Counting Down to Christmas: SoundTrax Digital Audio Download

This arrangement brings contemporary pop sensibility to holiday singing without sacrificing musicality. Pasek's gift for infectious melody pairs beautifully with Greg Gilpin's smart choral writing, creating parts that stay within comfortable ranges while maintaining the energy of the original. Students will recognize the song immediately, which removes a huge barrier to rehearsal buy-in—they're invested from day one.

Warm, infectious, and celebratory without veering into novelty. The melody carries the kind of infectious optimism that defines Pasek's writing, and the arrangement maintains space for genuine vocal expression rather than burying singers under busy parts. It feels like a song students genuinely want to sing rather than material they're assigned.

Choirs in grades 5-12 looking for holiday repertoire with genuine contemporary appeal. This works especially well for programs that want to include music students actually want to sing, building enthusiasm for both rehearsal and performance.

• The SoundTrax accompaniment is a professional recording; use it sparingly in early rehearsals so singers focus on learning their parts and blend, then incorporate it progressively as confidence builds.
• Pay attention to the rhythm section feel. Pasek's pop sensibility lives in the groove, so clarity on beat placement and stylistic articulation matters as much as pitch accuracy.
• Balance the text delivery. Contemporary pop songs live in conversational phrasing; encourage singers to shape phrases naturally rather than treating every measure equally.
• If instrumental parts are available for your ensemble, consider adding a small band setup for performances. Even a single keyboard can enhance the contemporary character.

Program this as a closer or an anchor in your holiday concert. Its contemporary energy works well after more traditional material, and it gives audiences a moment of pure joy. It also functions beautifully as a fun, manageable opener for singers new to choral music who might feel intimidated by classical technique.

• Stylistic singing in a contemporary pop idiom
• Rhythmic precision in syncopated figures
• Part independence while maintaining blend
• Interpretive phrasing beyond note-for-note singing
• Ensemble listening across multiple voice parts