Each book in this series contains six favorite Christmas carols arranged for four part ensembles. Part 1 is the solo version of the carol from Merry Christmas! with parts 2, 3 and 4 written using the same concepts and hand positions at the same level of difficulty. Also includes suggested sounds for electronic keyboards. General MIDI compatible. Titles: Away in a Manger * O Christmas Tree * The First Noel * Joy to the World * Silent Night * Up on the Housetop.
Discover MakeMusic Cloud: thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.
Dr. Gayle Kowalchyk serves as a professor of class piano, piano, and piano pedagogy at California State University, Northridge, bringing decades of teaching experience across university settings. Her formal training spans piano performance and pedagogy from Ohio University, Northwestern University, and Teachers College at Columbia University, where she earned her Ed.D. She has directed piano preparatory programs, coordinated class piano curricula, and presented pedagogical research at major conferences including MTNA, MENC, and the World Piano Pedagogy Conference.
As co-author of over 300 educational piano publications alongside her husband E. L. Lancaster, Kowalchyk has shaped how young pianists learn fundamental concepts. Her work includes the widely adopted Alfred's Premier Piano Course and Music for Little Mozarts series. She maintains active roles as both an educator and clinician for Alfred Music, consistently bridging the gap between research-informed pedagogy and practical classroom application.
Why we love this
Kowalchyk and Lancaster understand exactly what early ensemble pianists need: straightforward part writing that lets four different students play simultaneously without frustration. The concept of using the same hand positions and technical level across all four parts removes the barrier that typically keeps ensemble playing out of reach at this stage. For holiday concerts, having six carols immediately ready in a cohesive, playable format saves preparation time while delivering the warm, full sound that only ensemble piano provides.
What to expect
Warmth and simplicity combine in carols that students recognize instantly, removing the cognitive load of learning unfamiliar melodies. Four voices blend into richly harmonized textures that feel far more sophisticated than any single student could achieve alone, building genuine confidence in young pianists.
Who it's for
Teachers working with early intermediate pianists (Book 2 level) who want to introduce ensemble playing without scaling back repertoire difficulty. This collection suits group lessons, piano labs, or mixed-ability rehearsals where students need material that sounds complete even though it's written accessibly. Holiday concerts and seasonal performances provide the perfect venue for these arrangements.
How to get the most out of it
Assign parts strategically by pairing stronger readers with Part 1 (the melody) and newer students with Parts 2-4, which maintain the same technical vocabulary but support the harmonic foundation
Rehearse one carol at a time rather than cycling through all six, letting each group develop confidence in their part before moving to a new arrangement
Explore the General MIDI keyboard sounds listed in the book during rehearsal to decide which patches best match your performance venue and acoustic
How to use it
Build an entire holiday concert around these six carols, alternating between ensembles or adding singers on top of the piano parts for a fuller effect. The consistent technical level across arrangements makes it feasible to rehearse multiple combinations, allowing students to switch roles and discover how different parts contribute to the whole sound.
Skills your students will build
Reading and maintaining independent parts while listening to three other pianists simultaneously
Understanding harmonic movement and voice leading by playing non-melodic parts with confidence
Coordinating tempo and dynamics across an ensemble without a conductor
Recognizing how hand position consistency supports part writing at early levels
Sight-reading multiple arrangements of familiar melodies
You May Also Like
Scan to Complete Your Purchase
Use your phone's camera to scan the code below
You'll log in on your phone and the order will be added to your account
