RecorderWorld Christmas: Recorder Book

Wedgwood understands the real constraints of December rehearsals: limited preparation time, mixed ability levels, and the need for pieces that actually sound finished in performance. These arrangements give you Christmas music that works as solos, duets, or trios without requiring extensive transposition or rewrites, and the optional percussion parts let you involve students at every skill level in the same concert.

The collection balances the warmth of familiar carols with fresh original material that captures the spirit of the season without oversaturating the ear. There's both joy and genuine musicality here; these are tuneful pieces that feel complete at a beginner's tempo.

This book serves mixed-ability recorder groups preparing for winter concerts. It works equally well for teachers running parallel Book 1 and Book 2 classes who want shared repertoire, or for studios combining students at slightly different levels in a single holiday ensemble.

• Balance the melody and second parts by having stronger readers take the primo line while newer players support underneath; the writing makes both parts musically essential, so resist the urge to let the second part fade.
• Rehearse the trio arrangements in mixed groupings (not always the same three players) to build flexibility and reinforce that these pieces remain cohesive regardless of who plays which part.
• Add the suggested percussion parts selectively based on what you have available; even a single instrument doubling the melodic line can anchor a trio.

Program these as a discrete set within a larger winter concert, or use them as an engaging finale to fall lessons before the holiday break. The variety of arrangement types means you can program solos separately from duets and trios, letting each student feel ownership over their part.

• Reading and balancing duet and trio textures
• Sustaining musical line while accompanying others
• Coordinating ensemble entries and cutoffs
• Basic ensemble intonation and balance
• Integration of simple percussion parts into recorder ensemble