Lois Brownsey cut her teeth in Philadelphia's musical theatre scene and later built a career that spans jingles for major brands like AT&T and GMC, live performance across multiple genres, and choral composition. Alongside her long-time collaborator Marti Lunn Lantz, she has created a substantial catalog of seasonal and multicultural works for Alfred Publishing. Their pieces together include "Winter's Frost," "Japanese Snow Song," and the collection "Celebrations around the World."
Brownsey's background playing bass and performing in rock and blues bands informs her accessible, rhythmically engaging arrangements. She co-wrote "Light the Candles" with Sally K. Albrecht and now operates Red Rock Recording Studios in the Pocono Mountains with her husband, a recording engineer, where many Alfred projects come to life.
Why we love this
Brownsey and Lantz understand what makes holiday music stick in students' ears and in audiences' hearts. This arrangement brings infectious energy and genuine joy without requiring elaborate staging or impossible ranges, making it a refreshing choice that feels celebratory rather than obligatory.
What to expect
Bright, propulsive, and genuinely fun. This arrangement captures the playfulness inherent in its title while maintaining the harmonic interest that keeps musicians engaged across thirteen pages.
Who it's for
Directors programming winter concerts who want material that energizes singers and audiences alike, from middle school through community choirs. The 3-part mixed voicing serves ensembles with limited tenor sections or those building confidence in singers new to part-singing.
How to get the most out of it
Shape the dynamics throughout to let each phrase breathe; resist the urge to stay at full volume just because the text is joyful
Lock in the rhythmic groove early in rehearsals so all three parts feel unified, especially important in holiday programming where ensemble clarity reads over everything
Keep vowel shapes consistent across the three parts during unison or near-unison passages to blend the sound seamlessly
How to use it
Place this early in a winter concert to set an upbeat tone, or program it as a palate cleanser between heavier seasonal fare. Its straightforward three-part texture makes it ideal for incorporating newer ensemble members in a concert that might otherwise lean toward more complex arrangements.
Skills your students will build
Singing independent lines within a mixed three-part texture
Rhythmic precision and articulation in uptempo material
Blending vowels across parts to achieve unified choral sound
Maintaining energy and musicality in rhythmically driven arrangements
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