Christmas with Kevin Olson, Book 2: Piano Book

Olson gives each tune its own musical personality through custom introductions rather than jumping straight into melody. The pairing of lyrics with solo piano writing creates natural opportunities for singers to collaborate with instrumentalists, making this collection genuinely flexible for holiday programming that involves mixed ensembles.

Warm and grounded. Each arrangement balances the comfort of a beloved melody with enough harmonic movement and textural variety to keep the ear engaged. The music sounds familiar without sounding simple.

Late elementary and early intermediate pianists who are ready to perform solo repertoire with some harmonic substance and want material that connects to their lives (holiday music). This book also works for teachers building confidence in students who need accessible but non-trivial solos for recitals or ensemble contexts.

• Shape the introductions with clear intention. These aren't just warm-ups; they set the emotional tone for the tune that follows, so let them breathe and have direction before the melody enters.
• Balance accompaniment and melody by being intentional about which hand carries the primary line. Sometimes the right hand leads, sometimes the left; make sure your weight and dynamics honor Olson's design.
• Consider having singers join on the second verse or for a final chorus while the soloist continues. The inclusion of lyrics suggests this collaborative possibility.
• Tempo should support singing if vocalists join in. Avoid the temptation to rush festive tunes; let the phrases complete naturally.

These solos work individually for student recitals or holiday showcases, or program several in sequence to create a short holiday set. The variety of ten different carols means you can pair different students with different tunes across a December concert, or feature the entire set if you're planning a piano-focused holiday program.

• Playing introductory material that differs texturally from the main melody
• Balancing accompaniment texture with melodic clarity
• Sustaining a steady tempo through a complete solo form
• Collaborating with singers using the provided lyrics
• Interpreting written dynamics and articulation in a performance context