Santa Plays the Viola: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

$46.00 USD

Santa Plays the Viola: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Santa Plays the Viola: String Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-16823
Price: 46.00 USD
Availability: InStock

Arr. Mark Williams

Grade: 1

Item: 00-16823

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At last! A Christmas medley in which the violas (with optional 3rd violin) get to play every tune. Utilizing the full first-position range from low C to High E, this arrangement features rich textures and sonorities. Bring your viola section "out-front" and give them the recognition they deserve! (Grade 2 - Correlates with Strictly Strings, Book 2, page 13)

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Santa Plays the Viola: 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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Series: Highland/Etling Strictly Strings

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 72

UPC: 038081140315

SKU: 00-16823

More about this title

About the Arranger: Mark Williams

Mark Williams built a career creating accessible, engaging music for school ensembles while maintaining an active performance schedule as a bassoon player and brass band conductor. His output of over 200 published works for band, orchestra, and choir earned him recognition across the continent, including awards from the Western International Band Clinic and multiple ASCAP Special Awards. He co-authored the Accent on Achievement Band Method and spent years teaching elementary band in Washington state, giving him deep insight into what young musicians need.

Williams' foundation as both a composer and performer informed his arrangements and original works. He earned degrees from Eastern Washington University and served as a woodwind performer and arranger for the 560th Air Force Band, then later conducted the Spokane British Brass Band. His willingness to travel as a clinician and guest conductor to 34 states, five Canadian provinces, and Australia demonstrates how widely his music was adopted and how valued his pedagogical expertise became.

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Why we love this

This arrangement solves a real problem for viola sections: they finally get the melody. Rather than relegating violas to harmonic filler, Williams crafts a Christmas medley that keeps the viola front and center throughout, with the optional third violin part providing support when needed. The Grade 1 difficulty and full first-position range (low C to high E) make this achievable for developing ensembles while the rich textures prove rewarding to conduct and satisfying to play.

What to expect

Warm and familiar, with the classic charm of Christmas carols rendered through a genuinely orchestral lens. The rich textures from distributing the melody to violas create a sonority that feels more sophisticated than Grade 1, even as the writing stays accessible, giving young players the experience of creating something substantial.

Who it's for

String orchestras working at Grade 1-2 level, particularly those using the Strictly Strings curriculum. This arrangement is ideal for conductors who want to spotlight a growing viola section and give developing players meaningful solo experience within an ensemble setting.

How to get the most out of it

Balance the viola line so it projects clearly above the accompaniment. In a young orchestra, the upper strings may naturally dominate; spend rehearsal time ensuring violas aren't buried.
Use the optional third violin part strategically. Add it when viola confidence wavers or when you need weight, but pull it back in passages where the viola melody should sing alone.
Shape phrases in the viola melody as you would in a solo line. Encourage vibrato and dynamic shaping that acknowledges the violas as featured performers rather than accompanists.
Lock the rhythm section (cellos and basses) to anchor the harmonic progression so violins can support the melody without pulling the ensemble off its foundation.

How to use it

Perfect as a centerpiece for a winter or holiday concert that celebrates section accomplishments. The novelty of hearing violas carry the melodic weight makes this a memorable program moment, and its accessibility means it won't overwhelm rehearsal time during a busy season.

Skills your students will build

Reading and playing the viola melody across the full first-position range (low C to high E)
Balancing a featured line against harmonic accompaniment
Controlling ensemble texture through dynamic awareness of role (melody vs. support)
Intonation in a harmonic context, particularly where violas sustain harmonies beneath the main line
Stylistic interpretation within a Grade 1 framework