Program Notes

The Christmas season is full of lights, colors, foods, and most importantly…music.  The long tradition of Christmas carols is rich in its tapestry of styles, melodies, and overall feeling of good-will.  It is from this plethora of songs that I have assembled this medley for young ensembles, A Festival of Carols; in this work, you will hear fragments of O Tannenbaum, Good King Wenceslas, Joy to The World, In Excelsis Deo, Deck the Halls, Jingle Bells, Jolly Old St. Nicholas,  and Come All Ye Faithful wrapped up into a neat little present for performers and audiences alike.  Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all.

Educational goals of the work:

-Rhythmic stability and vocabulary in 4/4 Time

-Articulation differences between:  Tenuto, Accents, Staccatos, Slurs

-Navigating Slight Tempo Changes

-Familiarize performers with the songs included: O Tannenbaum, Good King Wenceslas, Joy to The World, In Excelsis Deo, Deck the Halls, Jingle Bells, Jolly Old St. Nicholas, and Come All Ye Faithful.  While the French Horns will sound a fourth away from the other instruments, the melody sheets were written to be in a more comfortable range for these players.