The Salina Area-Wide Christmas Brass Choir, 100 musicians strong, took over the Salina Central Mall on Saturday.

This is the fifth year of the Salina Area-Wide Christmas Brass Choir. It is privately administered by Steve Lueth, a retired instrumental instructor.

The group is an area-wide, community centered brass group that began with 32 players, and has grown now to over 100. It is open to high school and adult brass players.

The youngest players Saturday were four 14-year-old high school freshmen from around the area. The oldest players were in their 80s, an 86-year-old and an 89-year-old.

Leuth tells KSAL News players traveled from far and wide from to play in the brass choir. The musicians came from 36 cities across Kansas, one came from as far away as Horseheads New York, and another from Reinbeck, Iowa.

Leuth says the growth of the brass choir in just five years has been amazing.

A large crowd, many bringing lawn chairs, gathered to watch the performance which was about an hour of Christma music.  Leuth said it was “like the Smoky Hill River Festival in December”.

Among those in the crowd was Santa, with a large stash of candy with him to hand out.

Lueth says the brass choir event will return next year, along with the The TubaChristmas event as well.

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