Comin' Up Christmas Time: SAB Choral Octavo

This arrangement captures the infectious energy of classic Hanna-Barbera scoring while giving your singers a genuine crowd-pleaser that opens a concert with instant joy. The integration of familiar Christmas carol snippets keeps the piece grounded in holiday tradition, yet the novelty treatment and built-in choreography opportunities make it feel fresh and entertaining. It's the rare piece that works equally well as a concert opener or a standalone performance moment.

Bright, ebullient, and unapologetically cheerful. The piece bounces along with cartoon-like energy while remaining musically substantive, creating an atmosphere of celebration without cynicism. You'll hear echoes of beloved Christmas songs woven throughout, which grounds the novelty in genuine holiday warmth.

Directors programming holiday concerts who need an opening number that engages audiences immediately and gives singers something genuinely fun to perform. This works equally well for middle school through adult community choirs, and the SAB voicing makes it accessible to mixed ensembles without requiring extended vocal ranges.

• Commit fully to the 2-beat style and keep the tempo bouncy. The festive character depends on rhythmic momentum, so resist the urge to linger on held notes.
• Use the recorded accompaniment to anchor your singers, especially in sections with complex rhythmic interlocking between SAB parts.
• Plan staging or movement early in rehearsal. This piece invites choreography, and even simple directional movement between sections can transform the performance energy.
• Balance the incorporated carol phrases clearly so audiences recognize them as callbacks. These moments are part of the arrangement's charm.

Open your holiday concert with this piece to set an immediate tone of joy and entertainment. The combination of recognition (familiar carols, the Hanna-Barbera reference) and novelty makes it an ideal bridge between audience and performer. It also pairs well with more traditional or sacred pieces later in the program, creating dynamic variety in concert flow.

• Singing in a 2-beat rhythmic style
• Blending three-part harmony in SAB voicing
• Recognizing and performing quoted melodic phrases
• Coordinating movement and staging with sung text
• Maintaining energy and articulation in a fast-paced arrangement