Christmas A La Mode: Concert Band Conductor Score

Smith uses a familiar melody to accomplish genuine music theory instruction without sacrificing musicality or entertainment value. The progression through all seven modes creates a natural arc that holds audience attention while students internalize the subtle intervallic relationships that distinguish each mode. The payoff is a concrete, listening-based understanding of modal sound that no textbook explanation could deliver as effectively.

A guided tour through seven sonic worlds, each with its own personality. The minor-inflected darkness of Dorian and Phrygian give way to the brightened Lydian sound, then through the mixed character of Mixolydian and back to the introspective Aeolian. The Locrian section feels genuinely unsettling before the affirming major key returns.

Directors teaching Grade 2 bands who want to make modal theory audible and memorable. This arrangement works equally well for groups discovering modes for the first time and those reinforcing the concept through a performance-based lens.

• Isolate each modal section in sectional rehearsals to highlight the characteristic flavor. Have woodwinds and brass separately identify the raised or lowered scale degrees that define each mode before playing through.
• Balance clarity with connection across the mode transitions. The Locrian section's darkness loses impact if the ensemble has drifted away from ensemble precision by that point; tighten vertical alignment as you approach the middle of the work.
• Let the final return to Ionian resonate. After traveling through the altered modes, the major tonality should feel like a genuine homecoming rather than just another section.

Reserve this for a winter concert where it can anchor the second half, serving both as entertainment and as a teaching moment disguised as performance. It pairs well alongside traditional holiday selections, offering directors a modern alternative that keeps student engagement high while addressing curricular music theory standards.

• Identifying characteristic intervals and scale degrees that define major, minor, and modal tonalities
• Responding to tonal color shifts and adjusting intonation within each modal context
• Maintaining ensemble precision through quick tonal center changes
• Understanding the Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian modes through listening and performance