Two-Gether We Sing: Christmas: Enhanced CD

This collection hits the practical sweet spot that elementary and middle school directors need in December: manageable arrangements that sound polished without demanding advanced sight-reading skills. The independent counterlines are genuinely musical (not just parallel block harmony), so students experience real harmonic thinking while the tuneful melodies keep rehearsals energized. You can program one piece as a warm-up or string several together for a complete holiday concert without weeks of intense preparation.

Bright, cheerful, and unpretentious. These arrangements celebrate the warmth of holiday music while building genuine harmonic awareness; students feel the satisfaction of singing in parts without struggling against the grain of the material. The melodies sit comfortably in young voices, and the counterlines add textural interest that keeps experienced singers engaged alongside those still building confidence.

Elementary and middle school general music classes, school choirs, and classroom singing programs serving grades 2-7. This book works equally well for teachers leading full classroom ensembles and directors with dedicated choirs who need accessible holiday material. It's also ideal for schools looking to introduce two-part singing without abandoning the joy of festive repertoire.

• Balance the two parts by having students sing their line with full tone in rehearsals, then gradually adjust blend during dress rehearsal; avoid the temptation to suppress the melody line just because there's a counterline present.
• Work the independent parts separately first, then layer them gradually; this prevents students from defaulting to unison out of habit.
• Use the recorded accompaniment in rehearsals to help students internalize harmonic relationships without depending on a piano player for every run-through.
• Select tempos that allow clear articulation of text; these arrangements reward crisp diction, especially in pieces like "Jingle Bell Dash."

Treat this as your core holiday songbook for December: select 3-5 pieces that match your ensemble's skill level and program them across different concert appearances or rehearsal showcases. The variety of styles (canon-based arrangements, traditional carols, multicultural selections) means you can program a coherent 15-minute set without repetitive harmonic treatment. Consider pairing these with instrumental accompaniment or simple movement to extend the performance value of each piece.

• Two-part harmonic singing with independent melodic lines
• Part independence and listening to peers while singing different material
• Reading and performing simple counterpoint
• Holiday repertoire and cultural traditions in music
• Blend and balance in small ensemble contexts