AllMovie

This children's story is based on a book by Slovak Vincent Sikula titled "Helicon," about a boy who is tone-deaf yet wants to play the tuba (helicon) in a marching band. In the film and the book, the little boy, Vincko (Peter Holoska) is fighting for recognition at home from a father (Stanislav Stepka) too willing to beat him for perceived misdemeanors or bad grades. He desperately wants to play the tuba so well that even his father will finally see how good he really is. The elderly music instructor at school instinctively understands the boy's earnest need, and passes on a few life lessons in-between the musical exercises. In the end, success at the tuba may not require quite as much as everyone thought.