Holiday Jam: Score
Traditional / arr. Victor López
Grade: 0.5 (Very Easy)
Item: 00-PR-0002437
$6.00
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Description
"Holiday Jam," based on the traditional carol "Angels We Have Heard on High," will be the highlight of your holiday concert performance. Written for the very beginning jazz student, this chart is carefully crafted for the limitations of the beginner. Arranger Victor López provides many instrumentation options, easy ranges, and rhythms, along with a fail-safe solo section. Blues it up for the holidays! (3:04)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Holiday Jam: Score comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Sample Audio
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Additional Details
Series:
Jazz Beginnings Series
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
44
SKU:
00-PR-0002437
More about this title
About the Arranger: Victor Lopez
Victor López is an arranger and composer whose work in the Jazz Beginnings Series has shaped how thousands of young musicians first experience jazz. His arrangements prioritize musical authenticity without sacrificing accessibility, building student confidence through idiomatic writing that respects the jazz tradition.
Why we love this
This arrangement succeeds because it treats a beloved carol as a genuine vehicle for jazz learning rather than simply simplifying a standard. López's multiple instrumentation options and fail-safe solo section mean every player in your section stays engaged, and the blues-based treatment gives students their first real taste of jazz phrasing and feel.
What to expect
The familiar warmth of 'Angels We Have Heard on High' infused with easy swing. Students will hear blues-inflected harmonies and feel the relaxed groove that defines jazz, all anchored to melody they already know. It's joyful without being precious.
Who it's for
Conductors building a first jazz ensemble or introducing jazz to students still solidifying their reading skills. This works equally well for beginners in middle school or high school, as long as your students are comfortable with standard notation and basic rhythms.
How to get the most out of it
- Establish the swing feel early in rehearsal by singing the backbeat together before playing; beginner ensembles often rush or flatten the rhythm.
- Use the solo section as a teaching moment about taking risks: assign a soloist and let them know the changes repeat, removing the pressure of 'getting it right' in one pass.
- Balance the melody against the rhythm section by having rhythm players listen for chord tones rather than simply playing what's written.
- Record a full run-through once students know their parts; playback solidifies how individual lines fit into the whole jazz texture.
How to use it
Program this as your opening number in a holiday concert, where its accessibility and recognizable tune warm the audience immediately. The 3:04 runtime fits naturally into a mixed program, and the festive energy makes it an ideal bridge between classical selections and more contemporary holiday music.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and playing swing rhythms and syncopation
- Understanding jazz chord changes and harmonic movement
- Improvisation within a blues framework
- Listening and responding to ensemble balance and blend
- Applying inflection and swing feel to phrasing