The Holiday Season: SAB Choral Octavo

Mark Hayes transforms this Thompson standard into a choral showstopper that gives your singers real Hollywood pizzazz. The arrangement's flashy piano part and full instrumental accompaniment create the kind of sonic landscape that makes audiences lean forward in their seats, while the SAB voicing keeps the piece accessible to mixed choirs of varying experience levels. This is the song that defined Andy Williams's Christmas sound; bringing it to your concert gives you immediate cultural recognition and a piece that sings itself.

Elegantly swinging and glamorous, with the polish of a classic vocal group recording. The music moves with ease and warmth, building momentum as the arrangement adds layers of accompaniment and instrumental color. This is Christmas music that swings.

Directors programming a Christmas concert who want a sophisticated pop arrangement with genuine star power and broad appeal. Choirs comfortable with part-singing and rhythm interpretation will thrive with the stylistic demands of this piece. Programs seeking a secular holiday song with real musical substance and Hollywood prestige find their answer here.

• Balance the vocal lines so the melody sits clearly over the harmonies, especially in the verses where Thompson's tune needs room to breathe before the arrangement opens up.
• Lock the rhythm section (rhythm group and accompaniment) to the recorded track early in rehearsals; the swing feel depends on consistent groove between singers and accompaniment.
• Shape the dynamic arc from the song's opening through the big moments; the Hayes arrangement builds deliberately, so resist the urge to sing at full volume from the start.
• Pay attention to articulation and diction in faster passage work; crisp consonants and clean vowels cut through the full instrumental texture and keep the text audible.

Position this as a centerpiece moment in your holiday concert, ideally mid-program when audiences are settled and singers are warmed up for the style it demands. Pair it with other secular holiday fare or use it as your sole pop arrangement if you're building a concert around traditional carols. The recorded accompaniment means you can feature this even if live instrumental support isn't available, making it flexible for various concert formats.

• Stylistic interpretation of swing and popular music phrasing
• Vocal balance and blend in three-part mixed voicing
• Singing with recorded accompaniment and click tracks
• Dynamic shaping and curve in longer phrases
• Rhythmic precision in contemporary pop and jazz idioms