arrange • compose • conduct
Posts about Christmas-related topics
How are you choosing what you listen to this Christmas? I’ve long advocated for ditching the radio when it comes to Christmas. That goes for the popular playlists on streaming services, too. So for this Christmas morning, if you’re looking for some listening that ditches the songs you hear too […]
Your only job on the first day of break is to stop. Stop. STOP! For all educators, and especially music educators, the sprint between Thanksgiving and Winter Break has been unrelenting. Concerts, dress rehearsals, deadlines, spirit days, and increasingly stir-crazy students are just a few of the many challenges you […]
What makes a song Christmasy? A few years ago, someone wrote an article arguing it was a mi7(b5) that made a song Christmasy. That’s just silly. Sure, there has to be a lyrical connection to Christmas…but I admit there are some Swedish-language songs that feel very Christmasy to me, even […]
‘Tis the season. The season of no reflection. We’re talking dress rehearsals, back-to-back (or overlapping!) performances, holiday parties that call for caroling, end-of-semester grades, Christmas shopping, weather challenges, and more. Amidst that, there’s no time for reflection, taking the time to consider what happened and what’s about to happen. Now, […]
A few years ago, Terry Gross got songwriting team Hugh Martin and Ralph Blaine to talk about writing their classic “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” and in particular about the various versions of the lyric. They began by sharing the original penultimate lyric, which Judy Garland refused to sing: […]
These are the seven albums (one per artist) that mean Christmas to me as a vocal harmony lover. Christmas: The Singers Unlimited The Christmas Album: Manhattan Transfer He Is Christmas: Take 6 The World For Christmas: The Real Group Noels Sans Passport: The Swingle Singers Let It Snow: New York […]
This time of year, I hear a solid percentage of people say “I hate Christmas music.” That is a defensible opinion, though I wish they’d say, “it’s not for me.” But there’s more to it, I realized–because if you’re listening to Christmas music in a different way than I am, […]
Wishing you a day filled with music. Including this, which for me exemplifies Christmasy music. Gene’s writing is complex, original, beautiful, and always compelling. But more than that, in this case, is the heartfelt delivery of this piece. You feel it when they sing it. Right down to the spoken […]
The three ideas I most closely associate with Christmas Eve are Family, Singing, and Anticipation. Family, because you’re hopefully with the people you love–blood family or adopted family. Singing, because caroling in general and Silent Night in particular feel particularly connected to Christmas Eve. Anticipation is overwhelming, especially for children, […]
What is the best Christmas album and why is it Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas? It has the perfect selection of classic American Christmas songs. Ella sings flawlessly. (It’s my favorite period of her recording – around the same time she was recording the Songbook series, her classic Ella […]