A "Can Can" Christmas: Score
Arr. Larry Clark
Grade: 2 (Easy)
Item: 00-PR-0002002
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Description
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.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, A "Can Can" Christmas: Score comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
Belwin Young Band
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
134
SKU:
00-PR-0002002
More about this title
About the Arranger: Larry Clark
Larry Clark is an arranger and composer whose work has defined the Belwin Young Band series for generations of student musicians. His arrangements balance accessibility with genuine musical interest, creating pieces that engage both players and audiences without talking down to either.
Why we love this
This arrangement delivers what every band director secretly hopes for: a piece that lands with your audience while remaining genuinely fun to rehearse and perform. Clark's orchestration keeps the energy high without overwhelming young players, and the structural surprise of Jingle Bells emerging mid-movement guarantees the laugh that will wake up every tired parent in the room.
What to expect
Sophisticated fun. The Can Can rhythm propels the piece forward with infectious energy, and the orchestration has real musicality beneath the novelty surface. When Jingle Bells arrives, it feels like the musical equivalent of a well-timed punchline that the audience didn't see coming.
Who it's for
Band directors seeking a crowd-pleasing concert closer that doesn't require a high performance level from their ensemble. This Grade 2 piece works equally well for middle school bands, high school groups looking for a fun encore, or community bands wanting something entertaining without technical demands.
How to get the most out of it
- Emphasize the comedic timing in the arrangement. The humor lands harder when rhythmic clarity and articulation are crisp, particularly in the ensemble hits that set up the Jingle Bells moment.
- Balance the melodic lines with the accompaniment so the familiar melody stands out when it arrives. This clarity makes the 'surprise' even more effective.
- Use consistent tempo and energy throughout the first section to create contrast when the mood shifts. Sudden musical recognition works best when built on solid rhythmic foundation.
- Let the brass section breathe and shape their phrases naturally. Overplaying kills the lightness that makes this work charming rather than manic.
How to use it
Reserve this for your holiday concert finale. It works as the closing number that sends the audience out smiling, or as a palate cleanser between more serious holiday selections. The Grade 2 accessibility means you can confidently program it alongside other varied-difficulty works without worrying about underprepared sections.
Skills your students will build
- Articulation control (staccato vs. legato in light, comic contexts)
- Balance between melody and accompaniment
- Ensemble precision and rhythmic clarity in fast, syncopated passages
- Musical storytelling and understanding how arrangement creates surprise
- Phrasing and shaping in a major key, diatonic context