Fanfare for Christmas: Brass Choir Score & Parts

A confident brass statement that feels both celebratory and composed. The familiar carols ground it in tradition while Petty's arrangement gives them new energy, and the arc from boldness to introspection to triumph gives the whole piece a sense of genuine occasion rather than obligatory holiday filler.

Brass choirs and brass quintets looking for a substantial Christmas opener that challenges each player without venturing into advanced territory. This works equally well for community bands rounding out their winter concert or high school ensembles building a seasonal program.

• Balance the carol quotations carefully in the bold opening section so the audience can recognize the familiar melodies without one voice drowning out the others.
• Shape the softer middle section with real dynamic control; this is where your ensemble's blend gets tested and where the arrangement breathes.
• Bring full commitment to the finale without letting it become a screaming match. The grandness comes from precision and ensemble cohesion, not volume alone.
• Rehearse the optional percussion parts with intention. Even if you include them, they should enhance the brass sonority, not compete with it.

Open your Christmas concert with this. Two minutes is the perfect length to catch the audience's attention and establish a festive mood before moving into longer works or contrasting pieces. It also serves as a strong closer to a concert of smaller seasonal works, especially if you perform the optional percussion.

• Blending within a four-part brass choir texture
• Recognizing and executing melodic and harmonic roles within the same ensemble
• Controlling dynamics in a three-part formal structure
• Rhythmic precision when multiple voices carry different carol fragments simultaneously