Rockin' Ol' St. Nick: 1st B-flat Trumpet
By Robert W. Smith and Michael Story
Grade: 1 (Very Easy)
Item: 00-PC-0014362_T1
$3.00
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Description
That jolly old elf has set up a rock groove for his winter travels. Rockin' Ol' St. Nick is correlated to Unit 13 of Band Expressions, Book One, or approximately halfway through most first-year band methods and will make your beginners sound super for their very first performance! 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, Rockin' Ol' St. Nick: 1st B-flat Trumpet 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:
Band Expressions
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
138
SKU:
00-PC-0014362_T1
More about this title
About the Composer: Robert W. Smith
Robert W. Smith stands among the most recorded and frequently performed composers of band and orchestral music in the United States. His catalog exceeds 400 published works, the vast majority issued through Alfred Music, and his compositions have been performed by ensembles across North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Troy State University in Alabama and a Master of Music from the University of Miami.
Smith's original works for concert band and orchestra have become staples of the repertoire. His early symphonies, The Divine Comedy and The Odyssey, gained international recognition, while pieces like The Tempest established themselves as essential literature for developing ensembles. Beyond the concert hall, his music has appeared on major television broadcasts, Olympic ceremonies, and iconic American events ranging from the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade to Opening Day at Dodger Stadium. He maintains an active schedule as a conductor and clinician throughout the United States, Canada, and internationally.
Why we love this
This arrangement captures the energy and humor that young musicians crave while respecting what first-year players can actually execute. Smith and Story have written a piece that genuinely sounds impressive without requiring heroic technical demands, which means your band walks off stage proud rather than relieved. Rock grooves engage students in ways that traditional march forms simply cannot, and hearing themselves produce a genuinely current sound motivates continued practice.
What to expect
Rockin' Ol' St. Nick swaps the sleigh bells and traditional carols for a contemporary rock groove that makes Santa feel relevant again. The energy is playful and driving, with enough syncopation to feel modern without abandoning accessibility. It's the kind of piece that makes the audience smile and the band feel like real musicians.
Who it's for
Directors of first-year concert bands who need an accessible, engaging piece for an early-season performance. Students roughly midway through their first method book (correlated to Unit 13 of Band Expressions, Book One) can manage the technical demands while delivering a product that impresses audiences and builds confidence.
How to get the most out of it
- Lock in the backbeat with your rhythm section before rehearsing the full band. The rock groove lives or dies with the consistency of the snare and bass drum.
- Let the brass find the swagger in their eighth-note syncopation rather than playing it tentatively. They're supposed to sit slightly behind the beat for that laid-back rock feel.
- Keep the tempo steady and confident. Young bands often rush rock charts; a metronome or accompaniment recording will anchor everyone.
- Balance the melody against the groove. Woodwinds and trumpet carry the tune, but they should never overshadow the rhythmic pocket underneath.
How to use it
Program this early in the concert season when you're introducing young musicians to performance itself. The approachable technical level and season-appropriate material make it ideal for a holiday pops concert or winter assembly where morale and engagement matter as much as musical depth. Its short duration also makes it a strong curtain-raiser or between-rehearsal energy booster.
Skills your students will build
- Maintaining steady tempo in a rock groove and syncopated style
- Reading and executing syncopated eighth-note rhythms across the ensemble
- Balancing melodic lines against a rhythmic accompaniment
- Playing with stylistic awareness and understanding groove-based feel
- Coordinate articulation and dynamics to support rock idiom