The Holidays in Five: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Jazz arrangements of familiar holiday material often feel like gimmicks, but Fagan's work here respects both the source material and the idiom. The Grade 4 difficulty level means your students can actually execute the syncopation and time signature shifts without the arrangement becoming more about logistics than musicality. Programming this gives your holiday concert genuine sophistication without sacrificing accessibility.

Comfortable and cool, like the warmth of a winter evening indoors meets the snap of modern jazz sensibility. The familiar holiday melodies ground the listener while Fagan's syncopation and harmonic choices keep things fresh and engaging, never settling into predictability.

Bands seeking holiday repertoire that moves beyond traditional arrangements and gives student musicians a chance to explore jazz idioms in a sophisticated context. Directors who want to program something festive but distinctive will find this fills a real need without patronizing the ensemble.

• Establish the swing feel early in rehearsals. Have the rhythm section tap out the jazz ride cymbal pattern before running the full piece so everyone locks into the pocket.
• Mark the meter changes visibly in your score. The unconventional time signatures need clear preparation and cutoffs; dancers won't help here, so use deliberate gestures at transitions.
• Let the soloists breathe. Jazz arranging typically provides space for individual voices to shine; resist the urge to over-conduct these moments.
• Balance the saxophones against the fuller ensemble. Jazz voicings can get buried quickly if the winds aren't mixed carefully.

Use this as your closing piece on a December concert to send audiences out with sophistication and swing rather than sentiment. It works equally well as a standalone concert number or as part of a mixed holiday program where it provides contrast to traditional arrangements. The four-minute length makes it an ideal anchor for a shorter holiday showcase.

• Executing syncopated rhythms in jazz style
• Reading and performing unconventional time signatures
• Responding to swing articulation and phrasing
• Balancing individual voices within jazz voicings
• Interpreting jazz style markings and ensemble blend in a concert setting