The Happiest Time of Year: Choral Octavo SoundTrax CD

Donnelly and Strid have written a piece that works as both a festive opener and a concert climax, giving you genuine programming flexibility. The two-part writing sits comfortably for developing singers while the interwoven carol fragments create moments of musical recognition that audiences adore, and the included SoundTrax CD with glockenspiel on the optional C-instrument part makes it engaging without requiring additional instrumentation.

Bright, energetic, and unmistakably holiday in spirit, this fanfare radiates genuine cheer without feeling saccharine. The two vocal lines weaving together create a sense of musical conversation, while the familiar carol fragments spark moments of joyful recognition throughout.

This piece fits developing choirs in middle and high school settings. The accessible two-part writing and festive character make it an ideal vehicle for singers building confidence in part independence and blend.

• Balance the two independent melodic lines during rehearsals by having each section sing their part alone first, then gradually blend them together to ensure both lines remain equally audible in performance.
• Highlight the carol fragments when they appear by slightly shaping the dynamic in those moments, inviting singers to feel the familiarity without losing the overall flow.
• Use the SoundTrax accompaniment from the beginning of rehearsals to help singers internalize the harmonic context and understand how their parts sit within the full arrangement.

Open your winter concert with this piece to set an uplifting tone immediately, or close with it to send the audience out in a festive mood. It also works beautifully as a thematic anchor if you're building a concert around holiday traditions, appearing again in different contexts throughout the program.

• singing independent melodic lines while maintaining awareness of a second part
• blending two-part harmony with attention to balance and intonation
• recognizing and interpreting embedded melodic references within a larger composition
• responding to recorded accompaniment while maintaining ensemble cohesion