Santa's on His Way Medley: 2-Part Choral Octavo

Gilpin takes three well-known Christmas songs and strips away their gentle origins entirely, landing them squarely in 1960s pop territory with attitude and energy. The addition of a speech choir/rap section gives your singers a break from melody while keeping everyone on stage engaged, and the medley structure means you get substantial musical content without the rehearsal time a longer work would demand.

You're transported to a 1960s basement party where someone just spun up three childhood Christmas songs on the radio, and suddenly they've got drums, attitude, and a beat that makes people move. It's joyful and irreverent at once, grounded in melody but propelled by rock and pop energy.

This medley works for middle school, high school, and community choirs looking for a secular holiday piece with contemporary flavor and audience appeal. The 2-part voicing keeps it accessible for younger singers while the arrangement's sophistication satisfies older ensembles.

• Nail the rhythmic precision in the rockin' beat sections; these grooves only land if your singers lock in as a unit. A click track during rehearsals will pay dividends in performance.
• Treat the speech choir/rap section as a moment to showcase personality and character work. Your singers should own the text with clear diction and confident delivery, not race through it.
• Balance the three familiar melodies so none disappear; singers often want to support only one tune. Mark dynamics carefully and assign specific voice weight to each section.
• The recorded accompaniment captures the intended groove and energy. Use it regularly in rehearsal so your singers internalize the pop sensibility, not a traditional holiday sound.

This is ideal for a winter or holiday concert closer when you want something contemporary and high-energy after more traditional selections. The combination of recognizable songs and modern arrangement makes it engaging for families and casual listeners, while the speech element adds theatrical variety to your program flow.

• Singing in a pop/rock style with rhythmic precision
• Coordinating three different melodies simultaneously in a medley
• Speaking or rapping with clear diction and performance confidence
• Balancing ensemble blend across multiple familiar tunes
• Interpreting a piece outside traditional choral conventions