Mrs. Claus!: SSA Choral Octavo
Words by Pamela Beery, music by Lon Beery
Item: 00-PO-0005580
$1.90
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
Mrs. Claus is ready to take center stage after years of working behind the scenes! A sassy holiday novelty for treble voices featuring solo passages that can be sung by a single "Mrs. Claus" or divided up between several singers. Suitable for choreography, with or without the optional ragtime-y SoundTrax CD!
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0005580
More about this title
About the Composer: Lon Beery
Lon Beery directs the choral program at Spry Middle School in Webster, New York, where he works with six choirs serving approximately 500 students across the middle school. A prolific composer and arranger with over 50 published works in the catalogs of Alfred Music, BriLee, and other publishers, Beery has earned multiple ASCAP Standard Awards for his compositions. His TTBB piece I Believe was performed by the U.S. Army Chorus during the internment service for President Ronald Reagan.
Beyond his composing work, Beery has contributed regularly to the choral education field through articles in the Choral Journal and Music Educators Journal, and he presents sessions at state, regional, and national conferences of ACDA and MENC. He has served as the Middle School Chair for New York ACDA.
Why we love this
Beery's sense of humor shines through in material that actually makes young singers want to perform with energy and commitment. The dual appeal of humor and solid musical writing means students won't roll their eyes at holiday programming, and the flexible solo structure lets you feature individual singers or share the spotlight across multiple voices depending on your ensemble size.
What to expect
Sassy, theatrical, and surprisingly fun. Mrs. Claus demands attitude and timing; the novelty lies not in corniness but in the attitude of a character finally getting her moment. The ragtime-influenced accompaniment gives the whole piece a playful, vaudeville-style energy that lifts the singers' spirits and the audience's mood.
Who it's for
Middle school through high school SSA or SSAA choirs looking for repertoire that entertains without sacrificing musicality. This works especially well for ensembles with strong rhythmic foundation and singers comfortable with character-driven performance.
How to get the most out of it
- Embrace the ragtime character in the accompaniment: the rhythm section has personality, so encourage singers to lock into the groove rather than singing it straight.
- Treat the solo passages as theatrical moments, not just musical ones. Even if you divide solos among multiple singers, each phrase should feel intentional and characterful.
- If you're adding choreography, keep the movement simple enough that singers can breathe and articulate clearly while moving; complex staging can undermine the precision needed for sassy delivery.
How to use it
Program this as the closer to a holiday concert or as the opening number if you want to set a lighthearted tone for the second half. It pairs well with more traditional holiday selections because the humor and theatrical bent make it feel like a deliberate stylistic shift rather than a random novelty.
Skills your students will build
- rhythmic precision in ragtime style
- character interpretation and theatrical delivery
- solo performance confidence
- ensemble coordination around featured parts