Snow Day!: Score
By Katie O'Hara LaBrie
Grade: 1.5
Item: 00-PR-0007750
$10.00
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Description
Waking up on a cold winter day. Sledding. Hot Chocolate. It's a snow day! Written by Katie O'Hara LaBrie, Snow Day! is craftily designed using limited range and a jolly melody that outlines the B-flat major scale. This highly accessible piece, with its bright melodies and jingle bell accompaniment, will delight students and audiences alike. (2:15)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Snow Day!: Score 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:
Belwin Beginning Band
Publisher:
Alfred Music
SKU:
00-PR-0007750
More about this title
About the Composer: Katie O'Hara LaBrie
Katie O'Hara LaBrie brings fifteen years of orchestra teaching experience from Fairfax County Public Schools into her work as a composer, conductor, and clinician. She earned her Bachelor of Music in Music Education from St. Olaf College and her Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting from George Mason University, studying with Anthony Maiello.
LaBrie's compositions emerge directly from her classroom priorities: educational integrity, audience appeal, and genuine enjoyment for the musicians performing them. Her work has earned multiple J.W. Pepper Editor's Choice selections, performances at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Directors Clinic and ASTA Conference, and recognition as one of Yamaha's "40 Under 40" in 2022. She founded the Fairfax Chamber Players and co-created "the Big IDEA" practice method, reflecting her commitment to purposeful music learning.
Why we love this
LaBrie understands exactly what Grade 1.5 bands need: a piece that sounds celebratory and complete while staying within accessible technical boundaries. The B-flat major scale foundation and limited range mean your students can focus on ensemble balance and phrasing rather than struggling with the notes, yet the jingle bell accompaniment and jolly melody give audiences the full holiday experience.
What to expect
Bright, nostalgic, and genuinely joyful. The piece captures the simple pleasures of a snow day with musical warmth that feels earned rather than saccharine. Listeners will recognize the B-flat major scale melody immediately, and students will feel the satisfaction of performing something that sounds complete and celebratory.
Who it's for
Beginning concert bands ready for their first holiday pops concert, or any Grade 1-2 ensemble needing a festive, confidence-building piece that plays well in community settings. The accessible writing makes it ideal for students still developing ensemble listening skills and basic phrase awareness.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the melody between sections so it sings clearly above the accompaniment; the B-flat scale outline needs to land confidently.
- Let the jingle bell part sparkle without drowning out the main voices; light touch and controlled dynamics work best.
- Shape the phrase endings with slight ritards to allow the melody's cheerfulness to land naturally before moving forward.
How to use it
Pair this with other holiday selections at a winter concert, or feature it as the opener to set an upbeat, family-friendly tone for the evening. At 2 minutes 15 seconds, it fits easily into a mixed program and performs equally well in contest/festival settings where accessible, well-crafted writing resonates with adjudicators.
Skills your students will build
- Melodic phrasing using scalar motion
- Ensemble balance between melody and accompaniment
- Intonation in B-flat major tonality
- Sustained tone control in limited range
- Listening across sections while maintaining part independence