Can Santa Make It Through Tonight?: 2-Part/SSA Choral Octavo
Can Santa Make It Through Tonight?: 2-Part/SSA Choral Octavo
Can Santa Make It Through Tonight? Sheet Music Preview

Can Santa Make It Through Tonight?: 2-Part/SSA Choral Octavo

Music by Jay Althouse

Item: 00-PO-0003801
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$2.25

Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
Description
Another slow-rock, 50's style holiday number from Jay Althouse, this time telling a story of a Christmas Eve so snowy and cold ("Our car has a disease called frozen anti-freeze.") that Santa might not make it through. (Of course, he does.) Great fun for choirs of all ages. Very singable. (P.S. The 2-Part/SSA edition is super for your girls or young choirs. InstruPax includes: director's score, 2 alto saxes, tenor sax, baritone sax, rhythm.

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Additional Details
Series: Alfred Archive Edition: Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 12
SKU: 00-PO-0003801

More about this title

About the Composer: Jay Althouse

Jay Althouse

Jay Althouse holds degrees in Music Education and Music from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he was honored with the Distinguished Alumni award. His prolific catalog includes more than 800 choral compositions performed across the English-speaking world. He has spent decades in music publishing administration and served on the Executive Board of the Music Publishers Association of America.

Beyond composing, Althouse has co-created children's musicals with his wife Sally K. Albrecht, edited widely-used vocal solo collections, and authored essential music education resources including The Complete Choral Warm-up Book and Accent on Composers. His work I Hear America Singing, also co-written with Albrecht, was performed by the San Francisco Girls and Boys Choirs at President Obama's 2009 Inauguration. He is a writer member of ASCAP and a regular recipient of the ASCAP Special Award.

Why we love this

Althouse brings narrative momentum and genuine humor to holiday programming without resorting to forced sentimentality. This SSA/2-Part edition sits perfectly at the intersection of accessibility and comedy; the frozen anti-freeze joke lands because the melodic writing stays confident and unpretentious, inviting singers to commit fully to both the story and the rock-influenced groove that drives the song.

What to expect

You're rolling down a snowy road in a 1950's Chevrolet with the radio on full blast, equal parts anxious about the cold and amused by the absurdity of the situation. The slow-rock groove anchors the piece while the warm, singable melody keeps the comedy grounded in sincerity. By the end, you believe both in Santa's survival and in the singers' delight at having told this ridiculous, tender story together.

Who it's for

This SSA/2-Part octavo serves girls' choirs, younger mixed ensembles, or any group looking to program something genuinely fun without sacrificing musical substance. The accessible voicing and story-driven humor make it ideal for holiday concerts that need an energy shift and a genuine laugh.

How to get the most out of it

  • Nail the rhythmic pocket by locking the rhythm section early in rehearsal; the infectious 50's rock feel depends on ensemble confidence in the backbeat.
  • Shape the narrative arc by varying dynamics across verses; let the snowy descriptions build tension before Santa's inevitable triumph.
  • Use the recorded accompaniment for sectional work so singers can lock in melodic lines without pianist support during the rehearsal process.
  • Stage the piece with deliberate movement during the spoken or sung references to the freezing conditions; physical commitment sells the comedy and engages young choirs.

How to use it

Program this early in your winter concert to reset the room with humor and lift spirits before moving into your more serious selections. It works equally well as a standalone novelty number or paired with other secular holiday pieces that lean toward storytelling and character rather than reverence.

Skills your students will build

  • Sustaining character and narrative focus across an extended comic piece
  • Ensemble rhythmic cohesion in a rock-influenced style with clear backbeat
  • Dynamic contrast and phrasing in SSA voicing without relying on harmonic richness for color
  • Coordination between sung melody and optional saxophone instrumentation (InstruPax)
  • Confident delivery of spoken or rhythmically-spoken text within a song

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