Christmas
Concert Band
Grade .5
Perfect for the holidays, this work in the style of a cha-cha has ample teaching opportunities. Using only the first six notes of the Bb-major scale, this work is as accessible as it is fun. A great addition to the holiday concert!
Everyone will have some holiday fun with this mash-up of the classic song Old MacDonald with popular Christmas carols. Using only the first six notes of the B-flat scale and only two repeated eighth-note rhythms, students will feel comfortable playing to the sound of sleigh bells, Santa's whip, and the thunder of reindeer hoofs. A perfect fun addition to your beginning band's first holiday concert.
Grade 1-1.5
One of the most popular of all Christmas carols is presented here in the simplist arrangement for a beginning band's first Christmas concert. Larry also uses "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" as part of the arrangement and at one point combines them together for a great effect.
Intertwining folk songs and Christmas carols gives Christmas Grace a unique voice in the holiday catalog. Great for expressive playing, this work includes Silent Night, Away in a Manger, Greensleeves and Amazing Grace.
Take lots of familiar Christmas tunes, mix them all together, and you have a Christmas Mash-Up. The setting is ideal for beginning players with the most difficult rhythm being a quarter note. This piece is perfect to highlight your first year orchestra at their very first holiday concert after as little as ten weeks of study.
Christmas Stomp is a perfect composition for a beginning band’s Christmas Concert. It features three percussion soloists that play on different sounding buckets. The piece is written in a swing style, which will make it more enjoyable to play.
Combine classics, Christmas, clapping and a little choral singing to your next holiday concert! This charming number combines Haydn's famous Surprise symphony with Jingle Bells and Jolly Old St. Nicholas to good effect. The band even gets to sing an original text that pays tribute to the symphony. Cute!
Here's a terrific medley for beginning bands featuring In Dulci Jubilo, We Three Kings and It Came Upon a Midnight Clear. It's just perfect for that all-important first holiday concert for your beginners and their parents!
Using “Good King Wenceslas” like a cantus firmus, Larry Clark has composed a fresh-sounding Christmas piece that glows with the warmth of love, indeed the “first gift of Christmas.” This is a joyful selection that will light up the first Christmas program of a young beginning band.
Everything you need for a holiday concert with young of players. It has a fanfare, Hanukah song, woodwind feature, brass feature, percussion feature, and then We Wish You A Merry Christmas to finish it all off. A great value!
You've heard of "i" everything, from phones to tablets to websites, so why not add the "i" to your favorite holiday carol? This arrangement is designed for the young students to play at their very first holiday concert, including popular carol Jingle Bells and Beethoven's Ode to Joy. What makes this piece unique is how it incorporates audience participation by having them shake their cell phones along to the band using any of the free sleigh bell apps that are out there. This is going to be pure fun for your students and audience and one of the most talked about arrangements of the coming holiday concert season.
Name That Christmas Carol, which uses only 6 notes from concert Bb to G, is designed to be an audience participation game that will add some fun to your first Christmas concert.
Ever imagine what it would sound like inside Santa's workshop at the North Pole? Well, speculate no longer, thanks to this clever arrangement by Larry Clark. You will hear clinking and clanking sounds interwoven with effervescent holiday carols. Best of all, this piece is playable after very limited study, so it is perfect for that very first holiday concert.
Ever wonder what Santa does the rest of the year? Give your students something fun to play with this clever combination of popular carols with Vivaldi’s famous Spring movement from his piece The Four Seasons. Of course, the piece is intended to be fun, and make the audience smile, but also a great way to introduce younger students to the famous Vivaldi work.
This glorious holiday piece is sure to become a classic. The tune Simple Gifts is the main theme heard throughout the piece and is intertwined with short snippets of several beloved Christmas carols. It is simple enough for any beginning band to play, but sounds quite sophisticated. Don't miss the opportunity to provide a joyous ending to your first holiday concert!
This is a perfect choice for a secular holiday concert! Taken from the ever popular ballet "The Nutcracker," everyone will be able to identify with this enchanting melody! Reduced technical demands combined with a strong musical content also make this a good choice for other concerts. An absolutely charming addition to your program!
Grade 3
Bells of Joy is a new collage of Christmas carols that can be performed with choir and band or just band alone. You will hear the popular tunes "Carol of the Bells," "Joy to the World," "What Child is This?" in a stunning, contemporary arrangement that can be put together in a few rehearsals. Well worth the effort!
Including two great songs and wonderful incidental music, this medley from the charming Dr. Seuss story was written for all the "Whos" down in "Whoville!" Lots of fun!
Here is a lovely example of Tchaikovsky's masterful writing. Taken from scene 8 of The Nutcracker, this piece is certainly appropriate for any holiday concert, but playable throughout the entire year. It's a classical gem worth getting to know!
Grade 4-5
This setting of the hauntingly beautiful Appalachian folk song/carol was originally written for choir by Ruth Elaine Schram and published by Carl Fischer in 2007 (CM9001). It has now been scored for concert band and can be perfomed by band alone or with the Schram choral setting, giving you some great performance options. I Wonder As I Wander is a musically satisfying representation of this lovely Christmas carol.
Grainger's rich and satisfying carol is expertly set for modern wind band by Larry Clark. Larry has chosen to base his arrangement on Grainger's original for cello solo with piano as opposed to other arrangements based on the piano solo version. Lush and sensitive, this would be an excellent addition to any band's library, and makes for a nice, relaxed moment during your program.
Grade 2-2.5
All the moms and dads, tired from work and holiday shopping and all of the other 'joys of the season,' will still drag themselves to your concert this year. They will, of course, be polite at all costs, but when they hear this work (particularly when Jingle Bells 'happens'), the laughter may cover the music! Guaranteed miles of smiles.
As the title implies, this unique piece combines the beauty of Gustav Holst’s “In the Bleak Midwinter” with the popular “Angels We Have Heard on High.” Lush and stunningly gorgeous, Angels We Have Heard on High.” Lush and stunningly gorgeous, Angels in the Bleak Midwinter manages to be simple and elegant at the same time. This work can be performed alone or with a choral setting and concert band setting. What a great opportunity to include the whole music program!
As the title implies, this unique piece combines the beauty of Gustav Holst’s “In the Bleak Midwinter” with the popular “Angels We Have Heard on High.” Lush and stunningly gorgeous, Angels We Have Heard on High.” Lush and stunningly gorgeous, Angels in the Bleak Midwinter manages to be simple and elegant at the same time. This work can be performed alone or with a choral setting and concert band setting. What a great opportunity to include the whole music program!
The Bells of Christmas, a medley of popular Christmas carols, incorporates the sounds of ringing bells and chimes as a unifying theme. The piece presents O Tanenbaum, Deck the Halls, Joy to the World and other snippets of holiday favorites in a variety of styles from fanfare gestures to beautiful chorale type settings.
Make your next holiday concert more fun by highlighting your percussion playing “junk band” instruments of paint buckets, plastic school trash cans, metal trash can lids, metal pipes, etc. with this arrangement of popular carols in an aggressive Latin Rock style. Bring your percussion section to the front for the most audience appeal.
Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D has long been one of the most popular classical pieces. In this arrangement, the Canon is combined with popular Christmas carols, such as Hark, the Herald Angels Sing and The First Noel, whose melodies fit nicely over the harmonic progression of Pachelbel's famous canon. This arrangement will work nicely with strings alone or with the optional choir (CM9401).
Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D has long been one of the most popular classical pieces. In this arrangement, the Canon is combined with popular Christmas carols, such as Hark, the Herald Angels Sing and The First Noel, whose melodies fit nicely over the harmonic progression of Pachelbel's famous canon. This arrangement will work nicely with strings alone or with the optional choir (CM9401).
The composer calls this type of piece a "Tune Sandwich". Larry has literally combined two of the most popular holiday carols into a full symphonic treatment where both tunes are presented together in a unique way. This is a perfect composition for young bands to dig into for their next holiday concert or for a more advanced group to work up in a few rehearsals.
Anyone at all familiar with the great swing classics will get an incredible kick out of this amazing showstopper! Larry Clark mixes familiar holiday tunes with bits of real big band charts, and manages to keep the style 100% swing and 100% fun. The segues are really slick and each new tune gets a "how did he think of that" reaction. Our favorite moment is when the band yells "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" just like the famous dance bands used to. This chart is just a gas, and will be a highlight of any concert!
This wonderful new Christmas arrangement takes classical music such as the famous Beethoven Sonata Pathétique and the Bach Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring and combines them with holiday favorites such as O, Come All Ye Faithful and Come, All Ye Shepherds. By combining well-loved Christmas carols with standard classical fare, Larry Clark has created a gorgeous new holiday piece for your young band that will delight audiences.
Christmas Gloria begins with a snare drum solo snares off which sets the tone for a bolero style arrangement reminiscent of the Little Drummer Boy but based on the all time favorite Pat-a-Pan. The arrangement builds to a climax that brings in the melody of the Gloria section of Angles We Have Heard On High.
Christmas Toyland is a clever new arrangement that combines the famous march from the Tchaikovsky Nutcracker with the Victor Herbert classic Toyland. It is perfect to reinforce triplets and 3/4 time. The combination of these two wonderful compositions is certain to be an audience favorite.
A symphonic fantasia on this popular Christmas carol. It is dramatic and musically sophisticated, but within the technical limitations of the young band. If you want something with depth for your next holiday concert, shock this out.
The lights dim, the audience is hushed, the baton is aloft, and 'away we go!' 'Tis a musical romp with tongue in cheek, and we hope that Mr. Mozart's attorney is not in the house. Smiles will turn to giggles, and even an embouchure or two may fall prey to the humor. Relax... it's the season to be jolly!
Taking the famous Largo from Dvoraks New World Symphony and combining it with holiday favorites, Larry Clark has created a new piece that will live in our Christmas memories. This arrangement will feature the musicianship of your students. This is simple effective and nicely done.
Combining two wonderful tunes into one new Christmas classic, Larry Clark takes the famous Largo from Dvorak's Symphony No. 9, From the New World and links it together with the popular holiday classic Home for the Holidays. The result is a piece where these tunes sound like they were always meant to be together. A uniquely musical way to showcase your band at their holiday concert. There is also a choral setting of this arrangement that will add to the excitement!
Combining two wonderful tunes into one new Christmas classic, Larry Clark takes the famous Largo from Dvorak's Symphony No. 9, From the New World and links it together with the popular holiday classic Home for the Holidays. The result is a piece where these tunes sound like they were always meant to be together. A uniquely musical way to showcase your band at their holiday concert. There is also a choral setting of this arrangement that will add to the excitement!
We Three Kings, Silent Night and Jingle Bells are given colorful, laid-back treatment in this great new seasonal medley by Larry Clark. Each carol gets its own "Reggae" groove, with a slightly different tempo. The inventive Caribbean-styled percussion writing will make this piece a real crowd-pleaser.
Three different rock styles (Hard Rock, Shuffle and Latin Rock) are used to juice up three familiar popular Christmas tunes (Jolly Old St. Nicholas, Up On the Housetop, and Jingle Bells) in this fun-filled Christmas medley. The scoring is expert and the infectious verve of the piece will make it the highlight of any Christmas program.
A swingin’ look at some of the best-known Christmas carols (Angels We Have Heard on High, Silent Night, Jingle Bells, et. al.) that will light up the Christmas tree! A clever tribute to the big band era that is guaranteed to steal the show at the band’s next holiday concert.
From its wistful, richly voiced chorale opening to its upbeat, happy swing section, this expresses the holiday spirit with genuine warmth. A great walking bass line and a light pop feel help to make this a must for community groups as well as school bands! Highly recommended!
Bizet meets Santa in this spectacular holiday montage! Several famous themes from the opera Carmen are intertwined with a host of favorite Christmas carols. Get the audience involved by having them figure out how many Christmas tunes are sprinkled in this marvelous piece. Titles include: Patapan; Joy to the World; Angels We Have Heard on High; Good King Wenceslas; Silent Night and Jingle Bells. It's fantastic fun for all!
Lullaby for Christmas is a unique combining of popular lullabies such as the Brahm’ Lullaby and Hush-a-bye Baby with the favorite Christmas carols Away In a Manger and O, Holy Night. A beautiful and subtle arrangement to celebrate the Christmas season!
Larry Clark takes two of the most well-known songs for the holidays and cleverly combines them into a seamless new musical experience. The famous Dona Nobis Pacem tune is merged with The First Noel into an exquisite arrangement with the title suggesting that we all have "Peace for Christmas." Your students will feel the spirit of the season while playing this heartwarming work for the holidays, ideal for a holiday concert.
Inspired by the Gymnopedie No. 1 of turn-of-the-century French master, Eric Satie, Larry Clark has crafted an easy and charmingly scored version of the popular Christmas carol Silent Night that will be an ornament to any young band’s holiday program.. Several lovely original counter melodies are introduced and the selection as a whole has a warm and wonderful sheen.
Inspired by the Gymnopedie No. 1 of turn-of-the-century French master, Eric Satie, Larry Clark has crafted an easy and charmingly scored version of the popular Christmas carol Silent Night that will be an ornament to any young band’s holiday program.. Several lovely original counter melodies are introduced and the selection as a whole has a warm and wonderful sheen.
This subtle, yet tasteful arrangement for the holiday season includes the African-American styled piece Sweet Little Jesus Boy by Robert MacGimsey paired with the traditional Away in a Manger. Larry Clark continues to find creative ways to merge two popular Christmas favorites and make it seem as if they were always meant to be seamlessly combined. This is the mark of a great composer/arranger. We know you and your students will enjoy this stunning arrangement.
Winter Holidays is unique in that it combines four favorite holiday songs of both Christmas and Hanukah. The songs are heard alone and together, at one point combining three of the melodies in a musical celebration exemplifying both the uniqueness and the unifying forces of the holiday season.
String Orchestra
Grade .5
Perfect for the first holiday concert, this new work, in the style of a “Cha cha”, has ample teaching opportunities. Using only the first 6 notes of the D-major scale, Cha Cha Christmas is perfect for your first concert.
Take lots of familiar Christmas tunes, mix them all together, and you have a Christmas Mash-Up. The setting is ideal for beginning players with the most difficult rhythm being a quarter note. This piece is perfect to highlight your first year orchestra at their very first holiday concert after as little as ten weeks of study.
Grade 1-1.5
Here's one of the holiday's most-loved classics scaled down for beginning string groups! While making the most of the simple repetitive melody, this version avoids tricky accidentals and keeps the integrity of the original composition. There's also a clever quotation of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen as an extra added touch. Very well done!
Intertwining folk songs and Christmas carols gives this piece a unique voice! Great for expressive playing, this work includes Silent Night, Away in a Manger, Greensleeves, and Amazing Grace. This piece will be a certain winner with such a line-up of well-known tunes!
Imagine, if you will, if Bach decided to infuse popular Christmas carols into the fabric of his famous Brandenburg Concerto No. 3. That is the idea behind this arrangement, to seamlessly meld together the popular carols by arranging them in the style of this famous Bach work. Composer/arranger Larry Clark has done it again!
Veteran composer and arranger Larry Clark has crafted a masterful mashup of familiar carols and holiday songs in this easy medley. Your students and audience will enjoy this engaging and entertaining combination of familiar music.
Imagine what it sounds like in Santa's workshop while the elves are building all of those toys: noisy! The technical demands of the arrangement are suitable for the beginning orchestra, but the cuteness factor is off-the-charts! The piece has simple optional percussion that can be played by members of the orchestra or brought in from the band.
Ever wonder what Santa does the rest of the year? Give your students something fun to play with this clever combination of popular carols with Vivaldi’s famous Spring movement from his piece The Four Seasons. Of course, the piece is intended to be fun, and make the audience smile, but also a great way to introduce younger students to the famous Vivaldi work.
Combining the popular Shaker tune Simple Gifts with holiday favorites, Larry Clark has created a wonderful novelty piece that is perfect for the holidays. The piece incorporates the positive essence of this truly American song and unites it with well-known holiday favorites.
Grade 2
As the title implies, this unique piece combines the beauty of Gustav Holst’s “In the Bleak Midwinter” with the popular “Angels We Have Heard on High.” Lush and stunningly gorgeous, Angels We Have Heard on High.” Lush and stunningly gorgeous, Angels in the Bleak Midwinter manages to be simple and elegant at the same time. This work can be performed alone or with a choral setting and concert band setting. What a great opportunity to include the whole music program!
Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D has long been one of the most popular classical pieces. In this arrangement, the Canon is combined with popular Christmas carols, such as Hark, the Herald Angels Sing and The First Noel, whose melodies fit nicely over the harmonic progression of Pachelbel's famous canon. This arrangement will work nicely with strings alone or with the optional choir (CM9401).
No other secular holiday song has meant so much to so many people! In this treatment, the song is presented in contrasting moods. First in a lush chorale introduction, next in an upbeat swing style. The piano is not required, but really adds to the overall effect.
Larry Clark takes two of the most well-known songs for the holidays and cleverly combines them into a seamless new musical experience. The famous Dona Nobis Pacem tune is merged with The First Noel into an exquisite arrangement with the title suggesting that we all have "Peace for Christmas." Your students will feel the spirit of the season while playing this heartwarming work for the holidays, ideal for a holiday concert.
In this sweetly impressionistic holiday piece, Larry Clark has arranged the beloved carol Silent Night in the style of Eric Satie's celebrated Gymnopédie No. 1. The lovely added counter melodies and radiant string writing will make this selection a fine addition to seasonal programs, and the limited technical challenges will make it easy to prepare.
Grade 3
Larry Clark cleverly combines two of the most popular Christmas carols into a seamless symphoinc style composition. Why not play a Christmas piece this year which will challenge your students and delight your audience. One of the best Christmas arrangements we have heard in quite sometime.
Tchaikovsky's melodies are among the most beloved of all time and this choice, (scene 8 in the Nutcracker) is a gem that has been perfectly adapted to strings alone. The setting is truly lush and honors the lyrical heritage of the composer. Ideal for any occasion, this is a perfect way to improve the lyrical skills of your orchestra.
Full Orchestra
Grade 2
Although often associated with the holidays, this delightful selection from "The Nutcracker" would fit into any concert situation. Larry Clark's arrangement is perfect for developing orchestras, and it works with both full and string orchestra. Simply enchanting!