Up on the Housetop--Down in New Orleans: Concert Band Conductor Score

Warm, swinging, and full of character. There's a bounce to this arrangement that comes from the Second Line influences and jazz harmonies, making it feel more like a celebration than a traditional Christmas carol. The humor in the text painting (Santa wanting jambalaya) comes through in the music itself.

Young concert bands tackling medium-easy repertoire who are ready for something beyond straight conductus writing. This works for bands in their first or second year, or for any ensemble looking for a holiday selection with personality and style.

• Establish a steady, infectious groove in the Second Line feel. Lock the rhythm section early and let them anchor the entire band's sense of forward momentum.
• Balance the jazz harmonies carefully; they're modern but should sit naturally under the melody, not compete with it.
• Shape dynamic contrasts between solo and tutti sections to highlight the arrangement's humor and arrangement details.

Program this as a lighter moment in a winter concert, or pair it with more traditional holiday selections to create contrast and variety in your program. At 2:30, it fits neatly into any concert slot without consuming excessive rehearsal time relative to the musical payoff.

• Reading and executing jazz harmonies in a concert band context
• Understanding Second Line rhythm and regional musical traditions
• Balancing melody and accompaniment in a stylistically unified arrangement
• Maintaining rhythmic precision in syncopated figures