A Christmas Kazoo: Concert Band Conductor Score

$7.00 USD

A Christmas Kazoo: Concert Band Conductor Score

Name: A Christmas Kazoo: Concert Band Conductor Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-BDM04023C
Price: 7.00 USD
Availability: OutOfStock

By James Pierpont / arr. James D. Ployhar

Grade: 1 (Very Easy)

Item: 00-BDM04023C

$7.00

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The all-time-favorite "Jingle Bells" is explored with -- you guessed it -- kazoos! Found at dime stores worldwide, the kazoo provides a new perspective to this Holiday treasure. Interrupted briefly with "Up on the Housetop" at the conclusion, the work includes a variety of holiday flavors. Have your students play the kazoo part or ask the audience to join in. (1:57)

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Series: Belwin Beginning Band

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 16

UPC: 654979073017

SKU: 00-BDM04023C

More about this title

About the Composer: James Pierpont

James Pierpont (1822, 1893) was an American composer and songwriter best known for creating some of the most enduring melodies in American popular music. "Jingle Bells," originally titled "One Horse Open Sleigh," became a cultural institution despite its modest beginnings as a secular winter song rather than explicitly religious Christmas music.

Pierpont's gift for memorable, singable melodies made his work accessible to amateur musicians and audiences alike. His compositions remain staples of holiday programming precisely because they sit in that sweet spot between sophistication and simplicity, music that sounds effortless but carries genuine musical substance.

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Why we love this

James D. Ployhar's arrangement transforms a familiar tune into an interactive experience that actually engages your audience rather than just performing at them. The kazoo concept could feel gimmicky, but here it works because the Grade 1 orchestration stays musical and the brief "Up on the Housetop" interlude adds just enough variety to keep things fresh. You get a legitimate teaching piece that also happens to be genuinely fun.

What to expect

Bright and nostalgic with a playful spirit. The kazoo gives the familiar melody a homespun quality that feels intentional rather than cutesy, while the band parts stay warm and supportive underneath. There's room for genuine musicality even within the simplicity.

Who it's for

Beginning concert bands and holiday programs where you need a piece that's genuinely playable at Grade 1 yet entertaining enough to hold attention. This works equally well for full ensembles or smaller holiday performances.

How to get the most out of it

Assign the kazoo part strategically. If your ensemble isn't ready, recruit audience members to handle it; their participation often creates genuine holiday energy.
Balance the kazoo texture against the band parts so neither drowns out the other. This matters more than you'd expect given the novelty element.
Shape the melodic line across the band even though the arrangement is straightforward. Grade 1 doesn't mean treating it like background music.
Mark the transition to "Up on the Housetop" clearly in rehearsal so the mood shift lands intentionally.

How to use it

Program this as a concert finale or as the anchor for a holiday-themed concert where you're balancing traditional repertoire with something the audience recognizes immediately. At under two minutes, it's also ideal for mixed programming where you need a palate cleanser between heavier works.