Gettin' in the Mood (For Christmas) (arr. Roger Emerson): Choral Instrumental Pak
As performed by Brian Setzer / Arranged by Roger Emerson
Item: 35-PK01439735
$63.00
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Description
Swing into the season with this toe-tapping, big-band styled holiday song! A perfect concert opener for pop and show groups, complete with a rhythm and horn section.
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK01439735
More about this title
About the Artist: Brian Setzer
Brian Setzer has spent decades defining the sound of American rockabilly and swing, from his early days with The Stray Cats to his ongoing solo career. His ability to marry the energy of rock with the sophistication of big-band arranging has made him a distinctive voice in contemporary popular music, and his holiday recordings have become seasonal fixtures in American households.
Why we love this
Roger Emerson's arrangement captures the infectious swagger of the original without overwhelming your ensemble. It's genuinely fun to conduct and sing, with enough instrumental color to keep audiences engaged from the downbeat, making it a rare holiday piece that feels fresh rather than obligatory.
What to expect
Picture a well-dressed ensemble stepping onto a stage with the kind of ease that comes from knowing the room is already smiling. The big-band orchestration swings without pretension, and the mood is festive but confident, never saccharine.
Who it's for
Pop and show choirs looking for a holiday opener with genuine attitude will find this essential. Concert bands with vocal soloists or mixed groups that want to avoid clichéd carols will appreciate both the stylistic specificity and the arrangement's accessibility.
How to get the most out of it
- Plant the rhythm section's groove early in rehearsals. The swing feel depends on their commitment to the big-band pocket, so isolate that section before adding voices.
- Shape the vocal melody with clear, conversational phrasing. Treat the lyrical moments like a vocalist would, avoiding the overly controlled sound that deflates the song's casual charm.
- Balance horn stabs against the vocal line carefully during tutti sections. These punctuations should land with snap and precision without burying the text.
- Record a run-through with just accompaniment before your final rehearsals. Hearing how the arrangement supports (or exposes) your singers builds confidence for performance.
How to use it
Position this as a concert opener to set a sophisticated, upbeat tone before pivoting to your traditional holiday selections. It also works brilliantly as a finale if you want to send audiences out with energy and jazz-inflected cheer rather than reverent nostalgia.
Skills your students will build
- Swing articulation and phrasing in contemporary contexts
- Balancing vocal melody against rhythmic accompaniment
- Responding to horn section stabs with precision ensemble singing
- Reading and executing big-band style (chart literacy)
- Maintaining a relaxed, conversational vocal quality at performance tempo