A Swingin' Holiday: Bassoon
Featuring: We Three Kings / Silent Night / Jolly Old St. Nicholas
Traditional / arr. Ralph Ford
Grade: 2 (Easy)
Item: 00-PC-0015698_B1
$3.00
Pickup currently not available
Description
Three holiday favorites are staged in an enjoyable easy-swing style. Including "We Three Kings," "Silent Night" and "Jolly Old St. Nicholas," the style will steal your show. A tremendous work to introduce the swing style to your young band. (2:22)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, A Swingin' Holiday: Bassoon 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
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Series:
Belwin Young Band
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
212
SKU:
00-PC-0015698_B1
More about this title
About the Arranger: Ralph Ford
Ralph Ford combines three decades of university teaching with an prolific career as a composer and arranger across orchestral, concert band, jazz ensemble, and marching band formats. His portfolio of over 250 published titles reflects work in multiple industries: he has scored jingles and animation, produced broadcast content for national networks, and conducted live musical productions while maintaining his role as an exclusive composer and arranger for Alfred Music's Belwin division.
Ford began arranging professionally at fifteen and held the position of Director of Jazz Ensemble I at Troy State University during his undergraduate years, later serving as staff arranger for the university band program. He earned his Master of Science degree in 1988 and has been commissioned internationally by university, military, professional, community, and school ensembles worldwide.
Why we love this
This arrangement delivers exactly what a Grade 2 band needs: approachable voicings that let young musicians successfully execute swing articulation and phrasing without sacrificing style. Ford's three-tune concept works brilliantly for holiday programs because you get instant variety and musical substance in a single package, and the swinging treatment transforms familiar carols into something your students will genuinely enjoy playing.
What to expect
Warm, playful, and animated. These arrangements preserve the gentle character of the carols while giving them a loose, bouncy energy that makes the pieces feel fresh and contemporary. The swing style brings a conversational, almost jazzy lightness to holiday favorites without losing their emotional core.
Who it's for
Grade 2 concert bands seeking to build swing vocabulary in a low-pressure, high-reward context. Directors introducing the swing style to younger or developing ensembles will appreciate the familiar melodies paired with accessible arranging; students get to experience a new idiom without struggling with notation or technique.
How to get the most out of it
- Establish the swing eighth-note feel early in rehearsal by having the ensemble listen to a recorded reference of swing style; light, lilting articulation will follow naturally once students hear the rhythmic pocket.
- Balance the melody across your section leadership rather than relying solely on first chairs, which keeps the parts active and maintains energy through all three movements.
- Keep the tempo steady but relaxed; young bands often rush swing feels, so a metronome at a moderate click helps cement the groove before you remove it.
- Pay attention to the dynamic shape within each carol. Ford's scoring likely includes subtle swells that give the easy style sophistication and keep the listener engaged.
How to use it
Open a holiday concert with this set to establish a relaxed, festive mood before moving into more solemn or complex repertoire. The three-movement structure also works well as a standalone winter festival offering or as a suite within a longer program that mixes seasonal styles.
Skills your students will build
- Swing eighth-note articulation and phrasing
- Light, rhythmic articulation in a style context
- Balance and ensemble blend in a non-traditional idiom
- Recognizing and executing style markings specific to swing
- Playing with rhythmic precision while maintaining relaxed musicality