Christmas Collection: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
Arr. Elliot Del Borgo
Grade: 2 (Easy)
Item: 00-PK-0002114
$60.00
Pickup currently not available
Buy Extra Parts (Digital PDF Download)
Parts Added to Cart!
Description
Each year, just before the holiday season, band directors around the world search the repertoire for music in the traditional vein that will satisfy their audiences and provide solid, playable material for their musicians. With a delightful combining of "Joy to the World," "As with Gladness," "Deck the Halls," "What Child Is This?," and "O Come, All Ye Faithful," the message of the season is musically presented. Christmas Collection is a quick-rehearsing work with a sharp musical focus. (4:43)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Christmas Collection: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts 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
No sample audio found.
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Series:
Belwin Young Band
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
252
SKU:
00-PK-0002114
More about this title
About the Arranger: Elliot Del Borgo
Elliot Del Borgo is a composer and arranger whose work has become a staple in concert band curricula across North America. His arrangements balance musical sophistication with accessibility, making him particularly valued by directors working with developing ensembles.
Del Borgo's contributions to the Belwin Young Band series have introduced countless students to thoughtful, well-crafted literature. His arrangements preserve the integrity of source material while writing idiomatically for young musicians.
Why we love this
Del Borgo's approach to these five familiar carols creates something unexpected: a medley that feels coherent rather than piecemeal. The arrangement demonstrates genuine musical craft in how it transitions between themes and distributes the material across your ensemble. What makes this especially valuable is how efficiently it rehearses. Your band gets substantial musical content, genuine part writing, and audience appeal without consuming weeks of preparation time.
What to expect
Warm, accessible, and genuinely festive without sentimentality. The medley unfolds with clarity; each carol arrives fresh and maintains its own identity. The scoring is transparent enough that young musicians can hear themselves contributing meaningfully to a recognizable whole.
Who it's for
Concert band directors programming holiday concerts for Grade 2 ensembles, from middle school beginners to adult community bands. This works equally well as a full program centerpiece or as part of a larger seasonal concert. Musicians appreciate the melodic familiarity paired with genuine arranging that keeps their parts engaging.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the melodic lines across sections. Since these carols are melody-driven, resist the temptation to let trumpet and clarinet solos overwhelm the harmonic foundation. Lower voices anchor the piece.
- Shape each carol's character distinctly. "Joy to the World" projects majesty; "What Child Is This?" calls for restraint and lyricism. These shifts prevent the medley from feeling monotonous.
- Lock the tempo transitions between themes. Grade 2 ensembles often rush or lag during key changes. Mark your scores clearly and conduct through these junctures with precision.
- Let the arrangement breathe at natural phrase endings. This piece moves briskly, but hurrying past the rests undermines the serene quality these carols deserve.
How to use it
Program this as your holiday concert anchor. Its 4:43 duration fits naturally alongside other shorter works, or stand it alone as the centerpiece if you're building a themed program. The Grade 2 difficulty means your full band participates at full strength, making it ideal for winter concerts that include all ensemble levels.
Skills your students will build
- Reading multiple key signatures within a single piece
- Sustaining tone across phrase endings and transitions
- Balancing melody and harmony in ensemble contexts
- Responding to clear structural shifts in tempo and character
- Sight-reading and learning efficient rehearsal processes through medley form