landmarks in American audio history. In addition to Tubby, Tripp and Kleinsinger also collaborated on a series of musical works for children including the Further Adventures of Tubby, PeeWee the Piccolo, The Story of Celeste, and Adventures of a Zoo.

About the Writers Paul Tripp (1911-2002) was born in New York City. An author and actor, he created and starred in the award winning children’s shows, Mr. I. Magination, On the Carousel, and Birthday House. He also wrote and starred in the classic holiday film The Christmas that Almost Wasn’t.

George Kleinsinger (1914-1982) was born in San Bernardino, California. In addition to his numerous collaborations with Paul Tripp, Kleinsinger is well know as the composer of the Broadway musical Shinbone Alley, as well as the popular I Hear America Singing and The Brooklyn Baseball Cantata.

GUEST ARTISTS: CURTISS ALLEN SR. & CURTISS ALLEN JR.
For our performance of Tubby the Tuba -- composed by San Bernardino-born George Kleinsinger -- we are very pleased to have two local celebrities joining us on January 15: Curtiss Allen Sr. and Curtiss Allen Jr.

Curtiss Allen Sr. is a seasoned veteran of the Redlands Bowl, having performed there in Gilbert & Sullivan operettas and Broadway musicals since 1963. He has led the traditional Community Sings preceding Bowl programs on Tuesday nights since 1979. In 1981, he formed the Redlands Fourth-of-July Band which plays yearly for the Redlands Independence Day celebration and for other civic events. He is a staunch member of the choir at Redlands First Congregational Church and has sung in the Community Chorus of Redlands under the directorship of Jeffery Rickard. For our upcoming concert, he will be providing the narration for Tubby the Tuba.

Curtiss Allen Jr. is a very talented local music teacher. He will join his father on the stage of the California Theatre for our January 15 performance, playing the "title role" (the tuba part) in Tubby the Tuba.

Curtiss Allen Jr. began playing the tuba at the age of 15 in his father’s church orchestra – the Bethany Orchestra.  He played throughout high school in the Redlands Terrier Marching Band and Redlands High School Wind Ensemble and Pit Orchestra.  He joined the United States Army in 1985 and spent the next three years playing in the 3rd Infantry Division Band in Wurzburg Germany.  His love of the tuba blossomed in Germany and he purchased a custom made Rudolph Meinl CC concert tuba which he plays to this day!  Curtiss went on to receive Bachelor’s degrees in Tuba Performance and Music Education from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ.  While a student there, he became principal tubist for the NAU Wind Symphony under Dr. Patricia Hoy.  He studied under Dr. Pete Vivona of the Kai Winding Septet, and Dr. Blase Scarnatti, student of Arnold Jacobs.  He also performed with the Flagstaff Symphony, the Grand Canyon Brass, the Phi Mu Alpha Dixieland Band and many other ensembles.  He gave two complete recitals while at NAU in partial fulfillment of his degrees.

Curtiss is a music educator and has held positions with the Redlands Unified School District for the past sixteen years.  He directed the band at Redlands High School from 1996 to 2002, Cope Middle School from 2002 to 2004 and has been the instrumental music director at Beattie Middle School in Highland since their opening in 2004.  He currently has four bands with an enrollment of nearly 200 musicians! 

Curtiss directs the music program at the First Presbyterian Church of San Bernardino.  Curtiss has played with Brassworks brass quintet for the past ten years and continues to enjoy playing with various ensembles throughout the Inland Empire including the Redlands 4th of July Band with whom he performed solos on the sousaphone and euphonium at the Redlands Bowl a few summers ago.

Curtiss currently studies tuba at the University of Redlands with Scott Sutherland and is pursuing his master’s degree in tuba performance.  He plays in the U of R Wind Ensemble under Dr. Eddie Smith.

Curtiss is married to Rebecca Walker and between the two of them they are raising five children, three of whom live at home.  He also coaches AYSO soccer and is an avid camper!