A Touch of Christmas: Suite 1: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Applebaum treats these four carols as genuine compositional material rather than mere vehicles for nostalgia. The new harmonic colors and counter-linear writing give your band something fresh to discover each rehearsal, while the Grade 4 scoring means everyone plays something that matters. You get the musical payoff of a well-crafted arrangement without the frustration of parts sitting empty.

Warm and sophisticated without pretension. The arrangement glows with sophisticated harmony but never loses sight of the carols' essential character. This is holiday music for people who actually listen to what they're playing.

This suite fits any concert band looking for holiday repertoire that doesn't insult the musicianship of either performers or audience. Conductors of school bands, community ensembles, and military bands at the Grade 4 level will find material that stands up to serious rehearsal without overwhelming students still building technical facility.

• Balance the playful countermelodies against the main carol lines; they're designed to be heard, not buried. Mark entrances clearly in your parts so section leaders know when they're carrying the musical conversation.
• The lush harmonic settings Applebaum writes will only shine if your harmonic sections lock in together. Spend rehearsal time drilling these block harmonies before adding the melodic layers.
• Let the new harmonic twists breathe. These aren't jarring modernisms; they're gentle reharmonizations that create warmth. Resist the urge to rush through chord changes.
• Treat dynamics with intention. With four carols condensed into one suite, clear dynamic shaping helps audiences follow which carol is being featured at any moment.

Drop this into a December concert as a standalone suite or split the four carols across different concert moments for variety. The manageable technical demands make it ideal programming alongside a more substantial classical work, giving your ensemble a confidence builder in a full concert arc.

• Balancing melody and countermelody in the same section
• Chord-based tuning in reharmonized harmonic progressions
• Listening for and responding to subtle dynamic shifts
• Reading and executing smooth voice leading within harmonic blocks
• Connecting phrase shape across traditional carol structures