I'll Be Home for Christmas: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
By Walter Kent / arr. James Swearingen
Grade: 3 (Medium Easy)
Item: 00-PK-0001993
$75.00
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Description
Match one wonderful melody and one superb writer/arranger and the end result is a stunning work that captures all the charm of the season.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, I'll Be Home for Christmas: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
Belwin Concert Band
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
118
SKU:
00-PK-0001993
More about this title
About the Composer: Walter Kent
Walter Kent composed "I'll Be Home for Christmas" in 1943, creating one of the most enduring and beloved holiday standards in American music. Originally written as a popular song during World War II, the melody captured the longing of servicemen stationed far from home, and it has remained a cultural touchstone for nearly eight decades. Kent's gift for direct, emotionally resonant melody made this work accessible to performers and audiences alike, ensuring its place in seasonal repertoires across generations.
Why we love this
Swearingen's arrangement honors the integrity of Kent's iconic melody while giving it full concert band texture and dignity. The Grade 3 scoring ensures that developing ensembles can deliver a polished, emotionally mature performance without technical barriers getting in the way. This is the kind of holiday repertoire that reminds audiences why we program seasonal music in the first place: it connects directly to people's hearts.
What to expect
Warm, nostalgic, and deeply human. The melody carries an unmistakable ache that resonates even for listeners with no personal connection to wartime longing. Swearingen's band arrangement wraps it in supportive harmonic color that feels like coming home itself.
Who it's for
Concert bands at the Grade 3 level who want substantial, audience-connecting holiday repertoire that challenges musicians without overwhelming them. Conductors seeking a secular Christmas selection that works equally well in school concerts, community performances, or holiday pops programs will find this a reliable choice.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the main melody with genuine legit, letting the phrase arch naturally without overselling sentiment. The strength of Kent's tune means restraint serves it better than theatrical expression.
- Balance the harmonic voices underneath the melody so they support rather than compete. Pay attention to inner voices in the second-half section where the voicing thickens.
- Maintain steady, unhurried tempo throughout. This melody breathes best when given time; resist the urge to rush the reflective moments.
- Use the full instrumentation to create color variation across multiple statements of the tune rather than playing it the same way each time.
How to use it
Place this as a centerpiece in a holiday concert rather than as filler. Its emotional weight and immediate recognition make it an excellent encore or second-half opener that will quiet an audience and refocus attention. It pairs well with both festive uptempo selections and reverent seasonal music, bridging different moods within a program.
Skills your students will build
- Sustaining long, shaped phrases without excessive vibrato or dynamics
- Balancing melody against harmonic accompaniment in four-part texture
- Interpreting rubato and flexible phrasing within a steady metric foundation
- Ensemble blend and balance across multiple instrumental choirs