Ho Ho Hoedown: E-flat Alto Saxophone 2

Shaffer takes a familiar holiday tune and infuses it with genuine country character, complete with square dance calls from your trumpet section. The writing is clean and idiomatic without sacrificing personality, giving your band a chance to have real fun while maintaining musical credibility.

Jingle Bells gets a boot-scootin' makeover, complete with square dance energy and a spirit of good-natured fun. The arrangement swings with country flair while keeping the beloved melody front and center, creating a performance that's as entertaining to play as it is to hear.

Grade 2 concert bands looking for a holiday selection that feels fresh without demanding advanced technique. This works equally well for programs where humor and personality matter as much as polish.

• Let your trumpet section embrace the emcee role. These are short calls, not virtuosic lines, so focus on clear articulation and natural phrasing rather than technical precision.
• Find the swing in the rhythmic figures. Even at Grade 2, Shaffer's western sensibility comes through in the articulation and phrasing, so listen to how the style naturally inflects the pulse.
• Balance the melody carefully between sections. With such a recognizable tune, it's easy for one section to overshadow the ensemble, so check that your primary melodic voices blend rather than dominate.

Slot this into the second half of your winter concert for a mood shift. It pairs nicely after a more formal or solemn piece, giving your audience a chance to smile and settle in for the home stretch of the program.

• Stylistic interpretation of pops and holiday arrangements
• Clear articulation and phrasing in syncopated rhythms
• Ensemble balance when a single instrument section carries dialogue