First Holiday Concert: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
Traditional / arr. John O'Reilly
Grade: 1 (Very Easy)
Item: 00-PK-0000214
$48.00
Pickup currently not available
Buy Extra Parts (Digital PDF Download)
Parts Added to Cart!
Description
Here's a great vehicle for featuring your band at that very first holiday concert. "Jingle Bells," "The Dreydl Song" and "Jolly Old St. Nicholas" are combined in a simple but very effective manner. Correlated to Accent on Achievement, Book 1, page 13.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, First Holiday Concert: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
Open in the Player
Jump straight in and assign it today.
Start Your Free Trial
Open this title and explore the full library in minutes.
Sample Audio
1
Audio File
--:--
0:00
0:00
Sample Video
Additional Details
Series:
Accent on Achievement
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
116
SKU:
00-PK-0000214
More about this title
About the Arranger: John O'Reilly
John O'Reilly is a prolific arranger and composer whose work has shaped band and orchestra education for decades. His arrangements for Accent on Achievement and similar series are designed with deep understanding of how beginning musicians learn, balancing accessibility with musical integrity.
Why we love this
This arrangement respects the abilities of a brand-new ensemble while delivering something your audience will immediately recognize and enjoy. O'Reilly's voice leading keeps every section engaged without overwhelming players who are still building fundamental skills, and the three-tune structure gives the piece natural momentum and variety without technical demands.
What to expect
Festive and straightforward, this medley sparkles with holiday warmth without pretense. The arrangements of these three traditional songs feel comfortable in the hands of young musicians while maintaining enough musical shape to hold an audience's attention.
Who it's for
Directors launching their first concert with a beginning band need reliable, crowd-pleasing repertoire, and this arrangement delivers exactly that. The Grade 1 level works for students in their first semester of playing, and the familiar holiday material makes it approachable for both musicians and family audiences hearing their band for the first time.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the familiar melodies so they project clearly; younger bands often bury the tune while focusing on their own parts. Isolate the melody sections in rehearsal to ensure they sing through.
- Keep the tempo steady and energetic. The simplicity of this piece lives or dies by rhythmic confidence, especially from your percussion section.
- Don't over-rehearse. Grade 1 writing benefits from fresh energy and forward motion rather than obsessive sectional work. Three run-throughs with full ensemble usually yields better results than endless stops and starts.
- Use this as an opportunity to reinforce concert etiquette and stage presence. First performances set the tone for the whole year.
How to use it
Open your December concert with this piece to set a joyful tone and build ensemble confidence before moving into more challenging literature. Its brevity and accessibility make it an ideal opener that transitions well into a mix of seasonal and concert repertoire.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and playing in concert keys appropriate to beginning band instrumentation
- Balancing melody and harmony parts within a full ensemble
- Maintaining steady tempo and pulse across multiple song sections
- Responding to conductor cues and transitions between different melodies
- Developing sight-reading fluency with Grade 1 rhythmic and melodic patterns