Christmas on the Farm: 1st Percussion
Arr. Mark Williams
Grade: 1 (Very Easy)
Item: 00-PC-0000495_PC1
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Description
This clever, yet easy arrangement interweaves the familiar strains of "Old MacDonald" with favorite carols of the holiday season. "Jingle Bells", "Good King Wenceslas" and "Deck the Halls" appear simultaneously with "Old Mac" for a thoroughly entertaining bit of holiday fun. Correlated to Accent on Achievement, Book 1, page 25, this piece will be a perfect addition to your next winter program. This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Christmas on the Farm: 1st Percussion comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
Accent on Achievement
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
122
SKU:
00-PC-0000495_PC1
More about this title
About the Arranger: Mark Williams
Mark Williams built his reputation through decades of writing accessible, engaging music for school ensembles. A co-author of the Accent on Achievement Band Method, he created over 200 published works and spent years teaching elementary band in Washington state, giving him deep insight into what young musicians need to succeed. His expertise extended across band, orchestra, and choir, earning him recognition including the Gralia Competition award and multiple ASCAP honors.
Beyond the page, Williams was an active clinician and guest conductor who worked with ensembles across 34 states, five Canadian provinces, and Australia. He performed professionally as a bassoonist and served as conductor and artistic director for the Spokane British Brass Band, grounding his compositional voice in both the school room and the concert hall. His education degrees from Eastern Washington University and his service as woodwind arranger for the 560th Air Force Band shaped a composer uniquely attuned to both pedagogy and performance standards.
Why we love this
Williams captures the joy of holiday programming without sacrificing musicality. The layering of "Old MacDonald" with beloved carols creates genuine humor and surprise for audiences, while the Grade 1 level ensures your entire section can handle it confidently. Its direct correlation to Accent on Achievement Book 1, page 25, makes it a natural fit for curricular reinforcement.
What to expect
The piece has a warm, almost comical charm as familiar holiday tunes meet the unexpected guest of "Old MacDonald." There's lightness throughout; this is music meant to make people smile without requiring virtuosity from your youngest players.
Who it's for
Beginning concert bands working at Grade 1 level will find this arrangement perfectly suited to their technical abilities while enjoying sophisticated musical humor. Directors looking for a winter concert piece that satisfies both young musicians and audiences will appreciate how Williams makes everyone in the ensemble feel included.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the familiar melodies so each carol sings through clearly rather than blending into a harmonic blur; this clarity is what makes the arrangement fun.
- Keep the tempo steady and energetic to maintain the playful character; resist the urge to drag through transitions between melodic layers.
- Encourage the band to listen across sections so the different tunes blend rather than compete; this requires genuine ensemble awareness at Grade 1.
How to use it
Reserve this for a mid-winter or holiday concert where audiences expect celebratory spirit and humor. It works especially well as a lighter moment alongside more traditional carol arrangements, or as a closer that sends the audience home in good spirits. Since it aligns with Accent on Achievement Book 1, page 25, it serves as a natural reinforcement of material students have already studied.
Skills your students will build
- Balancing independent melodic lines while maintaining rhythmic unity
- Reading and executing familiar material in new harmonic contexts
- Listening across the ensemble to coordinate multiple simultaneous melodies
- Maintaining steady pulse through transitions and tempo changes