Holiday Celebrations: Concert Band Conductor Score

Bernotas builds holiday programming that actually respects your students' musical development. Rather than settling for thin arrangements, he layers genuine harmonic interest and textural variety into an accessible Grade 2 setting, so your band sounds polished without requiring advanced technique. The three-song structure gives you a complete holiday concert moment that covers both Christmas and Chanukah traditions, eliminating the need to patch together mismatched selections.

Opening with the bright, driving optimism of 'Jingle Bells,' the arrangement then shifts into the hushed, introspective beauty of 'Coventry Carol' before closing with the rhythmic energy and celebratory spirit of 'Oh Chanukah.' The orchestration moves fluidly between moments of full band color and delicate sectional writing, creating a concert experience that feels both joyful and thoughtful.

Conductors with Grade 2 concert bands seeking holiday repertoire that serves both Christmas and Chanukah traditions with genuine musicality. This score works well for programs in their first or second year of concert band experience, where students can succeed without oversimplification.

• Let the character shifts between pieces shape your conducting. 'Jingle Bells' needs energy and forward motion; 'Coventry Carol' calls for stillness and sustained phrasing; 'Oh Chanukah' thrives on rhythmic precision and drive.
• Check that the middle section ('Coventry Carol') sits comfortably for your students' sound. This hauntingly beautiful moment should feel reverent without becoming sluggish; keep the air moving through sustained lines.
• Balance the upper woodwinds and brass carefully during the opening of 'Jingle Bells' so the melody lands clearly over the accompaniment texture.
• Use the recorded accompaniment to help your band lock into the rhythmic feel of 'Oh Chanukah,' especially if your rhythm section needs to build confidence at this level.

Program this as the centerpiece of a winter concert finale, positioning it where your band can deliver three distinct musical moods in sequence. The three-minute runtime makes it ideal as the closing piece of a concert set, leaving your audience in a warm, celebratory frame of mind. Alternatively, you might open a holiday-themed concert with 'Jingle Bells' and reserve the full medley for a spring pops program that celebrates the full calendar year.

• Contrasting articulation and phrasing across three distinct song styles
• Dynamic control from sustained, delicate passages to driving, energetic sections
• Balancing melody and accompaniment textures in Grade 2-appropriate writing
• Rhythmic precision in a festive, driven context ('Oh Chanukah')
• Ensemble blend and intonation during sustained chords in ballad-like writing ('Coventry Carol')