Midnight Christmas Eve: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
As Performed by Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Composed by Paul O'Neill and John Olivia / arr. Bob Phillips
Grade: 3
Item: 00-PK-0008101
$65.00
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Description
Imagine the quiet, the anticipation, the tree, and all the lights as Christmas Eve becomes Christmas, and you will have the feel of this beautiful rock ballad, Midnight Christmas Eve. As seen in the Trans-Siberian Orchestra stage show The Christmas Attic, this lyric piece, arranged by Bob Phillips, will add depth to any holiday or winter concert. Though an easy piece for high school orchestras, the optional electric violin and guitar parts provide the perfect chance to feature an electric instrument and a more advanced player. If you haven't seen TSO, check it out online and then share this one with your students. Perhaps include a field trip to see the band live with lights and effects.
Listen to the original recordings of TSO to decide which distortion effects to use with the electric violin or electric guitar. This is a great listening exercise for the kids. (4:05) This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.
Listen to the original recordings of TSO to decide which distortion effects to use with the electric violin or electric guitar. This is a great listening exercise for the kids. (4:05) This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Midnight Christmas Eve: String Orchestra 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:
Pop Concert String Orchestra
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
140
SKU:
00-PK-0008101
More about this title
About the Composer: Paul O'Neill
Paul O'Neill co-founded the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and served as the group's composer and lyricist, crafting the elaborate theatrical rock productions that define the ensemble's identity. His work bridges classical orchestration with contemporary rock sensibility, creating music that appeals to both traditional concert audiences and fans of progressive rock.
Why we love this
This arrangement captures the theatrical scope of Trans-Siberian Orchestra without requiring elaborate staging, making it genuinely achievable for high school orchestras. The optional electric violin and guitar parts transform a straightforward string piece into a teaching opportunity about arrangement, instrumental color, and how rock production techniques enhance orchestral writing.
What to expect
Hushed and reflective, like watching snow fall on a quiet street at midnight. The arrangement holds steady tension between the strings' warm lyricism and moments where electric instruments cut through with a sharper, modern edge, capturing that suspended moment when Christmas Eve becomes Christmas Day.
Who it's for
High school string orchestras looking for holiday repertoire with crossover appeal. The piece works equally well for ensembles with strong classical training and those incorporating rock or contemporary music into their seasons.
How to get the most out of it
- Listen to the original TSO recording together as an ensemble before rehearsal begins; this gives students the compositional intent and lets them hear how electric instruments blend with strings at different levels of distortion.
- Balance the electric parts carefully in rehearsals. Without amplification, even a full string section can overpower a single electric violin or guitar, so mark dynamic adjustments in the parts early.
- Shape the long lyrical lines with gradual dynamic swells rather than sudden crescendos. This rock ballad gains its power from sustained emotional tension, not dramatic shifts.
- If featuring an advanced student on electric violin or guitar, give them rehearsal time in the weeks before concert to dial in their sound and distortion choices independently, then bring them into sectional rehearsals once their part is secure.
How to use it
Place this mid-program during a winter or holiday concert to shift the emotional tone. Its rock ballad sensibility offers a refreshing contrast to traditional holiday fare while remaining accessible to general audiences. The 4:05 duration fits comfortably in a mixed repertoire set.
Skills your students will build
- Balancing melodic and harmonic layers in a lyric arrangement
- Understanding how distortion and electric amplification change orchestral color
- Sustaining long phrases with consistent tone and intonation
- Adjusting dynamics in response to added electric instruments
- Recognizing the relationship between film/stage scoring and concert arrangement