Kris Kringle's Kazoos: 2-Part Choral Octavo
Words and music by Mary Donnelly and George L. O. Strid
Item: 00-PO-0007199
$2.30
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
Pickup currently not available
Description
Can you guess what they're making at Santa's workshop this year? Pass out the kazoos for this nifty novelty number that includes snippets of "Deck the Hall," "Up on the Housetop," and "Joy to the World!" Kids will love singing the silly story and showing off their kazoo chops in this "magical musical masterpiece."
Kris Kringle's Kazoos: 2-Part Choral Octavo isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.
Request This Title
Tell us you want it.
Start Your Free Trial
Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Audio
1
Audio File
--:--
0:00
0:00
Sample Video
Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0007199
Instrumentation:
Kazoos, Glockenspiel
More about this title
About the Composer: Mary Donnelly
Mary Donnelly grew up in Reno, Nevada, and studied English and French at the University of Nevada before realizing her true calling lay in music education. She earned her Master's Degree in Education from Lesley College in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with a focus on integrating the arts across the curriculum. After thirty years teaching general music and choir in Washoe County schools, she brought that same creative energy to composing. In 1985, while team-teaching sixth grade music with George Strid, their principal challenged them to write a musical for Reading Week. That collaboration launched a prolific partnership that has produced over two hundred songs and twenty-five musicals. Donnelly remains active in ACDA, NEA, and ASCAP.
Why we love this
This piece captures what makes novelty choral music work in elementary and middle school contexts: it's silly without being condescending, the kazoo integration is genuinely fun rather than gimmicky, and weaving in beloved carol snippets anchors the humor in real musical content. Directors consistently report that kids remember this piece years later, not because it was easy, but because it gave them permission to play and sing at the same time.
What to expect
Lighthearted and imaginative, with moments of genuine musical surprise as the carol melodies emerge from the narrative. The kazoo's nasal, buzzing tone brings a mischievous quality that somehow makes the whole thing feel festive rather than chaotic.
Who it's for
This octavo works beautifully for elementary and middle school choirs looking for holiday repertoire that engages reluctant singers and performers who think they "aren't musical." It's also ideal for programs that want to include acoustic instruments beyond the voice and create a genuine ensemble experience rather than featuring the choir alone.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the kazoo timbre against the choir by having kazoo players lip the instruments lightly at first; they'll develop control and projection naturally as they gain confidence with the melody.
- Isolate the carol snippets in rehearsal so singers internalize how the familiar tunes connect to the story; this makes the magical reveals land with genuine delight rather than confusion.
- Assign glockenspiel parts to students who can read pitched percussion notation confidently, then rehearse those lines separately before integrating them with the full choir.
How to use it
Place this in the lighter second half of a winter concert where audiences expect the energy to shift from reverent carols to celebratory fare. It pairs well alongside other 2-part novelty pieces or works as a standalone showstopper that gives your ensemble's personality a chance to shine.
Skills your students will build
- Singing and playing simultaneously while maintaining independent parts
- Tracking and executing quick melodic shifts between carol themes and original material
- Reading basic glockenspiel notation and coordinating mallet strikes with vocal entries
- Ensemble balance and blend across multiple timbral colors (voice, kazoo, pitched percussion)