Last Christmas: Piano/Vocal/Chords

This collection pairs 50 essential holiday songs across multiple musical styles and eras, making it genuinely useful for a full season of programming rather than a novelty purchase. The piano/vocal/chords format gives you flexibility to feature soloists, accompany ensembles, or develop accompanying skills at the piano, and the sheer breadth means you can program anything from traditional carols to contemporary pop without needing five different books.

This songbook captures the emotional range of holiday music: the quiet reverence of traditional carols, the infectious joy of secular favorites, and the contemporary polish of modern holiday pop. Each arrangement respects its source while remaining singable and playable without excessive technical demands.

Pianists accompanying solo singers, music teachers building holiday concert programs, and music directors seeking accessible arrangements of beloved songs for singers of varying ability. Students developing their skills reading chord symbols and accompanying vocalists will find this collection invaluable for consistent, meaningful practice material.

• Balance the vocal line with the piano accompaniment by adjusting pedal use rather than playing louder; holiday arrangements often sit densely in the middle register, and thoughtful pedaling creates space for the melody.
• Study the chord symbols carefully before the first read-through; some arrangements use contemporary voicings that differ from the original melodies' harmonic expectations.
• Consider the context when choosing tempos for slower carols like 'Silent Night' and 'O Little Town of Bethlehem'; they anchor a service or concert emotionally, so resist rushing them.
• Work through the more complex arrangements (particularly the Trans-Siberian Orchestra selections) section by section rather than attempting them straight through; their modulations and rhythmic shifts require intentional preparation.

Program individual selections strategically throughout your holiday season rather than performing the entire collection at once. Use it to support holiday concerts, services, and seasonal events by selecting songs that match your ensemble's voices and the specific occasion; the breadth of styles means you can build a coherent program around traditional carols, pop favorites, or a thoughtful mix.

• Reading and voicing chord symbols across multiple harmonic styles
• Accompanying singers while managing tempo, dynamics, and phrase support
• Sight-reading in various keys and time signatures within a single session
• Interpreting style markings and tempo indications across classical, contemporary, and pop arrangements
• Managing pedal technique to support resonance in hymn and carol arrangements