Deck the Halls With Bows and Rosin: Score
Traditional / arr. Katie O'Hara LaBrie
Grade: 0.5
Item: 00-PR-0007483
$10.00
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Description
The perfect first winter concert piece for your beginners, Deck the Halls with Bows and Rosin is incredibly fun and hits all major beginning skills, including pizzicato, arco, and even rosining the bow! Katie O'Hara LaBrie uses only three-part writing, limited ranges, and simple rhythms to ensure this piece is accessible to new musicians and fun for all! (1:30)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Deck the Halls With Bows and Rosin: Score 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:
MakeMusic Developing Strings
Publisher:
MakeMusic Publications
SKU:
00-PR-0007483
More about this title
About the Composer: Katie O'Hara LaBrie
Katie O'Hara LaBrie is a composer, conductor, and cellist based in Northern Virginia whose teaching career shaped her compositional voice. After spending fifteen years directing orchestras in Fairfax County schools, she earned her Bachelor of Music in Music Education from St. Olaf College and her Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting from George Mason University, studying with Anthony Maiello.
LaBrie's creative work springs directly from her classroom experience. She writes music that serves a pedagogical purpose while remaining genuinely enjoyable for students and audiences alike. Her compositions have earned multiple J.W. Pepper Editor's Choice selections and performances at major conferences including the Midwest Band and Orchestra Directors Clinic and the American String Teachers Association Conference. In 2022, Yamaha honored her as one of their "40 Under 40" for her impact on music education. She founded the Fairfax Chamber Players and co-created "the Big IDEA" practice method. LaBrie lives in Fairfax with her husband Joe, a middle school band director, and their son.
Why we love this
This arrangement respects what beginning string players actually need to learn while making them sound good and feel proud. The three-part writing keeps reading simple, the limited ranges prevent frustration, and the inclusion of pizzicato, arco transitions, and rosining moments means your students practice essential technique without endless scales. It's the rare early-level piece that gives everyone something real to do.
What to expect
Cheerful and unpretentious, with the warmth of a familiar tune reimagined through the lens of early string playing. The pizzicato sections sparkle, and the arco passages feel earnest rather than showy, capturing the genuine joy of young musicians discovering what their instruments can do.
Who it's for
Beginning string orchestras with players who have learned basic reading and bow hold but need to develop control and confidence. The piece works equally well for mixed-age beginner ensembles where younger players sit alongside older students still building fundamentals.
How to get the most out of it
- Assign rosining as part of your pre-rehearsal routine; make it a brief, focused moment rather than an afterthought so students understand it as actual playing preparation.
- Balance pizzicato and arco sections by listening for consistent tone quality in each style, and remind students that pizzicato requires the same bow control as arco.
- Keep the tempo steady and light; the piece's charm depends on rhythmic clarity and a bright energy that reflects the holiday spirit without rushing.
How to use it
Open your winter concert with this piece to set an upbeat tone and showcase your youngest or newest players in a context that feels celebratory rather than nervous. The brief duration (1:30) makes it ideal for mixed-level holiday programs where you need a confident opener that demonstrates musical progress without taking up significant rehearsal time.
Skills your students will build
- Pizzicato technique and tone production
- Arco to pizzicato transitions
- Bow rosining as part of performance preparation
- Reading and executing simple rhythmic patterns
- Listening for blend in three-part writing
- Maintaining steady tempo and ensemble cohesion