The Good King Swings!: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Holiday concerts need breathing room, and this swing treatment of two familiar carols delivers exactly that. Hodges balances accessible harmony with genuine big band sophistication—jungle drums, jazz textures, and contrapuntal writing create real musical interest without demanding virtuosic chops from your ensemble. At Grade 2, it's playable by mid-tier bands while remaining genuinely fun for directors tired of straight-ahead carol arrangements.

A sophisticated take on Christmas tradition that swings with genuine jazz vocabulary—smooth and sophisticated in its jazz section, percussive and playful in the drums passage, and commanding in the final big band bluster. The piece never feels condescending; it treats the familiar melodies as vehicles for musical storytelling across multiple moods.

Concert bands at the Grade 2 level looking for repertoire that respects both the genre and their developing musicianship. This arrangement works for groups with solid fundamentals who are ready to explore jazz idioms without excessive technical demands.

• Let the rhythm section lock in first during sectionals. The swing feel depends on confident execution from your percussion and low brass; lock your articulation and rhythmic displacement before the full ensemble learns their parts.
• Shape the "jungle" drums section with dynamic control in the ensemble. This moment breaks the swing groove intentionally, so your winds and brass should pull back to let those percussion colors breathe and surprise.
• Treat the contrapuntal section like chamber music rather than a power moment. Independent lines work only if each section hears itself as distinct; isolate each voice group and drill balanced entrances and voice crossing.
• Approach the big band ending with attitude. This is the payoff moment; commit to crisp articulation, aligned dynamics, and rhythmic snap to land the excitement of a genuine swing finale.

Position this as your holiday program's centerpiece or finale, especially if your concert balances classical carols with contemporary takes on seasonal music. The novelty and energy make it an ideal second-half opener to reset audience engagement, or a closing statement that sends the audience out with genuine swing in their step.

• Swing articulation and feel (straight eighth notes versus swung eighths)
• Jazz chord voicing recognition and harmonic context
• Sectional independence and voice crossing in contrapuntal writing
• Dynamic shaping within sustained chord changes
• Rhythmic precision in syncopated ensemble passages