Christmas Time Is Here (with Pure Imagination) (arr. Roger Emerson): SATB Choral Octavo

Pairing two beloved songs from different eras and sensibilities creates a novelty moment that catches audiences off guard in the best way. Emerson's hybrid approach keeps both melodies recognizable while giving the arrangement enough jazz inflection and harmonic color to feel fresh, even for singers who know these tunes inside and out.

Nostalgic yet playful, with a jazz cool that prevents the arrangement from feeling overly sentimental. The weaving of two melodies creates an almost puzzle-like quality where singers hear harmonic complexity while audiences experience something warm and familiar.

Choirs looking for a sophisticated yet accessible holiday number that goes beyond traditional carols, or programs that welcome a pop sensibility without sacrificing musicianship. This works for middle school through professional ensembles seeking repertoire with wit and contemporary edge.

• Balance the melody against jazz harmonies by treating background parts as accompaniment rather than equal lines; this keeps the two songs from muddying each other when they weave together.
• Lock the rhythmic feel early. The swing character depends on confident, unified articulation from the entire section, so rehearse rhythm syllables or scat parts together before layering in words.
• Let the alto and tenor lines breathe in the jazz passages; they're doing harmonic work that needs air to land cleanly.
• Find the emotional moment when the two melodies converge. That's your interpretive gold; the arrangement builds toward it, so singers should feel that architecture.

Save this for a concert moment where you want to shift the mood, perhaps as a standalone novelty piece or as part of a mixed-genre holiday set that includes both traditional and contemporary material. The accessibility and charm make it an ideal bridge between classical choral selections and audience favorites.

• Reading and singing jazz harmony with chromatic movement and extended chords
• Balancing melody awareness against inner harmonic parts
• Articulating rhythmic precision in swing and jazz feels
• Managing two distinct melodic lines that interact contrapuntally
• Listening and blending across parts in music with complex harmonic texture