Highland Holiday

SKU: AP.38468S

UPC: 038081434629. English.

Jingle Bells has been transformed into a Viennese-style waltz and combined with We Wish You a Merry Christmas in this charming selection perfect for your second-year players' holiday concert. In the keys of D and G major, this light-hearted dance features every section of the orchestra and reinforces hooked bowings, eighth note runs, and a variety of triple-meter rhythmic patterns. A fun and educational way to challenge your students technically, while taking your orchestra to that next level of maturity.

SKU: AP.45883S

UPC: 038081423903. English.

Have the cookies left out on Christmas Eve mysteriously vanished? Does it seem like the nutcracker and toy soldier figurines have moved by themselves overnight? Are you experiencing strange visions of holiday confections dancing in your head? There's only one operative with the right skill set for holiday capers like these: Secret Agent Sugar Plum of the Holiday Sweets Division of WinterPol!

This clever arrangement by Scott Watson fuses themes from Tchaikovsky's Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (from The Nutcracker) with classic spy music idioms, all set to a driving rock beat. Sure to be a player and audience favorite in your holiday concert! (2:20).

SKU: AP.31577

UPC: 038081345550. English.

A warm and easy holiday arrangement of Still, Still, Still and The First Noel that will grace your holiday concert stage as well as broaden your students' listening and technical abilities. Both tunes are presented on their own and then combined to conclude this lyrical arrangement. Rhythmically it is quite easy, which will enable your young players to focus on achieving a good balance between melody and harmony. Correlates with Strictly Strings Book 1, Page 32.

SKU: AP.49061

ISBN 9781470645809. UPC: 038081565200. English.

Hanerot Halalu, arranged by Paul Riggio, is a Hanukkah selection for a younger string orchestra. The rich harmonies will make every orchestra sound full and mature. Each section is given a chance to shine as it employs independence of parts in both pitch and rhythm. Infinitely adaptable to ensembles of almost any size, directors will love programming this work as it is a tuneful and touching representation of the holiday season. Set in a traditional folk-music style, this beautiful arrangement will be a wonderful selection for a well-rounded holiday performance. (2:30).

SKU: AP.18287

UPC: 038081167879. English.

The title of this piece refers both to the often hectic activity of the holiday season and the perpetual motion rhythms (played in eighth notes) that appear throughout the arrangement. Familiar carols are presented, accompanied by the perpetual motion which is passed between different sections of the orchestra. You'd better slow down-you don't want to miss this one!

SKU: AP.44830S

UPC: 038081518213. English. Traditional American.

Snowy hilltops, timeless family traditions, and the warmth of a hearth---the atmosphere of a Smoky Mountain Christmas is captured in this arrangement of three traditional Appalachian carols arranged by Andrew Dabcyznski. The simple modal melodies of Star of the East and Babe of Bethlehem are passed throughout the orchestra, before concluding with the stirring spiritual Rise Up Shepherd and Follow. The keys, meters, and bowings are all playable by second-year string students, but intermediate and advanced students also will find this to be a satisfying holiday concert piece. (3:30).

SKU: AP.38516

UPC: 038081439761. English. Traditional.

Take one traditional English carol, change the meter, insert a slow middle section, add a dash of counterpoint, and sprinkle liberally with sparkly Christmas dust. Mix with orchestra and audience members and you have the perfect recipe for your next holiday concert. Good cheer is guaranteed to follow.

SKU: AP.45880S

UPC: 038081523842. English. Traditional Hanukkah.

This traditional Hanukkah song, My Candles (sometimes known as In the Window), is a lovely and haunting melody written in strophic form. Strophic music is a song that has only one phrase of melodic material with changing text to give variation. Now combined by arranger Brendan McBrien with an original melody that appears between verses, this piece is a beautiful addition to the holiday repertoire! (3:00).

SKU: AP.40459S

UPC: 038081454191. English.

What happens when we mix Santa, tradition, and old-time fiddling? Of course, we get Fiddler on the Housetop! In this tongue-in-cheek and thoroughly playable arrangement, young string players will play like eastern European fiddlers, then spin into an upbeat and driving American fiddle version of the holiday standard. Whether a member of the orchestra or the audience, here's a humorous, toe-tapping arrangement of Up on the Housetop like you've never heard it before!

SKU: AP.46708S

UPC: 038081532820. English. Traditional.

Teaching opportunities abound in this fresh and creative arrangement of the carol We Three Kings. The piece depicts the kings' famous nocturnal trek across the desert and is a great way to introduce your students to low finger patterns (B-flats and E-flats), simple time-signature changes, and the concept of tone painting. Percussion parts have been added to enhance the mysterious mood. A real change of pace on your next holiday concert! This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.