GREENSBORO STRINGS
HOLIDAY SING-ALONG 2025
CONTENTS
— Explanation & Repertory list
— Repertory assignments
— Rehearsal schedule and attendance requirments
— Rehearsal plan - TBA
— Concert order - TBA
This is our annual, free-spirited, concert of Holiday music. All students participate. Friends and family are invited to attend the concert (or view on Zoom), sing &/or play their own instruments along with the familiar songs. Included in our tradition is a big rehearsal of the Holiday music during “Special Week,” the week before Thanksgiving.
We consider the preparation of this concert to be the beginning of our “Note-reading Season” though all students are included in the event, regardless of level.
Those in Suzuki Book 2 and up, please focus on developing note-reading rather than on learning more pieces. Decide with your teacher how many pieces you will learn. Students “earn” playing each piece by understanding the written music.
Those in Groups C, please challenge yourself by learning more harmony parts and by choosing advanced fingering. Pay special attention to phrasing and articulation. ALSO, PLAN TO LEAD A PART; ASSIGNMENTS MADE AT GROUP.
ALL NOTE-READERS, please purchase Volumes 1 & 2 of Christmas Kaleidoscope. We use these books every year. (I have several copies of Volume 1 that you can buy from me for $3.00.) If possible, please support a local vendor like Moore Music.
MUSIC THEORY PROJECT FOR NOTE-READERS
Tell me, by Nov. 1, which of the pieces below you would like to enter into MakeMusicCloud. You will also get started at your lessons.
Link to MakeMusic tutorial.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/165FxGIH724z3VQWLVzBlElQlEHt3cd6r?usp=sharing
HOLIDAY REPERTOIRE 2025
This is a list of the pieces in the order of difficulty. A list of the concert order is in the last section.
LEGEND
* indicates instrumental pieces, requiring attendance at 2 of these group lessons or more:
@ Indicates pieces to be played at the Candle Tea
Readers,
--Please arrange your music in concert order, as listed on page 4.
--Please put your music in a 3-ring binder that lies flat, using a hole-puncher rather than plastic sleeves.
--Bring stands and pencils to all rehearsals and concerts.
--For any piece you aren't playing, make a page with the name of that piece on it and place it in the appropriate spot in your binder. That way you'll know to wait for that piece to be played…or when to sing along.
Beginning Songs:
@Jingle Bells – handout (NOT Kaleidescope,) includes part for non-readers.
@Pat-A-Pan – handout, includes part for non-readers.
Suzuki Tunes: Advanced students play duets from Suzuki duet book.
@Twinkle in key of D - Suzuki Var. A & Theme
@Go Tell Aunt Rhody - in key of D and repeat 1st line
@O Come Little Children
(from Suzuki Vol.1, already on SmartMusic)
Chorus from “Judas Maccabaeus”
Christmas Kaleidescope Book 1 (purple)
@Jolly Old St. Nicholas, p.3
Away In A Manger, p. 10
Up On the Housetop, p. 7
Christmas Kaleidescope Book 2 (pink)
O Little Town of Bethlehem, p. 5
@Coventry Carol, p.7
Handouts:
Hanuka
*Jingle Bell Rock
*Silver Bells
“Greensleeves”
WHICH PIECES EACH GROUP WILL PLAY
Non-readers (most of Group A.)
Play the pieces you are able learn from this list.
Twinkle,
Jingle Bells (just “jingle bells” notes or chorus),
Pat-a-Pan rhythm part,
Go Tell Aunt Rhody (starting on the D string, repeat line 1),
O Come Little Children
Jolly Old St. Nicholas
Group B (some from Group A) who have begun note-reading.
Prepare Group A’s list plus as many pieces as you can from this list.
Remember that the point is to be learning to read the notes, not to learn all the pieces by rote.
-Chorus from “Judas Maccabaeus”
-Songs from Xmas Kal. Bk 1 (purple)
@Jolly Old St. Nicholas, p.3
@Good King Wenceslas - p. 4
@Hark The Herald Angels Sing- p. 11
-Songs from Xmas Kal. Bk 2 (pink)
@Silent Night - p. 3
@It Came Upon a Midnight Clear - p. 12
-Learn the tune (the top part.) from these handouts
Pat-a-Pan (handout, not from Xmas K.)
@We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Jingle Bells
*@Ding Dong! Merrily on High
Jingle Bell Rock – Learn the solo violin part
Group C & D
Play everything you can.
Learn all the parts for the “every-year-songs” and for those in “Christmas Kaleidoscope.”
*Jingle Bell Rock
B & C--Solo violin
C & D--Violin 1
D--Violin 2
Greensleeves has only 1 part---Learn this only if everything else seems very easy.