The Christmas Waltz: Full Orchestra Conductor Score & Parts

Brubaker's orchestration captures the elegant, unhurried character of this waltz while keeping the arrangement accessible for Grade 2 ensembles. The flexibility to perform with full orchestra or strings alone makes it practical for different rehearsal schedules and concert settings, and that brush drum part adds authentic style without requiring a specialized percussionist.

Elegant and unhurried, with the warmth of a classic holiday carol recast in three-quarter time. The waltz rhythm gives familiar music a sophisticated, almost ballroom quality that feels fresh even in a concert setting.

Grade 2 orchestras looking for recognizable repertoire that doesn't talk down to players or audiences. Directors wanting a single piece that works equally well in a full orchestra or string-only setting will find this arrangement especially practical.

• Balance the melody line across your first violins and first woodwinds; this tune deserves to sing, so resist the urge to let accompaniment voices cover the tune.
• If performing with strings alone, the drummer with brushes becomes your rhythmic anchor, establish a clear, relaxed tempo together before rehearsal and lock that in early.
• Shape the phrasing across the full two minutes; treat this as a concert piece with gentle dynamic contours rather than a novelty arrangement.

Place this in a holiday concert to bridge classical and popular music repertoire, or use it as a seasonal opener that sets an accessible, joyful tone before moving into more demanding work. The two-minute length makes it ideal for pops concerts or mixed programs where you need something polished but not time-intensive.

• Sustaining long melodic lines across phrases in three-quarter time
• Balance between melody and accompaniment textures
• Executing brush technique (percussion)
• Stylistic interpretation of a waltz rhythm at moderate tempo