Premier Piano Course, Christmas 2A: Piano Book

These arrangements strike a genuine balance between holiday appeal and musical substance. Each piece reinforces skills from the corresponding level-2A lesson work while offering enough character that students feel genuinely invested in learning them, making the practice leading up to a holiday recital feel purposeful rather than obligatory.

A festive collection with genuine warmth; these arrangements retain the charm of beloved carols and holiday standards while remaining grounded in Level 2A technique. The mix of sacred and secular pieces creates a program that feels complete rather than one-note, moving from contemplative songs like O Come, All Ye Faithful to playful selections like The Little Drummer Boy and Over the River and Through the Woods.

Level 2A piano students preparing holiday recitals or seasonal performances. Suzuki piano students at comparable levels will also find these pieces accessible and motivating.

• Play the teacher duets on pieces that include them during rehearsal and performance; the accompaniments add textural richness and give students genuine ensemble experience rather than standalone solo work.
• Approach the more familiar melodies like Jingle Bells and We Wish You a Merry Christmas as opportunities to refine touch and phrasing rather than rushing through them; students often assume they know these songs well enough to skip careful practice.
• Balance tempos across the program; if your recital includes multiple pieces from this book, avoid clustering the livelier selections together so listeners hear variety in energy and character.
• Work ahead on pieces with rhythmic quirks (Carol of the Bells, Ding Dong Merrily on High) to avoid last-minute panic when those pieces appear on the program.

Build a holiday recital around 3-4 selections from this book, interspersed with pieces from the level-2A lesson work to showcase progress across the full curriculum. Alternatively, perform the entire collection as a special seasonal concert where student performers become ensemble members through the teacher duet accompaniments.

• Reading rhythmic patterns introduced in Level 2A (quarter notes, eighth notes, dotted rhythms)
• Reinforcing hand position and five-finger patterns across varied harmonic contexts
• Building confidence with legato and staccato articulation in musical phrases
• Recognizing and interpreting simple expression markings and tempo directions
• Ensemble listening and rhythmic coordination when performing with teacher accompaniment