A Joyful Celebration: Score
By Brian Balmages
Grade: 1
Item: 00-PR-0007694
$10.00
Pickup currently not available
Description
Written as a joyous overture to a winter holiday program, A Joyful Celebration combines original material with excerpts of holiday favorites. While there are references to several carols, the music does not feel like a medley; rather, Brian Balmages hints at the carols throughout the overture while giving the work its own distinctive character. Carols include "Good King Wenceslas," "Angels We Have Heard on High," and "O Come, All Ye Faithful." (2:10)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, A Joyful Celebration: Score comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
Open in the Player
Jump straight in and assign it today.
Start Your Free Trial
Open this title and explore the full library in minutes.
Sample Audio
1
Audio File
--:--
0:00
0:00
Sample Video
Additional Details
Series:
MakeMusic Developing Strings
Publisher:
MakeMusic Publications
SKU:
00-PR-0007694
More about this title
About the Composer: Brian Balmages
Brian Balmages maintains an international reputation as a composer and conductor working across orchestral, band, and chamber repertoires. His works have been commissioned and performed by professional ensembles, university groups, and school orchestras in venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Sydney Opera House. He received the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association and won the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest. An elected member of the American Bandmasters Association, Balmages has also been honored with the James Madison University Distinguished Alumni Award and a commissioning from the University of Miami for the presidential inauguration of Dr. Julio Frenk.
As a guest conductor, Balmages regularly works with all-state ensembles, university orchestras, and professional groups worldwide, appearing at the Midwest Clinic, Western International Band Clinic, and state ASTA conferences. His music was performed at the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service attended by President Obama and Vice President Biden. He currently serves as Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic.
Why we love this
Balmages crafts a winter opener that avoids the medley trap entirely. He weaves holiday carol references through original musical fabric, creating something that feels fresh while still delivering the festive warmth your audience expects. At Grade 1, it gives young string orchestras a chance to play something sophisticated in character without overwhelming technical demands.
What to expect
Bright and inviting, with the warmth of familiar carols shining through without feeling nostalgic or heavy. The piece moves with forward momentum and genuine joy, offering a festive but never saccharine opening to a winter program.
Who it's for
Beginning and early intermediate string orchestras ready to tackle a concert opener with real musical substance. This works especially well for groups that have solid intonation and basic ensemble balance but may still be building rhythmic precision.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the original material against the carol references; let the original themes breathe equally so the piece doesn't collapse into recognizing fragments.
- Keep the tempo steady at the marked tempo to preserve the joyful, energetic character without rushing.
- Shape phrase endings clearly so younger players understand where musical sentences land and don't play everything as one long gesture.
How to use it
Open your winter holiday concert with this; it sets an uplifting tone for the program and gives younger players a moment of confidence before harder repertoire follows. It works beautifully as the first number after a brief welcome.
Skills your students will build
- Balancing original thematic material with referenced melodies
- Maintaining steady tempo in a joyful, energetic character
- Shaping phrases and understanding musical punctuation
- Playing with stylistic unity across a piece that combines multiple musical ideas