A Christmas Suite: String Orchestra Conductor Score

Del Borgo avoids the trap of oversimplifying these beloved carols. Each arrangement unfolds with enough harmonic interest and voice independence to keep the rehearsal room engaged, while the Grade 2 writing means your students spend time on musical expression rather than wrestling with notation. Four distinct pieces give you real programming flexibility within a single score.

Warm and straightforward. The arrangements honor the hymnic quality of these carols while adding just enough movement and texture to feel current rather than strictly traditional. There's comfort in familiarity paired with the satisfaction of playing music that actually sounds finished.

Any string director programming a holiday concert who wants substance alongside sentiment. This works equally well for ensembles new to Christmas programming and for established groups looking to refresh their seasonal rotation without stepping up in difficulty.

• Balance the melody across your first violins and violas in "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" so the inner part doesn't disappear. This section rewards careful listening between sections.
• Keep the rhythmic pulse steady in "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing." The harmonic movement is straightforward, so precision in ensemble rhythm becomes your primary performance detail.
• Shape the dynamic arc across all four pieces rather than treating each carol as isolated. A subtle growth from the opening carol to the finale creates structural momentum.
• Let the cello and bass line sing in "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen." Del Borgo's bass writing is melodic, and supporting musicians often lock onto that foundation more easily than following the top line.

Program this as a complete suite or break it into separate pieces distributed across your concert. The familiar titles make excellent closing material for a holiday program, and the four-piece structure lets you space them strategically to avoid carol fatigue. It's also sized perfectly for the centerpiece of an informal winter concert.

• Balancing independent voice lines in four-part harmony
• Executing lyrical phrasing with limited technical complexity
• Ensemble intonation across sustained harmonic changes
• Interpreting traditional materials with musical intent rather than mechanical execution
• Listening to inner voices while maintaining a secure melody