Santa's on His Way Medley: SAB Choral Octavo

Gilpin threads together three beloved Christmas standards with infectious 60s energy and a speech choir section that gives every singer something memorable to do. The result feels both familiar and fresh, making it the kind of piece that audiences genuinely enjoy while singers stay engaged across all three voicings.

Like stepping into a time machine with a twist: three Christmas songs you know by heart suddenly arrive riding a 1960s beat with all the fun and sass that era brings. The piece bounces with playful energy, punctuated by moments where your singers become part of the groove through the speech choir section.

Any choir looking for a high-energy, crowd-pleasing holiday selection that works across middle school, high school, and adult ensembles. The SAB voicing makes it accessible for developing singers while remaining fun for more experienced choirs, and the pop energy appeals to contemporary audiences.

• Lean into the rhythmic pocket of the 60s groove; lock the rhythm section (or the beat-keepers in your ensemble) before layering in the melody lines so the whole piece has forward momentum.
• Shape the speech choir/rap section with clear articulation and rhythmic precision; treat it like an ensemble moment rather than spoken dialogue, letting it land as a musical interlude.
• Balance the three song snippets so none overshadows the others; the medley structure works when each melody gets its moment without rushing past it.
• Use the recorded accompaniment to anchor tempo and arrangement details, especially for the transition passages between songs.

Program this as the opening number or centerpiece of a holiday concert to energize the room and set a fun, accessible tone for the evening. It pairs well alongside more traditional carols since it speaks a completely different musical language, creating nice variety in your Christmas program.

• Singing in a pop/contemporary style with rhythmic precision
• Performing speech choir and rhythmic spoken parts in ensemble
• Blending three familiar melodies within a medley structure
• Interpreting period-specific musical style (1960s pop groove)
• Balancing ensemble cohesion while maintaining individual vocal independence in three-part voicing