Fiddler on the Housetop: 1st Violin
By Andrew H. Dabczynski
Grade: 1.5
Item: 00-PC-0015992_VN1
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Description
What happens when we mix Santa, tradition, and old-time fiddling? Of course, we get Fiddler on the Housetop! In this tongue-in-cheek and thoroughly playable arrangement, young string players will play like eastern European fiddlers, then spin into an upbeat and driving American fiddle version of the holiday standard. Whether a member of the orchestra or the audience, here's a humorous, toe-tapping arrangement of "Up on the Housetop" like you've never heard it before! Correlates to String Explorer, Book 1, Unit 14.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Fiddler on the Housetop: 1st Violin 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:
Highland/Etling String Explorer
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
130
SKU:
00-PC-0015992_VN1
More about this title
About the Composer: Andrew H. Dabczynski
Andrew H. Dabczynski served as Emeritus Professor of Music Education at Brigham Young University, where he established the BYU "New Horizons Orchestra" as both a performance ensemble for adult beginners and a training laboratory for string teachers. His contributions to music education earned him BYU's Joseph E. White Fellowship for Teaching and Learning, and Utah ASTA recognized him as "Higher Education Teacher of the Year" in 2005 and again in 2014 for his outstanding work in the field.
Dabczynski's deep expertise in string pedagogy is evident in his co-authorship of the String Explorer method series, widely used in school programs nationwide. His scholarly interests in folk music and ethnomusicology, particularly fiddling traditions and how they are transmitted across generations, have shaped his approach to string education and his arrangements for young orchestras. He has performed as a violist with regional orchestras including the Rochester Philharmonic and Hartford Symphony, and served in leadership roles with the American String Teachers Association at both state and national levels.
Why we love this
Dabczynski's arrangement captures genuine fiddling idiom without sacrificing playability at Grade 1.5, shifting convincingly between eastern European and American fiddle styles within a single piece. The humor and cultural specificity make this far more engaging than a standard holiday arrangement, and students will recognize immediately that they're playing something real, not simplified.
What to expect
The piece opens with the intimate, slightly mournful quality of a European folk fiddler, then pivots into the bright, driving energy of American old-time fiddling. The whimsy of mixing Santa and violin traditions creates a performance that audiences find both musically satisfying and delightfully unexpected.
Who it's for
String orchestras at the beginning level will find this arrangement immediately accessible and genuinely fun to perform. It works especially well for groups that correlate with String Explorer, Book 1, Unit 14, though any Grade 1.5 string program can program it with minimal preparation.
How to get the most out of it
- Establish the eastern European character in the opening section by encouraging a slightly nasal, forward tone in the upper strings; this stylistic choice distinguishes the first half from the American fiddle energy that follows.
- Balance the rhythmic drive in the uptempo fiddle section by keeping the lower strings locked and steady; the upper voices can lean into the syncopation without losing ensemble precision.
- Shape phrase endings with slight ritardandos where Dabczynski indicates them, particularly during the transitions between the two fiddling traditions, to help the audience hear the tonal shift clearly.
- Use the recorded accompaniment (if available through your materials) as a reference for tempo and style; having students hear an authentic fiddle recording beforehand will deepen their understanding of both musical traditions.
How to use it
This arrangement pairs naturally with other holiday programming and offers a refreshing alternative to traditional Christmas carols in a winter concert. It also works as a standalone novelty piece in a mixed concert, where it can anchor a folk or Americana segment and give young players a memorable experience with authentic musical styles.
Skills your students will build
- Playing in a recognizable folk idiom and understanding stylistic differences between eastern European and American fiddle traditions
- Rhythmic precision in uptempo, syncopated passages with clear ensemble rhythmic control
- Tone production awareness, adapting articulation and vibrato to match contrasting musical characters
- Reading and executing tempo shifts and transitions between distinct musical sections