That Holiday Season!: 2nd B-flat Trumpet

This arrangement strings together five beloved holiday melodies in a single program that flows from autumn gratitude through New Year's reflection, giving you a complete seasonal narrative without programming scattered solos. Story's Grade 2 voicing respects each melody's character while keeping the orchestration transparent enough for developing musicians to hear themselves and support one another. It's the rare holiday suite that feels substantial rather than novelty.

Warm, nostalgic, and inclusive. Each melody arrives with its own character: the earnest gratitude of WE GATHER TOGETHER, the brightness of DECK THE HALLS, the reverence of SILENT NIGHT, the joy of WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS, and the reflective closure of AULD LANG SYNE. The arc feels like moving through a season with a community.

Directors programming a full fall or winter concert will find this suite perfect for ensembles at the Grade 2 level seeking substantial holiday content. This also works well for bands transitioning from fundamentals into early concert repertoire, offering familiar melodies that build confidence while developing ensemble listening skills.

• Balance the melodic material across sections during each tune's exposition. Since these are recognizable melodies, let them sing clearly without drowning in accompaniment.
• Address the transition between movements as deliberate moments, not hurried pauses. Even a brief silence between Thanksgiving and Christmas underscores the seasonal progression.
• Mark dynamics clearly in your parts before rehearsal. Grade 2 bands often miss subito changes, and this medley benefits from clear contrasts between sections.
• Conduct through the piece with attention to internal phrasing within each melody rather than treating each tune as a single shape. AULD LANG SYNE especially rewards phrase-by-phrase clarity.

Open a November concert with this suite as your primary holiday offering, freeing the rest of your programming for concert band standards. Alternatively, feature it as the finale of a winter program, allowing audiences to leave with familiar, celebratory melodies. The medley format also works well for community holiday events where variety and recognizability matter.

• Sustaining melodic lines while accompanying parts move beneath
• Responding to conductor cues for transitions between contrasting sections
• Balancing ensemble sound across multiple textures and ranges
• Interpreting style changes from hymn-like opening through celebratory closing
• Reading and executing Grade 2 band voicing with clear part independence